Our picks for the best mezcals to improve the holiday season
The holidays loom on the horizon, and it’s time to fortify ourselves. Every good drinker understands that it’s best to have a plan. We all know a fine agave spirit is going to improve any party, but did you know you can weaponize mezcal to solve specific holiday problems? Read on.
Situation: You have that one friend or relation who always brings a cheap-ass bottle and then houses your good stuff at an alarming rate. Solution: Alienate them. You need a mezcal that is not for everyone. Raicilla is a good bet. I love the stuff from Don “Japo” Hildegardo Joya, which you can buy in the US via Mezonte. It’s got all the great characteristics of a coastal raicilla–dialed up to ten. It’s definitely a funky and acquired taste. Unless the cheapskate boozer in question is a raicilla aficionado, they are unlikely to get through more than one glass.
Situation: You need to fortify yourself against “those” family members (we all have them) when they start talking politics. Solution: Numb the pain and dull the senses as quickly as possible. Clearly, puntas are the best mezcals for this scenario. I’m not usually a puntas person, but extreme times call for extreme solutions. And the Partidas of Chacolo are making a delicious expression that also happens to be a three-year capon. This destilado de agave weighs in at 56.4 % ABV and will have you smiling into the distance in no time. Pro tip: If you have other family members you want to help through this difficult time, you might want to bring something less expensive and more accessible–yet still top shelf. Tequila Ocho is making a great puntas expression with candied agave notes that disguise the 54% ABV.
Situation: You’ve gorged yourself on a holiday feast and are looking for the perfect mezcal digestif. Solution: Resident pairings expert Tess Rose Lampert recommends Ultramundo Lamparillo or something piquant and acid such as a tepextate as the best mezcals to combat (or compliment) your post-prandial state. For something tasty but price-friendly, our esteemed founder Susan Coss recommends the tepextate from Bahnez.
Situation: You aren’t going to get through this family event without mezcal, but you also don’t want to overdo it. (You’ve had enough of those “I’ll never forget that one time when you..” stories.) Solution: Mindful drinking. Find something that’s so good you’ll want to sip it slowly and is also a little too weird to go down easy. Once again, we have an agave spirits specialist recommending tepextate as the best mezcal for a holiday conundrum. Clayton Szczech of Experience Agave says “Pretty much all tepextate slows me down.” Susan on the other hand recommends the Batuq Bacanora Reserva.
Situation: You have a couple of relatives you actually really like, and you want to share your love of fine mezcal with them. The problem is that they’re pretty basic when it comes to booze. I mean, we’re talking vodka drinkers. Solution: Susan’s pick is Derrumbes San Luis Potosi, which she says never fails to impress people who like spirits but don’t usually drink mezcal. If you’re more of a Jalisco mezcal person, I recommend Las Perlas de Jalisco, which is a great place to start if you’re trying to convince someone that they actually like raicilla.
Situation: You’re bored as hell by the dinner conversation and want to liven things up. Mezcal is the obvious answer, but you need to get everyone on board. So again, you’re looking for something accessible. Sweet is good. Tosba makes a delicious pechuga that’s distilled with pineapples, bananas, and wild turkey breast. Not only is it a crowd pleaser and a conversation starter, but the turkey is on theme for the holidays. (But if you think your cohorts are going to be weirded out by the turkey breast you can always keep quiet about that part.)
Situation: You’re stuck spending time with a relative who loves liquor but hates women. This misogynist thinks women shouldn’t be president because PMS might cause us to nuke Russia and that we are better off sticking with “womanly” occupations. Solution: Bust out a bottle of delicious mezcal from a woman producer. Susan is appreciative of anything from the hands of Karina Abad Rojas, the maestra destiladora at Destileria Los Danzantes (Los Nahuales in the US) who also oversees production of the Alipús line. Her Los Nahuales Special Release 1 Arroqueño is a particular standout, but you can’t go wrong with any of the expressions. Wait till your relative compliments it (he’ll have to–it’s that good), and then tell him the mezcal is made by a woman. For bonus points: to cement your point, offer him another fine woman-made mezcal. Consider the work of Bertha Vasquez, Reyna Sanchez, Paula Aquino Sanchez or Fabiola Torres-Monfiel, to name just a few.
Situation: You’re going to a holiday party hosted by your new flame’s family. You happen to know that at least one parent likes mezcal and you want to impress. Solution: You obviously have plenty of prestige mezcals to choose from, but you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Real Minero. This destilado de agave is well-known enough to impress a mezcal fan who might not be nerdy enough to realize the value of more obscure brands. After all, Real Minero’s Graciela Angeles Carreño recently appeared on 60 minutes to talk about mezcal. That’s our kind of celebrity-owned brand…
Situation: You’re alone. Maybe all your relatives are dead. Maybe you’re in a faraway land. Maybe you just hate the holiday in question. Whatever the case, there’s no reason to find this situation depressing. You’re missing out on a lot of annoying nattering. Solution: Celebrate your peaceful solitude with something great. Treat yo self, as Donna and Tom from Parks and Rec would say. In this case, I think I’d manifest a bottle of Don Mateo Cupreata. This Michoacan mezcal has a sweet, rich delicacy that reminds why life ain’t always so bad. Susan suggests something from Macurichos or Pal’alma. But you do you.
Situation: You’re hungover from too much holiday drinking, but you have more holiday activities to face. I’ve been known to drink a trago of straight mezcal in the morning, but that feels more natural at a palenque or taberna, and your hangover might be better soothed with a delicious breakfast cocktail. If you’re too lazy to make a proper cantarito, you can always fall back on the simpler mezcal paloma. For a good cocktail mezcal, Tess Rose recently recommended the Cuentacuentos Barro, a robust espadín that will stand up to the grapefruit. Personally, I like a paloma that’s mixed with a half ounce of mezcal and 1.5 ounces of a reasonably priced tequila like Arrete. If you want to go 1:1 or 100% mezcal and are looking for a great price point, Susan recommends the Amarás espadin. Add a little salt and you’re ready to take the holiday by its horns.
Mark Shipley says
I have an alternative for the friend or relative who takes your hooch: Lamata de Castilla they have a couple, but the one I’m thinking of has a grey label and lid. Mind you, I LOVE every expression of Lamata I’ve tasted (6 or so) except….
It smells like a corpse, and the taste is reminiscent of the smell. I had this unpleasant experience during AgaveFest 2022 at the Hotel Congress. Bought one the first night and immediately regretted my decision. Unfortunately, I forget the name and bought it again the next night in the Century Room. Because I gave up my seat at the bar to this guy and his girlfriend/wife/mistress, he insisted on buying my round (which I’d already paid for – I was trying to tip the bartender). He had the coldest eyes I’ve ever looked into; his mouth said, “I pay”, and his eyes said, “or you will”. Got back to the table and tried to choke that one down, when the waitress delivered another courtesy of my new friend. Finally got the order changed, which was good because he kept buying rounds until we begged him to stop.