With the growing popularity of Mexico’s agave-based artisan spirit, Robert Parker Wine Advocate branches out to deliver an authoritative introduction and review of 20 Mezcals in a special report
SINGAPORE & NAPA – Media OutReach – 22 July 2022 – Robert Parker Wine Advocate brings its readers a special report on mezcal this July, adding to the breadth and depth of trusted wine and drinks coverage available on its subscriber-based website, robertparker.com.
This agave-based spirit is often called “Mexico in a bottle,” and its explosive array of flavors and character have attracted increasing global acclaim. From fresh, sweet and clear styles to the textured cindery smokiness of more serious sips, and even the unexpected discovery of rabbit-infused pechuga mezcal (a style of mezcal made with an infusion of meat, fruit or herbs), the evocative tastes of mezcal are brought to life for new generations of drinkers around the world.
Says Nicolas Achard, CEO of Robert Parker Wine Advocate, “Agave-based spirits such as mezcal and tequila have shown up as one of the fastest-growing spirits categories of the past few years. Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s new mezcal report offers insightful reviews on this category that complements our latest initiatives to provide consumers with timely, expert opinions on global drinks trends.”
“Vino de Mezcal”
Once called vino de mezcal or “mezcal wine” by Spanish colonists, the distillation of agave-based spirits became widespread in Mexico in the mid-17th century. As guest columnist Emma Janzen reports, agave has long been central to the lives of Mexican people, and each variety has its own distinct shape, size, color, growing season and time to maturity—all characteristics that influence the flavor of a finished mezcal.
For this first Mexico report, Robert Parker Wine Advocate is pleased to tap the expertise of Emma Janzen, who is the author of Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit, which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018, as well as a veteran reporter on the drinks and spirits beat for multiple publications.
The report consists of 20 recommendations for every level of mezcal drinker, from the beginner to connoisseurs. Below are excerpts from the list.
Good for Beginners
Los Siete Misterios Coyote:
The mezcal-making tradition in the Sola de Vega area of Oaxaca is to distill in clay pots, which makes for mezcal with a big, soft mouthfeel. Made with the coyote variety of agave, this mezcal from Siete Misterios offers a round body with a good layer of minerality, plus notes of cooked yams, cocoa and cinder.
Montelobos Ensamble:
For drinkers looking for a thick layer of smoke character, the Ensemble mezcal from Montelobos—a mix of cultivated papalote, tobalá and espadín agaves, made in the state of Puebla—is a robust and stirring spirit with flavors of charred green bell pepper, yellow flowers and wet soil.
Good for Special Occasions
Grulani Tobalá:
Made by mezcalero Leo Hernández (the son of Cosme Hernández, who produces for Alipus), in the Oaxacan town of San Baltazar Guelavila, this tobalá-based mezcal tastes elegant and elevated with a sublime balance and great depth of flavor. It carries the palate on a journey from luminous white lily flavors deep down into the dark depths of smoldering oak.
Bosscal Conejo:
Historically, pechuga mezcals (a style of mezcal made with an infusion of meat, fruit or herbs) were only made and consumed for rituals, holidays and special occasions, so in that same spirit, the rabbit-infused mezcal from Bosscal in the state of Durango is a unique savory mezcal that’s a great fit for non-vegan drinkers. It explodes with flavors of salty cinnamon, blood orange rind and hints of dried thyme and oregano.
Good for Cocktails
Del Maguey Vida de Muertos:
When Del Maguey first released Vida, it was a game-changer for bartenders everywhere; and recently the company released a new version of the famous mezcal, made with a slightly higher proof than the flagship. This bump in alcohol percentage gives the mezcal a boost in structure and flavor, which means it works even better in cocktails than its predecessor. It also functions as an easygoing sipper with lovely notes of pineapple, limestone and peppery spice.
Discover thousands of trusted wine reviews and professional insights into the world of wine and drinks at www.RobertParker.com.
About Emma Janzen
Emma Janzen is an occasional contributor to Robert Parker Wine Advocate, journalist, photographer, and formerly Imbibe Magazine’s digital content editor. Emma has manifested countless stories on the origins and nuances of drinks for the past decade, for publications such as PUNCH, Bon Appetit, Eater, and Serious Eats.
Her first book, Mezcal: The History, Craft and Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit, was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award in 2018; The Way of the Cocktail, which she co-authored with Kumiko owner Julia Momosé (2021) won a JBFA in 2022; she’s contributed to David Wondrich’s The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (2021); and co-authored The Bartender’s Manifesto with Toby Maloney of The Violet Hour (2022).
Writing and editing from her home base in the Midwest, Emma prefers her mezcal neat and her martinis made with gin.
Hashtag: #RobertParkerWineAdvocate
About Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Robert Parker Wine Advocate is the world’s premier independent wine buyer’s website, with a database of more than 450,000 tasting notes, scores and reviews from professional critics around the world. For over 40 years, Robert Parker Wine Advocate (a part of the MICHELIN Group of companies) has been the global leader and independent consumer’s guide to fine wine with its 100-point rating system and in-depth coverage of major wine regions.
Stakeholder mapping, analysis, engagement and communication needs to be detailed to avoid business losses or even worse, a crisis. How can you do this effectively to prevent failure? ...
Data-driven business decisions have never been as crucial, especially in this era. MGBF leverages off, technology, experience and market presence to aid businesses in making accurate decisions. ...
MGBF provides comprehensive strategic advice and results-focused solutions to solve clients' problems in business-government relations so they can focus on their core business. ...
A critical business challenge is meeting the right decision-makers and potential buyers through the best channel and platform. How will you improve your business competency? ...
In this episode of 'A Working Lunch with Nordin', MGBF's Nordin Abdullah and regional commentator Eddin Khoo will discuss the biggest threats and opportunities for businesses as we look to manage change in the South China Sea.
This MGBF Roundtable will feature thought leaders form Japan, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia dealing with the critical issues of manipulation of public listed companies and government and their financial impacts.
A series of networking sessions with various business associations and trade organisations exploring high-value opportunities for business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to build the relationships that matter.
This integrated event will include a forum, dedicated business matching, site visits, a gala dinner and a round of golf. Aptly themed, the focus will be on regional food security issues and trends in the context of the supply chain, agriculture technology and trade regulations and policies.
Planet QEOS and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) are interested in investing RM10 billion to co-develop advanced Megawatt peak (MWp) agrovoltaic in Baram, to further boost Sarawak’s green energy initiative and food security. Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was briefed on Friday by both the […]
Last week SPM results came out, 373,974 aspirants who have been waiting patiently over the last few months would now know their fate. Some 10,109 have received all A’s, the golden standard of academic success and the ticket to those looking to study the “more advanced” subjects in university. Proudly, […]
The classic knee-jerk reaction is to say, fire the coach, change the leadership of associations, and reduce the funding till they start performing better. This kind of negative reinforcement may work for kindergarten children, but we are dealing with high-performance adults – individuals much further along in their psychological and […]
Since its earliest tea plantations in 1929, Cameron Highlands has grown to become a key player in the agricultural landscape of Malaysia, producing 40 per cent of all vegetables grown. Despite Malaysia shifting its economic focus away from agriculture, the industry remains imperative for food security and the livelihoods of […]
Although at first glance the travel industry and the agricultural sector appear to have nothing in common, they actually share more than meets the eye. The economic benefits of tourism to the agricultural sector can be multiplied several times over. “Tourism brings the end consumers closer to the source, which […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) recently held a high-level roundtable themed ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’, attended by industry leaders and business associations. The guest of honour was Yang Berhormat Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Bendera in Penang. The MP’s Special Session […]
The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) will be hosting a roundtable on ‘Designing the Future of the Digital Economy’ on 23 February 2023. It is the culmination of the first three MGBF Exclusive Roundtable Series titled ‘The Evolving Threat Matrix in the Digital Economy’ held throughout 2022. According to the […]
The Founding Chairman of the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF), Nordin Abdullah, today spoke on Bernama TV’s leading English talk show, The Brief, hosted by Jessy Chahal, on the topic of a stable political reality and what that means for the Malaysian economy. Nordin said, “The first thing that it […]
More than 1,100 years ago, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was developing the mathematical formulas that we know today as algorithms which now have become so intertwined with the business fortunes of global media giants and the very fabric of geopolitics. A series of recent high level international reports have revealed […]
KSK Land has been recognised by the Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) for its role in attracting high net-worth individuals to Malaysia post-pandemic. The first challenge in investor attraction is “selling” the country. In the context of Asia, Malaysia is competing with some very established investment destinations. The second […]
Malaysia, in particular Kuala Lumpur, continues to position itself as a regional centre to do business, educate a family and enjoy a global lifestyle. One company, KSK Land, has taken the lead in positioning itself and the city of Kuala Lumpur as a property investment destination for the global citizen […]
The upcoming budget represents an opportunity to build resilience in the critical sectors that will form the backbone of the country’s future-facing economic ambitions. This however needs to be achieved in the context of managing the community sectors most impacted by COVID-19 over the past two years. The Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) […]
Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) has moved to support the creative economy as the overall economy moves into a recovery phase following the COVID19 pandemic. As a step in the direction of normalcy, the MGBF has agreed to host the art exhibition “I Know You’re Somewhere So Far” by one […]
Congratulations to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for taking up the mantle of the ninth prime minister of Malaysia. There is nothing normal about the situation; it could not have been scripted but it has kept the spectrum of media, mainstream and social, gripped. The first order of business for […]
In a stirring speech to the nation, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. stamped his brand of leadership on the presidency, in his first act as the 46th president of the United State of America, it signaled several shifts. Perhaps the weather was foreboding with snow falling before the ceremony that […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 6 July 2022 – As the global economy continues to deal with unprecedented levels of disruption caused by the pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the convergence of energy security and food security issues has become a front-of-mind issue faced by policy makers and consumers alike. […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 June 2022 — Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) ties up with scoutAsia to ensure that businesses are equipped with deeper regional insights. The past two years has seen a massive shift in the way businesses are conducted with digitisation, digitalisation and automation continuously being adopted to improve […]
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 May 2022 – The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF)’s exclusive roundtable on ‘Security Concerns in Critical Value Chains’ was held in a hybrid setting yesterday at the Eastin Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honour was Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, former minister of […]
We live in the age of crisis. At the heart of any crisis is the threat of rapid change. Change too deep or too wide that the current coping mechanisms for an individual, corporation or government are unable to remain resilient. An unwelcome paradigm shift, like the proverbial spider, that […]