How to Make the Maguey Harvest

1 1/2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Reposado

1/2 oz cinnamon gomme syrup

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 fresh apple cider

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Instructions

shake with ice

strain in to a cocktail glass

garnish with grated nutmeg

alternatively, you could warm the ingredients over a low flame

do not boil

serve hot in mugs

 

Ilegal Mezcal Joven, Reposado and Anejo

Ilegal Mezcal has three different tequila offerings, joven, reposado and anejo. The joven, or young, reminds me of the ocean, a mix of salt air and seaweed. The palate is light, with a salty floral and gradual warming spice. Still a little herbaceous, I find it intriguing and keep going back to taste. The Ilegal Mezcal reposado is lighter than the Correlejo, which I describe below. There is still a salty nose, with herbaceous notes however. There is not nearly the smoke flavor as the Corralejo, so I’m curious about the aging. It opens however, and becomes smoother and a bit more mellow with just 10 minutes. There is still smoke and spice and salt, but they’re a bit more harmonious. Finally, the Ilegal Mezcal anejo is smooth. There’s a very pretty palate, no bite at all. It has a warming flavor that reminds me of a light Scotch. There’s a saltiness that carries through on the line,and it reminds me of a heavy mesquite smoked fire. The salt and spice linger on the tongue, but I find it pleasant.

I thought about titling this post, “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” or “Mas Tequila.” There was even a little snicker as I thought about Pee Wee Herman dancing to “Tequila” in a biker bar in the movie Pee Wee Herman’s Great Adventure. Alas, none of that either happened or made sense for this post. The reason…we’re not talking about Tequila, we’re talking about Mezcal.

As a wine blogger, no one was more surprised than me when I received three trade samples of Ilegal Mezcal. My level of agave experience is limited to tequila shots, margaritas, the occasional smooth Patron and mostly memories of sickness and hangovers. Before beginning my research, I had no idea the difference between mezcal and tequila. With people consuming the agave nectar in mass for Cinco de Mayo, I was eager to do my duty to uncover the world of mezcal for wine lovers everywhere.

Mezcal vs Tequila

From what I can tell here are the basics differences between Mezcal and Tequila

• Both come from the Agave plant, but from different species
• Tequila is from Jalisco and mezcal is from Oaxaca
• Tequila is made from the crushed fermented juice of the agave plant; mezcal is made from steamed condensation of the process and then distilled.
• Tequila contains no worm, mezcal contains a worm.
• Tequila cannot be called mezcal but mezcal can be called tequila

There may be more differences but they become less important as the shots flowed.

The NectarView

With 3 bottles of Ilegal Mezcal and Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I decided the only way to do this review was with some authentic Mexican cuisine. I stopped by a tiny Mexican restaurant and picked up a variety of tacos (steak, beef, fish) and set out to discover the world of mezcal. Due to my lack of experience with tequila and mezcal, I won’t be giving scores to the following but will only offer my consumer based opinion.

Joven ($55)

The “low end” mezcal isn’t aged for any length of time but is double and triple distilled. The color is like water, completely clear. On the nose the wine is very pungent. At first sniff there is an overwhelming aroma of burnt plastic (like when a piece of Tupperware gets burned in the dishwasher), cheap perfume and sweet fruit. Let this mezcal sit for a few minutes and most of that offensive aroma dissipates. In the mouth I get strong smoke, pepper, and a sweet fruit that I just can’t pinpoint along with a HUGE amount of heat.

SHIVER FACTOR: (this is the score of how smooth the mezcal is – the higher the score the more smooth) – At first sip, the Joven is very tough to swallow and earns a shiver score of 3-/5

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Ilegal Mezcal

 

"If you want to know what the traditional drink of Mexico is, you want mezcal, not tequila. Tequilas today are for the most part industrial products, while mezcals are small village efforts."
John Rexer, founder Ilegal Mezcal

The holiday of Cinco de Mayo has grown in popularity beyond Mexico and revelers around the world can't resist the delicious Mexican food, upbeat Mariachi music, ice cold margaritas, and 100% agave spirits. Here's a little quiz for you, dear readers - what historical event does Cinco de Mayo celebrate? The correct answer is the victory of the Mexican Army versus the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. If you answered correctly, take a sip of Ilegal Mezcal. Hey, it's a fiesta so have a sip even if you were wrong!

An artisanal product that is entirely handcrafted and made from the heart of the Espadin agave plant from Oaxaca, Ilegal Mezcal is notches above most tequila which is distilled industrially. Don't let the name scare you away - Ilegal Mexcal is perfectly legal but prior to launching the brand, company founder John Rexer used to "creatively" transport mezcals across the border to his bar, Cafe No Se, in Guatemala so that his patrons could sample the magical mezcals that he has loved for many years. The mezcals were so popular that Rexer was inspired to create his own brand by working with small local producers and using traditional production methods. Rexer says. "Mezcal is something from the earth... I'm serious about the ingredients being agave, water, sun, and time. Mexcal is not a product, it is a culture. It is as nuanced as the lines in the hands that make it."

Ilegal Mezcal has three distinct styles to suit every palate and yours truly has done the hard work of sampling them for you.

Ilegal Mezcal Joven NV  ($55 for 750 ml) is a nice intro to mezcal. Joven means young in Spanish and this crystal clear mezcal has pleasant and refreshing notes of anise, white pepper, and green apple with a smooth finish. I loved the way this transformed on my palate - my initial impression was "whew, this is strong" but it mellowed out within seconds and my mouth was left with a pleasant spicy and fruity warmth. I really enjoyed it.

Ilegal Mezcal Reposado ($69 for 750 ml) is aged for four months in a combination of new oak and re-charred whiskey barrels. A tinge darker than the Joven, the Reposado has a bit more heat with hints of smoke and butterscotch. I would call this a sophisticated sip.

Ilegal Mezcal Anejo ($110 for 750 ml) is what my friend Miguel would describe as "ay, que fancy!" Like the Reposado, it is aged in new oak and re-charred used whiskey barrels but the Anejo gets to luxuriate for a leisurely 14 months. A clear caramel color, Ilegal Mezcal Anejo's notes of vanilla, smoke, heat, tobacco and wood create a powerful symphony of flavor. I think my friends who enjoy single malts will really appreciate the complexity of the Ilegal Mezcal Anejo.

Ilegal Mezcal is perfect for Cinco de Mayo and anytime you want a sophisticated libation with a real connection to place and time.

Click here to find locations near you that serve and sell Ilegal Mezcal.

We tasted an excellent progression of tequilas tonight by Ilegal Mezcal.  The Joven was a sassy and brash chick in a club with a short, tight dress and a quick, biting wit.  This is tequila tequila, albeit a bit smoother than what you might find in a club.  We followed with the Reposado, more what you might find at the bar at 677 Prime - classy, I have a job and a bank account, and I know that I am very attractive, but I really don’t need you at all.  Finally, we ended the tasting with the Añejo, the aged tequila that dresses conservative designer only, dines at the finest country clubs, and comes about as close to scotch as tequila can get.

The Mysteries Behind Chartreuse & Ilegal Mezcal

Chartreuse and Ilegal Mezcal are two spirits that I admittedly didn't know much about. I've tried Chartreuse before, but after sampling the herbaceous green potion again at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, along with taking my first sip of smooth, smoky Ilegal Mezcal, I was intrigued by the unique flavors of both brands.

There is quite a mystique surrounding these spirits (both imported by Frederick Wildman and Sons). Chartreuse is made by monks who have kept the recipe a secret for centuries, and Ilegal Mezcal was smuggled across the border by swashbucklers who risked their lives because it was just that darn delicious.

Monks? Smuggling? These are clearly not your run-of-the-mill bottles of booze and I was thirsty to know more. My friend and national brand ambassador for both Chartreuse and Ilegal Mezcal, Todd Richman (aka Chartreuse Todd), was kind enough to enlighten me about these enticing elixirs.

As Todd chronicled what makes the brands so unmistakably unique, I was blown away by the history, the stories and the passion infused into each and every bottle. I smelled and sampled the different varieties, ultimately gaining a new appreciation for the taste complexity. After discovering the mysteries behind the labels, I wanted to share my fascination with you all.

From a girl who knows a lot more about food than booze, here's my take on Chartreuse and Ilegal Mezcal:

Mezcal, Tequila's Country Cousin, Finds Its Own Spotlight

By Lesley Téllez

Arturo Dozal didn’t care for alcoholic beverages until he tried mezcal.

“All the drinks I tried, they seemed terrible to me,” says Dozal, who opened a mezcal bar called Bósforo in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico last year. “But a good mezcal, you try it and it takes you to the cosmos. It’s like every mezcal has its own tiny ecosystem.

Mezcal, a distilled Mexican spirit often stereotyped as tequila’s country cousin, is experiencing a boom in Mexico City, with several new mezcalerías catering to the city’s young hip set. Most of these bars focus on small-batch, artisanal varieties not available in the United States. 

Mezcal is also finding an audience abroad. Bars specializing in mezcal, not tequila, recently opened in both Los Angeles and New York. Foreign exports of government-certified mezcal have grown 33 percent since 2005, according to SAGARPA, Mexico’s agriculture ministry.

“People used to think of mezcal as the Mexican souvenir with the sombrero and the worm,” says Angélica Cruz, SAGARPA sub-director of agribusiness. “That’s changing.”