Distiller Notes
Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits of 2019
Born from centuries of mezcalero craft and enlightened by the methodical pursuit of perfection, Montelobos Espadin is an unaged joven mezcal, crafted from meticulously cultivated, 100% sustainably grown, organic agave Espadin. An underground pit is filled with volcanic stone which is heated using two different woods which roasts the agave for five days. It is milled under the weight of a traditional single Cantera stone Tahona, and then wild fermented in open-air pine vats for up to seven days. Following the artisanal method with firewood heating copper stills, the mezcal is small batch twice distilled to achieve a perfect balance of sweetness and subtle smoke. This artisinally produced joven mezcal is strikingly balanced and complex, with a bold integration between all the notes that mezcal has to offer. Montelobos Espadin is an experience unto itself.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A brisk aroma mixes dried oregano, bell pepper, juicy lemon and a hint of rubber. The palate leads with rubber and graphite notes, followed by lemon and then pepper. A vegetal midpalate emerges in tones of bell pepper. Mouthwatering, bracing and brisk with a slight sweetness, while the peppery fade shows a hint of juniper, too.
Best Buy.
Mezcal Joven or “young” is bottled within two months of distillation without barrel aging and will appear clear, like a Vodka or Gin. Longer barrel aging, with the principal aim to soften and round a spirit’s flavor profile, is often most prized by connoisseurs. However, many die-hard Mezcal enthusiasts insist that oak takes away from the purity of the agave flavors—ranging from earthy and smoky to sweet and floral, often in the same Mezcal—and that Mezcal Joven is the best expression.