triple distilled with corn pechuga-style

Vago Mezcal 70cl - Elote - Hijos de Aquilino

Product information

£63.37

Description

Vago Elote from Hijos de Aquilino Garcia carries on the tradition of maestro mezcalero Aquilino Garcia Lopez, one of the founders of Vago Mezcal. Aquilino's sons, Temo and Mateo, have spent their lives working alongside Aquilino, learning the methods and knowledge that have been passed down through generations.

Vago Mezcal Elote de Hijos de Aquilino is a triple-distilled mezcal 'pechuga' style mezcal, between the second and third distillations, Temo and Mateo add roasted corn (elote) from their family farm. The roasted corn taste shines through to the finish, creating soft, sweet cereal notes alongside smoky agave on the palate.

Like the Elote from Aquilino, before he passed away, this has a nose full of smoky toasted corn and dry river stones. The body is sweet with wood tones and layers of honeycomb, green tropical fruit, and smoke. This is a triple-distilled Mezcal. Between the second and third distillations, the maestro adds roasted corn from the farm. The roasted corn taste shines through to the finish. This Mezcal still has hints of the Vago Espadin’s tough exterior, but its softer finish rounds the edges of the Espadin.

Mezcal Vago began when co-founder Judah Kuper visited a hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico. He fell in love with the nurse who treated him. Her father, Aquilino Garcia, was a sustenance farmer who also produced mezcal. Judah and Aquilino, along with Judah’s longtime friend Dylan Sloan, launched Mezcal Vago. In 2013, their first exported bottles arrived in Texas. Each of their mezcals is produced naturally in a traditional palenque with no additives. The brand aims to empower both the master craftsmen with a celebration of their art. Also, the consumer gives them the knowledge they need to find a great mezcal. The brand plants 3 agaves for every single agave they harvest. Their goal is to end the use of wild agave by 2025 for most of their releases.

In 2017, Mezcal Vago began using different colour labels for their different mezcaleros. Emigdio Jarquín (blue label) distills in copper with refrescador. Aquilino and Joel Barriga (tan and gold labels respectively) distil in copper. Tío Rey (red label) distils in clay pots. All their mezcaleros use different water sources and make different distillation cuts.

Aroma: sweet agave, dry black pepper, roasted corn, a whiff of smoke

Palate: strong, as the alcohol is high, notes of roasted corn, caramel candy, pineapple, vanilla, toasted wood and an oily nuttiness, tropical fruit, swirls of smoke, long finish

ABV: 49.9%

2 available

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Additional details


    MezcalReviews rating: 3.68/5*

    Zach Klamn: 'Nose – Frozen corn (slight aroma but not much). Raw grapefruit juice. Palate – Much sweeter than Padre’s elote. The heat at relatively the same ABV is optimized by the Hijos (i.e. less intense). More texture and viscosity from what I recall (although a side-by-side seems to be in order). Tasting some clay. Grilled, salted and buttered sweet corn on the finish. A tinge of grapefruit and some grassiness in the aftertaste. Smoke throughout is balanced nicely. For comparison, the Hijos take it hands down (and I quite liked the Aquilino’s). Great work lads!'

    aarild: 'On opening the bottle it smells very typical “espadin”, reminding me about Del Maguey’s Chichicapa. A bit alcohol whiff in the glass, allspice and cloves, leather and fresh agave, cornbread. Nice robes. Some alcohol bite at first, which resting would mellow, so leave a pour from a newly opened bottle for a while in the glass, and/or use a copita. More cloves and a hint of cardamom, baked agave, and corn flavour are absolutely there on the finish, the aftertaste keeps lingering, so it is hard to miss. Very fresh, spicy and interesting for an espadín, really good, excellent aperitif.'

    NOM: 0188X Lot A-01-EL-21

    Mezcalero: Temo and Mateo Garcia Lopez

    Interesting fact:

    Maguey/(Agave): espadín/ (A. angustifolia)

    Region: Candelaria, Yegolé, Oaxaca

    Litres produced: 870 litres

    Oven type: earthen pit

    Extraction method: tahona wheel

    Water source:

    Fermentation: natural fermentation in wooden tanks

    Still type: copper

    Resting time:

    Disclaimer

    As Cool Chile is not the manufacturer of this product we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided on our site (e.g. ingredients, nutritional information, etc). Manufacturers regularly change recipes and therefore we always recommend that you always check the actual label of the product before consuming.