Ilegal Joven Mezcal, 70cl, 40% ABV

Product Information

a b c Galicia, Angelica (9 September 2007). "¡Salud a la mexicana!: el mezcal"[Health, Mexican Style: Mezcal] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Terra . Retrieved 19 October 2009.

Mezcal ( / m ɛ ˈ s k æ l/, Latin American Spanish: [mesˈkal] ⓘ), sometimes spelled mescal, [1] is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli [meʃˈkalːi], which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl [met͡ɬ] and ixcalli [iʃˈkalːi]. [2] Traditionally the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits and it continues to be used for many agave spirits whether these spirits have been legally certified as "mezcal" or not. [3]a b c d e f Zizumbo-Villarreal, Daniel; Colunga-GarcíaMarín, Patricia (June 2008). "Early coconut distillation and the origins of mezcal and tequila spirits in west-central Mexico". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 55 (4): 493–510. doi: 10.1007/s10722-007-9255-0. Ilegal Mezcal is made with 100 percent Espadín agave. According to the brand, all the agave is harvested by handheld machete and crushed by horse-drawn mill. Once bottled, the mezcal is corked, labeled, and numbered by human digits. Ilegal keeps it real. My journey has seen me as an owner of sophisticated bars and renowned liquor shops, and even as a Mezcal distiller, honing the craft from scratch. McEvoy, John (4 May 2012). "How Many Agave Varieties Can Be Used To Make Mezcal?". Mezcal PhD . Retrieved 20 April 2020.

Most people have never heard of mezcal — but they have heard of tequila, which is just a subset of mezcal with some very specific requirements. For mezcal, it really just needs to be distilled from agave plants of some kind to be considered ‘mezcal’. The mash is allowed to ferment, the resulting liquid collected and distilled in either clay or copper pots which will further modify the flavor of the final product. [5] The distilled product is then bottled and sold. Unaged mezcal is referred to as joven, or young. Some of the distilled product is left to age in barrels between one month and four years, but some can be aged for as long as 12 years. [18] [9] Mezcal can reach an alcohol content of 55%. [18] Like tequila, mezcal is distilled twice. The first distillation is known as ordinario, and comes out at around 75 proof (37.5% alcohol by volume). The liquid must then be distilled a second time to raise the alcohol percentage. Mezcal tamaulipeco quiere conquistar paladares nacionales"[Mezcal from Tamaulipas wanted to conquer national palates]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. 9 August 2009 . Retrieved 9 October 2009. During the second distillation of this double copper pot distilled mezcal, pumpkin stems, in addition to local seasonal fruits and grains, are suspended inside the still in a basket. This locally harvested produce often includes pineapples, plantains and oranges, along with pumpkin seeds and chepiche , an aromatic Mexican herb commonly used for seasoning. The chepiche rounds out the vegetal flavors from the pumpkin stems and plantains, and creates a perfumed smoky aroma laced with orange blossoms and marzipan. The earthy flavor is rich with citrus peel and herbal notes, with a touch of eucalyptus in the finish. The old adage goes, “All Tequila is Mezcal, but not all Mezcal is Tequila.” Mexico’s Mezcal spirit is made from the fermented and distilled sugars of agave plants. Unlike Tequila, which must use the Weber blue agave and be made within the designated Tequila appellation, Mezcal can be produced from one of dozens of agave species and doesn’t need to be made in a specific region.There is asaying in Mexico, ‘Treat both women and mezcal with respect and kisses,’ which means to appreciate mezcal you need to take small sips—like kisses—to properly taste it,” says Paola Magalí Segovia Arce, a master mezcalier who oversees 250 mezcals at Bakan Wynwood Mexican Restaurant in Miami, Florida, “And always accompany your mezcal with a bit of water between tastings, to cleanse the palate and hydrate.” Ilegal Mezcal is produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. The brand launched out of a Guatemala bar, Café No Sé, as the pet project of an American expat, John Rexer. It is currently headquartered in NYC.

In the 21st century, mezcal, especially from Oaxaca, has been exported. [12] Exportation has been on the increase and government agencies have been helping smaller-scale producers obtain the equipment and techniques needed to produce higher quantities and qualities for export. The National Program of Certification of the Quality of Mezcal certifies places of origin for export products. Mezcal is sold in 27 countries on three continents. The two countries that import the most are the United States and Japan. [7] In the United States, a number of entrepreneurs have teamed up with Mexican producers to sell their products in the country, by promoting its handcrafted quality, as well as the Oaxacan culture strongly associated with it. [5] a b c d e "Modifications to the General Declaration on the Protection of the Appellation of Origin "Mezcal" published in the Official Journal of the Federation on 28 November 1994 (MX082)". The regulations have been controversial, not only from small artisanal producers for whom the cost of certification is prohibitive, but also from traditional producers outside the chosen GI states and those producers who believe that the term "mezcal" should not be owned by the state. Uncertified producers are prohibited from using the term "mezcal" on their products. Some producers and importers have responded by labeling their products as "destilados de agave" or "agave spirits", a category now recognized by the United States' TTB and in increasing use. [16]a b Niño de Haro, Humberto (13 March 2008). "Productores de mezcal van tras jóvenes"[Mezcal producers getting younger]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013 . Retrieved 19 October 2009. En México existen al menos 7 especies de agave cultivadas y silvestres que son utilizadas para la producción de mezcal. Entre los agaves mezcaleros destacan el “espadín” ( Agave angustifolia Haw.), que es el más cultivado y utilizado para la fabricación del mezcal. En orden de importancia le siguen el “arroqueño” ( Agave americana L.), el “cirial” ( Agave karwinskii Zucc.) y el agave “barril” ( Agave rodacantha Zucc.), el “mexicano” ( Agave macrocantha) y el maguey “cincoañero” ( Agave canatala Roxb). Entre los más famosos y apreciados agaves silvestres por la calidad del mezcal que se obtiene está el “tobala” ( Agave potatorum Zucc.)." Max Garrone. "When does a mezcal deserve to be a mezcal?". mezcalistas.com . Retrieved 8 June 2021.

Buscan llevar su mezcal a todo el mundo"[They seek to bring their mezcal to the whole world]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. 4 February 2009. Archived from the original on 16 March 2009 . Retrieved 9 October 2009. Resolution granting Protection of the Appellation of Origin 'Mezcal', to be applied to Alcoholic Beverages of the same Name (MX083)". Ice can be a bit of a challenge for spirits, often upending the balance of flavors and eliminating some of the lighter aspects. But in this case, the majority of the flavors are surprisingly unchanged. It’s just the intensity that has been altered. Traditionally, mezcal is handcrafted by small-scale producers. [4] A village can contain dozens of production houses, called fábricas or palenques, [5] each using methods that have been passed down from generation to generation, some using the same techniques practiced 200 years ago. [25] This is an important difference with tequila which is nowadays mostly produced industrially. [26]I love it when the design of the bottle and the labeling expands on the story of the brand itself. A number of products try to craft their branding to evoke a sense of what they want to be, not where they came from. This ain’t that, and it feels much more authentic for it. This campaign resonated with those who opposed the political figure, contributing to Ilegal Mezcal’s growing prominence. a b c d e f g h Saltzstein, Dan (21 April 2009). "Hoping Mezcal Can Turn the Worm". The New York Times . Retrieved 9 October 2009. Mezcal is made from over 30 agave species, varieties, and subvarieties, in contrast with tequila, which is made only with blue agave. [20] Of many agave species that can be used to make mezcal, seven are particularly notable. [14] There is no exhaustive list, as the regulations allow any agaves, provided that they are not used as the primary material in other governmental Denominations of Origin. [21] The term silvestre "wild" is sometimes found, but simply means that the agaves are wild (foraged, not cultivated); it is not a separate variety.