Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin

Corte Vetusto has a range of mezcals using different agave plants and their Espadin Mezcal is one of many award-winning spirits they produce.

Juan Carlos Gonzalez Diaz is the Zapotec Maestro Mezcalero from Corte Vetusto — Juan Carlos Gonzalez Diaz is the Maestro Mezcalero

What is Mezcal?

Well, who can explain it better than a long-established mezcal distillery like Corte Vetusto? This is what they say on their website:

‘Mezcal is the oldest distilled spirit in the Americas, dating back some 500 years. The word mezcal comes from the Náhuatl words metl (maguey/agave) and ixcalli (cooked) and is the term used for any distilled spirit made from agave.’

See also the mezcal section on my post, Mexican Spirits 101. In short, tequila is only made with the blue agave plant, but mezcal is made from any one of 30 or so agave species certified for the production of mezcal.

Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin label detail — Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin

Corte Vetusto’s Maestro Mezcalero

All of Corte Vetusto’s mezcals are created by Juan Carlos Gonzalez Diaz, a 4th-generation Zapotec Maestro Mezcalero. His great grandfather, Don Mauro, was the first in the family to make mezcal, and as a child Juan Carlos remembers seeing his grandfather teach his father how to make mezcal.

As a young man Juan Carlos would accompany his father on trips to Mexican villages to sell their own mezcal but also to buy other mezcals, to add to their knowledge of what was out there. They would also visit with other mezcal makers, to share thoughts and experiences.

The Espadin Agave

The espadin agave is the most common agave plant used in the production of mezcal, as it grows widely and easily and, unless you screw it up, is pretty much guaranteed to make a decent mezcal. It grows in the wild and is also easy to farm, though it takes 8-12 years for an espadin agave plant to reach maturity and to be ready for harvesting to be turned into mezcal.

Tasting Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin

This Corte Vetusto Mezcal Espadin is bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof), so is a stronger than average mezcal, though you can get mezcals that are as strong as 55%. Like most spirits, though, 40% is a typical strength for mezcal.

On the nose you immediately think of whisky, as it’s slightly smoky, but also slightly sweet, with a butterscotch/light caramel/vanilla aroma too. These are aromas that usually come from barrel-aging, but this espadin mezcal is unaged. The agave, though, have been cooked for four days with mesquite wood in an earth oven, so that in itself provides the smokiness.

Tasting it, the mezcal is incredibly smooth, with that balance of smoke and sweetness, but also some of the spice and citrus that you expect on good tequilas and whiskies, and a hint of pear as well. There’s a slight heat on the finish, enough to be enjoyable but not unpleasant. It’s definitely a mezcal you can sip, and a lot better than the typical espadin mezcal. I wasn’t surprised to discover later than it won a Gold Medal at the 2017 International Wine and Spirits Competition, just one of the awards that Corte Vetusto’s various mezcals have won. I’m looking forward to tasting and reviewing a few more!