GEM&BOLT Mezcal Review

Travel Distilled reviews GEM&BOLT Mezcal from Oaxaca, and with the addition of the aphrodisiac damiana plant

When a spirits brand is launched it’s rarely the logo that comes first, but for the unusually-named GEM&BOLT it was different. The idea for this new mezcal brand came from two friends who were artists and had already created the design.

The design was inspired by the ancient Zapotec myth about how mezcal was created when a bolt of lightning struck the gem or heart of an agave plant, causing it to roast and its sugars to ferment. Mezcal was born.

The Ingredients

The mezcal is made using only fair trade espadin agave plants, which are the agave most mezcal is made from. The fourth-generation master distiller in Oaxaca also uses fresh mountain spring water, and then some damiana.

Damiana

So what’s damiana? It’s a plant that grows in Central and South America, the Caribbean and Texas, and has a smell a little like chamomile. In Mexico it’s also believed to be an ancient aphrodisiac, and today is used to elevate your mood and to be a tonic for all the organs (not just one in particular).

Making the Mezcal

The agave used by GEM&BOLT grow for up to ten years before being harvested by hand when they’re judged to be at their peak for flavour. They’re then wood-roasted over a slow heat in the traditional earth-pit mezcal ovens. Once crushed using the traditional tahona stone, the mash is then fermented in wooden barrels for 3-6 months. After the first distillation, the damiana is added during the second distillation.

The Bottle

As two of the founders are artists – and, incidentally, both daughters of bootleggers from Virginia! – you’d expect the bottle and label design to look good, and they do. The design is a stark black and white, with black text and logo on white glass, with a clear glass strip at the bottom. They make a handsome addition to my growing collection of tequilas and mezcals, currently my two favourite spirits.

GEM&BOLT Mezcal Review

Cool bottles are always good to have, but they also raise expectations of what’s inside. I was curious, but I was even more curious as to what my wife’s reaction would be. I’d had mezcal a few times while travelling in Mexico, and had immediately fallen in love with its smoky taste (though some are smokier than others). This was my wife’s first mezcal, so what would she make of it?

‘Wow,’ was the verdict. ‘This is like a good Scotch whisky, I’d no idea.’ My wife is a fan of the wee dram so I should have known she’d like mezcal. But darn, now I’ll have to share.

On the nose, this mezcal is lighter on the smoke than some I’ve had, and has notes of lemon and salt (so why serve it with salt?) It’s also quite floral and fresh.

What you get on the nose you also get on the palate. Light on the smoke, a mix of citrus and floral. There’s a twist on the finish, though, where you get a dash of spice and even chili pepper as it goes down. All in all it’s quite a subtle mezcal, and would perhaps work as an introduction if you know you like whisky but are wary about mezcal

Serving Mezcal

I like mezcal neat, but if that’s too strong for you – and this GEM&BOLT mezcal is 44% ABV – then you can use it in cocktails, even something as simple as mezcal and tonic. What you shouldn’t do is adulterate the flavour by serving it with salt and lime. Maybe use orange instead, but no salt.

One bartender said that any cocktail you can make with tequila, you can try it with mezcal for a subtle shift in flavour. And if you want some mezcal cocktail recommendations, look no further than GEM&BOLT’s own website, https://www.gemandbolt.com/recipes where you’ll also find out where you can buy it. You can also buy it from Drizly and from Master of Malt.