Ojo de Tigre Mezcal
Ojo de Tigre Mezcal is a joint effort created by Mexican actor and producer Luis Gerardo Méndez and the Casa Lumbre distillery which also makes Abasolo Whisky.
Luis Gerardo Méndez
Luis Gerardo Méndez was born in the state of Aguascalientes in the very centre of Mexico, and has starred in a lot of Mexican TV series and films. One of these, The Noble Family, became Mexico’s highest-grossing film for a while. More recently he appeared in the 2019 film of Charlie’s Angels. He also starred in the 2019 Netflix original, Murder Mystery, with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston.
Casa Lumbre
Casa Lumbre is noted for its farm-to-bottle approach to distilling and has a small but classy and unusual range of spirits. These include the well-known chile liqueur Ancho Reyes, Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky, which I reviewed and raved over recently, a corn liqueur, a mezcal called Montelobos, and now this artisanal mezcal, Ojo de Tigre (‘Eye of the Tiger’).
Luis Gerardo Méndez and Casa Lumbre got together with the idea of making a mezcal that wasn’t quite as smoky as some of the mezcals that had become available outside Mexico. They felt that these mezcals were putting people off the spirit, if they didn’t like smokiness in their drinks. After all, not everyone likes smoky Islay whiskies, which can be an acquired taste.
Making Ojo de Tigre Mezcal
Ojo de Tigre Mezcal is unusual in that it’s a blend of two very different agave plants. One is espadin from Oaxaca, which is the most common agave used for making mezcal, while the other is the tobala from Puebla, which is much harder to work with and much rarer. The agave are cooked in an underground stone pit oven, then fermented naturally in wooden vats, and finally double-distilled in copper stills. It’s bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof).
Tasting Ojo de Tigre Mezcal
The bottle is a modest one, going for the artisanal look, with a simple stopper and a label that lists the main things you need to know.
Despite saying that Ojo de Tigre goes easy on the smoke, it is one of the first things I noticed on the nose. It’s very reminiscent of a peaty Islay whisky, so clearly everyone has a different idea of what’s smoky and what’s not. It’s far from the only aroma, of course. There’s a lemon freshness about it too, with some fruity apple, and the earthy smell of the agaves. Tasting it, the fruity freshness and agave earthiness is joined by a vanilla creaminess, and a dash of peppery spice. The smoke is still there too, though perhaps not as much as on the nose.
It’s a first class mezcal, which any whisky-lover would enjoy, I’m sure. I would sip it neat but Ojo de Tigre also have plenty of cocktail suggestions.
Mezcal Cocktails
Tahiti Pearl
Ingredients:
- 5 oz Mezcal Ojo de Tigre
- 8-10 Mint Leaves
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 2 Dashes Lemon Bitters
- 3 Drops Olive Oil
Method: Place all ingredients except olive oil in a shaker with plenty of ice and give it a good shake. Serve in a cold coupe glass and use a fine strainer to catch stray pieces of leaves. Finish with 3 drops of olive oil on top and decorate with a mint leaf.
Tiger Lily
Ingredients:
- 5 oz Mezcal Ojo de Tigre
- 5 oz Pineapple Juice
- 2 oz Ginger Beer
Method: Build all ingredients over ice in a Highball Glass. Garnish with a pineapple slice or lime.
Amethyst
Ingredients:
- 5 oz Mezcal Ojo de Tigre
- .5 oz Lime Juice
- ¾ oz hibiscus syrup
- 2 oz ginger beer or ale
Method: Combine all ingredients and shake well. Strain and top with ginger beer.
Buying Ojo de Tigre Mezcal
You can find a Store Locator for the USA on the Ojo de Tigre website. In the UK you can buy it from Mangrove UK and on Amazon. You’ll also find it at Master of Malt and Drizly.
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