Ojo De Dios Joven Mezcal 70cl | Award Winning Spirit | Handcrafted from Agave l Sustainably Farmed | Perfect for Cocktails and Sipping

Product Information

So, I was like, I have to do it. It has to be me. I cannot let anybody else do it. So, I founded, I started the Tequila and Mezcal Fest in 2014 with the objective to educate the consumer and the trade and to promote the category of tequila and mezcal. Sadly 9 out of 10 people in the UK, if you mentioned tequila, they remembered those days at university. You know, doing shots of the tequila, which surely wasn’t a 100% good quality tequila. It’s exactly the same way with mezcal, depending on the agave plant and depending on the climate conditions and the soil and the humidity of the land, the juice, this spirit that you’re going to get out of it will be completely different. Susan: I love it. We’re going to get onto mezcal now, because that’s what we’re here to talk about. But do you remember the first time that you were that like, was it a lightning bolt moment, when you had the first mezcal and said, “Oh my God. Why haven’t I been drinking this all these years? There’s a reason celebrities are eager to claim a stake in the Tequila category, and that’s because the agave‐based spirit is soaring in popularity. There’s also the advantage of the sheer size of mezcal’s geographical region to consider. “Despite the growing demand for Mezcal, the reality is that the territory of mezcal’s DO is the biggest in the world, with over half a million square kilometres,” says Gomez.

MaestroFranciscoOrtiz is a 3rd generation Mezcal producer. Espadin agave is sustainably farmed on our estate in the region ofSan Luis del Rio , harvested it at full maturation (aged7-8 years ) In Mexico, we have lots of wine and spirits’ shops in every corner. We like to drink in Mexico is a great and a huge business. So, it’s very easy to go to your local wine and spirits shop and it will be full of brands, from the well-known brands to the small producers. So, I remember seeing those brands in my house or in my family’s houses. Susan: So, was it more a mixto that you were drinking? Or were you always, oh, it has to be a 100% agave? I mean, was there a kind of, not the snobbery, but just more of a knowledge even then about the difference in Mexico.There’s cause for optimism embedded in mezcal’s regulations, believes Eduardo Gomez, sales director of Mexican food retailer Mexgrocer, and founder of Ojo de Dios mezcal. “There will definitely be more industrialisation in the process as a consequence of demand, but the good news is that if mezcal is artisanal or ancestral by DO [denomination of origin], producers must follow the process in the regulations that have been established by the NOM [official Mexican standard],” he says. Make sure you have lots of good quality, very cold ice, or you can end up with something close to iced coffee, and always use freshly-made coffee. I make mine in one of those stovetop mocha things or you could use a Nespresso machine for the full Clooney effect.

We called it Ojo de Dios to promote this culture that I hope will last for many years. I know that it’s losing a lot of power because the new kids, the new generations of groups, they are now obviously living closer to the city or the city’s going closer to them. They’re losing their identity. A Silver medal was given to coffee‐flavoured Sierra Milenario Tequila Cafè. Two more Silver medals were hailed in the Tequila Liqueur round. El Sueño Watermelon Liqueur pleasantly surprised the judges with its “fresh watermelon notes” and some “light earthiness”. Silver winner Horus was likened to a “very well done chocolate cream”. Chambers said: “Quality‐wise, this was a solid tasting. And you’re starting to see one or two producers pushing the boundaries of what can be done.” Like with American Whiskey, the ‘Boilermaker’ serve of a shot and a beer is excellent with mezcal. It’s how many Mexicans like to enjoy it, a straight serve with a cold beer chaser (by Manuel Lema, barman of Cavita, London)After much consideration, the judges agreed to award the coveted Taste Master title to Sierra Milenario Tequila Extra Añejo. Pushing the boundaries Eduardo: Right? Well, mezcal, the name mezcal comes from Nahuatl Mexcalliwhich means cooked agave. Before the Spaniards came to Mexico, or before we had distillation in Mexico, I say Spaniards because we were conquered by the Spanish, but they have found some Filipino still pots in Mexico, but let’s not get into that because then we are going to take hours. The number of excellent Tequila and mezcal bottlings on the market has been increasing at an impressive rate, with producers bringing interesting expressions to keen consumers, as this year’s blind-tasting competition showed. This year’s Tequila & Mezcal Masters received a record number of entries In the 100% Agave Mezcal – Joven, a Master medal was awarded to Mezcal Artesanal Noble Coyote – Coyote de Amatlán. Athavia found this to be “quite salty on the nose, with sea aromas”, leading to “lots of character and funky notes” on the palate. The twist on a Margarita, the Mezcalita, is a great introduction to mezcal as it’s a familiar flavour profile that lets the smokiness of the mezcal shine through without being overpowering.