As a regular reader, you know I have a fascination with the diversity of agaves from which mezcal can be made. From my-likely-to-be-highly-inaccurate accounting, I am somewhere in the mid-40’s of species, sub-species, or varieties of agave from which mezcal is currently produced.
I recently came across an academic research piece from the noted agave expert, Ana Valenzuela-Zapata, that said there were 42 species in Mexico from which mezcal is made. This is directionally where I came out on my last piece on this topic. (I got to 47 but I know there is some overlap). So while the exact number is hard to pin down, and is likely a moving target, my pursuit continues.
At any rate, not only do I want to know all of the varietals, but I also want to taste all the varietals! So when Kaj Hackinen (Back Bar Project Importers) was kind enough to send me 10 (count ’em, 10!) sample bottles of the El Jolgorio line, I was thrilled.
While there are many things that influence the taste of the resulting mezcal, the variety of the agave used is perhaps the most significant (I could argue that other factors are equally as important, but the variety of agave is clearly HUGE). Therefore, given the opportunity to do some side-by-side tasting of a large number of varietal mezcals, my mouth was clearly watering.
Now you may not have heard of El Jolgorio as it is relatively new to the U.S. Previously, the only expression that was available was the Pechuga, which was brought in by the Mezcal from Oaxaca team, which represents a number of excellent brands. But now Back Bar Project has the full line, and they are beginning to roll them out. El Jolgorio is owned by the Cortes family, makers of Agave de Cortes mezcal, which is quite tasty.
There are eight, wild-harvested, varietals (plus a Pechuga) made by seven different Oaxacan master distillers, representing five different palenques. They have all come together under the El Jolgorio brand to bring these boutique mezcals to the U.S.
Because the focus is strictly on wild agave production, the El Jolgorio line is going to be in limited supply and fairly expensive. As these are multi-generational mezcal producers, they will be highly cautious not to over harvest more of the wild agaves than the land can sustain. From Kaj:
“El Jolgorio will not produce more mezcal than the wild varietals of agave can
sustain. El Jolgorio, like many of the artisanal producers, is fully committed
to the longevity of the indigenous maguey varietals. Most importantly, El
Jolgorio’s top priorities are promoting, but also preserving, Oaxacan culture
through the production and sharing of artisanal mezcals.”
Clearly, this is fantastic. The sustainability of the agave population is an ongoing issue and has recently been highlighted by Zignum’s deal with Bacardi (see my recent post HERE). El Jolgorio is doing it the right way.
They are estimating only 800 to 2,000 bottles per varietal. From what Kaj told me, the lowest price point will be toward $100 at retail, though they will work to bring that down over time. However, they also have one cocktail oriented bottle with tweaked branding called Nuestra Soledad (not covered in the below tasting notes), which will be at a more commercial price point.
So let me take you through the nine varietals and share a few tasting observations and preferences.
- Arroqueno. Beautiful aroma of ripe, rich bananas with a hint of lemon. The taste had a soft smokiness, with balanced roasted agave and spice. The finish was smooth and easy. At 53.7% ABV, it is noticably stronger than the few other arroquenos I have tasted, but clearly there is a skilled mezcalero at work here, because you would never guess it is that high in ABV. It is a gentle giant in that it is full bodied, yet as approachable as your mom on Thanksgiving.
- Barril. Very gentle on the nose with an earthen quality. Medium smoke, light fruit with citrus tones on taste. Finish was long and delicious. Low to medium in boldness, but not for all first-timers due to the pronounced earthiness. I find this earthiness to be common among all Agave karwinski varietals (barril, cuixe, madrequixe, tobasiche, etc).
- Cuixe. Like the Barril, earthen on the nose, like wet clay. The taste was spicy and smoky but not overpowering. Similar to the Barrill in approachability.
- Espadin. Roasted agave on the nose. Herbacious and green on the taste and a bit sharper than the rest with a bit of citrus at the back. Still, very approachable like most espadins, but with a bit more intensity, perhaps because this is a wild espadin where most are cultivated.
- Madrecuixe. As this too is an Agave karwinskis, there is an earthy quality to the aroma, though this one is more bold. The taste is equally forward with a robust herbaciousness. A polarizing mezcal that works for me, but not for everyone I would guess. Their marketing material suggests softness and subtlety. To me, it as subtle as Miley Cyrus on an award show, but I like it.
- Mexicano. Very easy on the nose with smells of roasted agave and maple syrup (Aunt Jamima perhaps?). Simple and straightforward in taste but beautifully down the middle of the fairway with light smoke, citrus and jalapeno. There was also something there that I could not quite put my finger on. I will keep trying though. This was like an elevated espadin. It was my wife’s favorite.
- Pechuga. A bit gamey on the nose like all pechugas, but lighter. Similarly, the uniqueness of the pechuga did not dominate the taste as it does with many pechugas, and there were some nice florals and green fruitiness. The maker says the breast (pechuga) used is one of a “creole turkey rooster”, which I am certain I have seen in a James Bond movie, but maybe that is what makes this a more approachable pechuga than many.
- Tepeztate. Whoa. Bold would be an understatement. On the nose, it is robust and musty (think wet cement). Simlarly, the taste is polarizing with earthy roasted agave, and only hints of fruit. Harvested at 25 years (wow!), you will aprreciate the vast complexity of all this mighty agave has endured in its life. Not disimilar from the few other tepeztates I have tasted, you will either love it or hate it. I used to be in the later camp, but tepeztates are quickly growing on me, so don’t give up if at first you don’t succeed.
- Tobala. Very fresh and aromatic with rich dark fruits on the nose. The taste is of luscious mango and roasted agave with nice viscosity in texture. Gentle, smooth, and lovely.
All in all, this is a fine collection of mezcals. Unfortunately the price points are a barrier for many to collecting them all, so choose wisely. For me, I will probably pick up the Arroqueno, the Mexicano and the aggressive Tepeztate, because not only are they exceptional, but they also round out my own mezcal portfolio (I really like the sound of that: mezcal portfolio). Also, I admittedly have an arroqueno bias…..things could be worse I guess.
El Jolgorio will be rolling out first in California, Washington, Massachusetts, and Washington, and New York is coming soon. They will be available shortly through Astor Wines and Andrews Wine Cellar. If you see it, check the varietal and give if a try. In the meantime, drink mezcal!
P.S. If you read this far, here is a note on tasting notes. It is not easy, and I am not particularly good at picking up some of these things. I went through three rounds of tastings over a month with these little bottles and kept picking out new and different things each time. You will taste something, but you can’t quite get it, and then you will think “wet cement”, and then you are like, “yessssssssss, wet cement.” So don’t give up and don’t think it is all bullshit, just most of it!
[…] Speaking of comparing mezcal to wine, the colourful lineup of varietals from El Jolgorio reminded me of bottles you’d find at a boutique winery. Except instead of being filled with grape juice, they’re full of the holy nectar called mezcal. And apparently, I’m a fan of the Tobala varietal, though I can’t really afford to be. [$US115] […]
[…] Speaking of comparing mezcal to wine, the colorful lineup of varietals from El Jolgorio reminded me of bottles you’d find at a boutique winery. Except instead of being filled with grape juice, they’re full of the holy nectar called mezcal. And apparently, I’m a fan of the Tobala varietal, though I can’t really afford to be. [$115] […]
[…] Speaking of comparing mezcal to wine, the colorful lineup of varietals from El Jolgorio reminded me of bottles you’d find at a boutique winery. Except instead of being filled with grape juice, they’re full of the holy nectar called mezcal. And apparently, I’m a fan of the Tobala varietal, though I can’t really afford to be. [$115] […]
Greetings, I see some natural “seed ” small
bowls in your photos along with the Mezcal bottles as if they are used to drink the Mezcal. What are they?
If you mean the colorful little ceramic ones, I bought them in Oaxaca. I have a lot of them so they are good when I am tasting because I can line up a bunch of bottles and sip from the same style cup. They only hold about an ounce. And as you can see they are really pretty so they make a nice presentation……thanks for reading!
[…] to read the complete article go to this link: https://mezcalphd.com/2013/11/el-jolgorio-a-boutique-mezcal-with-many-varietals/ […]
Hate to ask….. but, do you use a mixer with the Mezcal?
Thanks
No problem asking! You can absolutely consume mezcal in cocktails! And I do frequently. But I also enjoy it neat. I would hesitate to put any of these Jolgorios in a cocktail because they are quite expensive and also really too good on their own to put in a cocktail. You can if you want but I think much of their brilliance would be wasted.
However, there are many fine mezcals that are great in cocktails. See this post for guidance: https://mezcalphd.com/2014/05/mezcal-starter-kit-brands-price-comparisons-and-more/
Also, check out my book, Holy Smoke! It’s Mezcal! (a whopping $20 on Amazon), for some great cocktail recipes if you want to go that route! Either way, drink mezcal!!
I would also like to add, that I don’t mix it but really enjoy a classic style of Sangrita back (on the side). It’s typical to have a sip of Sangria in between sips of Mezcal to cleanse the palette. (Similar to how pickled ginger is consumed while eating sushi) That being said, I prefer the classic style of Sangrita made of pomegranate juice and citrus with chile opposed to the tomato based Sangrita.
Thanks. I think of sangrita for tequila and sal de gusano with orange slices for mezcal. But I love sangria so why not with mezcal! Thanks for contributing.
Part of the deal for the USA and global market is : If you put a product on the market and your customers like it , you as a producer have kind of and unwritten moral ( commercial) obligation to keep supplying/delivering it in a timely fashion . I see all these brands that are owned by chilangos and gringos, energetically coming onto the market , They are doing a great job and being received very well by the consumers .It is like a home run for the mezcal catagory, it is great for someone like me who worked for 20 years to open the path for all mezcaleros to walk/run. My question is , especially with the varietals,
my question is : will they be able to give the market a continuous supply. Where will the product come from? In the espadin catagory , ok , there is probably 10,000,000 liters being made a year( most of it uncertified, but it can be crtified in a hearbeat , the CRM will be happy to do that) and just under 1,000,000 being exported . You can do like Ron , grab a dozen palenques and bottle the hell out of their espadin products and deliver maybe 100,000 lts a year to the USA . That goes pretty far, its great business for the bottler, Ron, and good for the palanquero , but a varietal???? Where is the maguey supposed to come from? Wild maguey in the mountains . Have you ever hiked the Sirerra Madre Sur to cut wild maguey? I have , there maguey , but is is few and far between . And when you cut what you find , you leave a negative behind in your footsteps. The producers have an obligation( unwritten moral law) to plant as much as they cut and process each year . As long as this is not happening , the agave will be in short supply or non existent for future generations.
So my friends drink hearty and buy some extra to put away for the future , because I have a quisey feeling in my gut that my conpanero mezcaleros wonderful products may not all be on the shelf forever. You have to understand that these are rare gems made by master mezcaleros in a place where time and history blends with the ages, the comercialization , global marketing is not part of the heart beat that drives them (yet) . The individual essence of the maguey and cooking drives them , and the exquisite product is the result. Today. Manana may be different.
May Mayahuel be with you.
Scorpion Mezcal has a Tobala Silver 750 ml. and a Tobala Extra Anejo 750 ml. that we introduced in 2012 or 2013 , I don’t remember when it actually got to the US market . We also launched a Aficionado Varietal Tasting box with 4 bottles , 200 ml each . One is Espadin , one is Barril, one is Tequilana and the 4th bottle is Tobala. The idea is that several people can sit down and sip the 4 varietals side by side to compare the different flavors. The box costs between $80 and $100 depending on freight and taxes in the different parts of the country .
I will be presenting Barril Silver and Anejo, and Arroqueno Silver and Anejo tward the latter part of this year.
Thanks for the info Doug. I like the idea of the tasting box and trying the varietals side by side. You are indeed prolific!
So if the companies are sending you products to taste them and you respond them with flowers no matter the quality related to those “products” what we can infer? You are just another link in the mercenary chain living (sucking) at the expense of the Mezcal (organic, “boutique”, traditional, industrial, etc) without giving anything good for the industry besides of a ridiculous “post”.
Glad you enjoyed my “post” so much. Not sure why you gave “post” quotation marks so I will too! Have you tried Jolgorio? Yes, they did send me samples which I obviously disclosed. Plenty of others have sent me samples as well, but do you find anything about those brand here? Nope. If I don’t like it, I probably won’t write much if anything about it. You don’t see many specific reviews from me, just overall comments from my various tastings. Have you looked before you wrote? How many brand specific reviews other than Jolgorio will you find on my site? Zero. So your comments are way off base my friend.
For me (clearly not you), mezcal is fun. My blog is fun. No one pays me to do it. It is a passion and I attempt to be fair and informative while providing a resource to learn about mezcal. You have now left 2 hostile and aggressive comments on my blog. Clearly you have an axe to grind or an agenda which you keep hidden. You probably work or shill for some shitty mezcal so you attack everyone else. Guessing it is Zignum since that is the other “post” you chose to attack.
I don’t mind you posting comments though. They entertain me and perhaps some of my readers too. And I would say that you should do your homework before you start writing but then it wouldn’t probably be as much fun for me! So keep firing from the hip, but before you do perhaps you need a nice mezcal to take the edge off buddy….try Jolgorio!
Do you have a service wherein you provide these mescals? My life is crazy, I have a start up company of cannabis oil for stage 4 cancer patients–oncologist referred and followed-quite legal–i think tequila is great. apparently I should graduate to mescal. I also think there’s possibly an interesting herbal connection between cannabis and mescal. Know anything about that or am I crazy?
Yes, you are crazy. 🙂
There is no botanical connection between cannabis and mezcal, but that does not mean you cannot ingest them at approximately the same time. I don’t sell mezcal but you can buy these Jolgorio mezcals and http://www.andrewswinecellar.com. Good prices too! Enjoy.
Was lucky enough to try the Arroqueno and Madrecuixe on a visit to Oaxaca a few months back. Both delightful – you’re not kidding about the Madrecuixe being anything but subtle, but that’s probably why I came back for more. Big and in your face and dares you to try and tease it apart. Being a fan of mezcal in Australia, as I am, is a pretty difficult proposition as there isn’t much of value available but it’s good to see more and more interesting varietal stuff becoming available outside of Mexico at least.
Yes that Madrecuixe is bold! And I too find myself drawn to mezcals which have a polarizing taste. As for Australia, keep the faith. I routinely get emails from importers, distributors, and Australian entrepreneurs asking me what I know about the Australian market (nothing), and what brands may be looking to sell there. So there is a bunch of noise, and I am sure you will see more and more brands coming your way. Thanks for reading! Drink mezcal.
Just picked up a bottle of Nuestra Soledad by El Jolgorio @ Cask in San Francisco.
Cool. Let me know what you think!
Great article.
I assume some of your readers are in Canada as well – so, for their interest, El Jolgorio has been available in Western Canada since February 2013. Here’s a product locator map!
http://www.agavespirits.com/products-el-jolgorio-mezcal.php
Saludos,
Eric
The link may be a sly promo for your website, but I like it anyway. Thanks for contributing!
Your blogs are becoming more and more interesting, fun to read and learn about my favorite drink!
thanks a lot Doc!
A suggestion: come back to Oaxaca (or come for the first time if you have not been here) and bring back enough mezcal to pay for your ticket.
Just a sugqgestion of course.
And thanks again for your self-proclaimed bullshit
Earl, I don’t think I own enough luggage to bring back as much as I would want to. All ideas on how I can travel back with maximum mezcal are welcome!!