Mezcal, often the forgotten cousin of tequila, is actually almost 500 years old and was brought to Mexico by the Spaniards.

With Cinco do Mayo around the corner, and summer on its way, our thoughts usually turn to tequila and margaritas. However, when we heard about a new mezcal on the market with a scorpion in it, and not the usual worm, we were game to try it. Scorpion Mezcal from Oaxaca, Mexico is imported by Caballeros, Inc., www.mezcals.com, and offers four varieties of mezcals: Silver Mezcal 1 year old, Mezcal Reposado, Mezcal Añejo 1 year old, and their Mezcal Añejo 3 year old, each well-dressed bottle comes with its own little Scorpion Mezcal sombrero

Mezcal, often the forgotten cousin of tequila, is actually almost 500 years old and was brought to Mexico by the Spaniards. Unlike tequila, which is commercially manufactured and internationally famous, mezcal is still handcrafted. Another difference is not only in the production, but in the types of agave used as well. Tequila must be made only with 100% blue agave, whereas mezcal can be combined with 5 different types of agave or more, with the main types used being the agave espadin or tobala, which is wild agave that grows in the mountains. This allows for the Mezcal Master Distiller’s skill to show through, much like that of a Scotch Master Blender, allowing for a very unique taste which can vary from brand-to-brand.

The Scorpion Mezcal Family

Since I had previously sampled the Silver Mezcal 1 year old, which had proved to be very smooth and had great taste, Ed and I were especially eager to try the Mezcal Añejo 3 year old. Like looking at diamonds, the 3 C’s (color, cut and clarity) can also be applied when sampling some alcohols. First, the color is a deep, rich tawny color. On sampling it neat, we noticed a really strong nose – lots of peat smell and flavor, much like a scotch. Scorpion Mezcal Añejo’s smoky peat taste comes from producer, Douglas French’s aging the mezcals in American oak for three years, and also using pit-roasted agaves and piñas cooked in a steam-room. The Scorpion Mezcal Añejo 3 year old exhibited long legs, and a warm, smooth finish on its first sip. Cut it with a splash of water, and it really changed the complexity of the smell, and allowed the components of the mezcal to come through. The new nose was almost sweet, with a smell reminiscent of maple syrup. As for clarity, it really was clear that this was a superior mezcal ($65 bottle) to be savored and enjoyed by those who appreciate a fine, aged, blended scotch. This is definitely a sipping mezcal, much too good to be mixed in a cocktail; drink it neat or with a splash of water to truly appreciate the nuances of this exceptional mezcal.

As for the scorpion, don’t worry, it takes like chicken – only kidding, we did not eat it, but it won’t sting you, since the label states that it “Contains: One whole exo-shell, no nutritional value.” When asked why he put a scorpion in his mezcals, Douglas French, producer of Scorpion Mezcals states, “worms are for wimps.”

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