Monte Alban Mezcal, 70cl

Product Information

Which can be difficult, especially in the UK where good mezcal is either non existent or vastly overpriced. But don’t worry, you can still buy good mezcal at a reasonable price here in the UK. You won’t find any insects floating in any bottle of tequila (unless they’ve been invaded by thirsty critters while you weren’t looking), but rather in tequila’s sibling agave spirit, mezcal. And the so-called “worm” isn’t a worm at all, but rather a moth larva. The species, gusano de maguey, actually calls the agave plant home before it transforms into a moth. BARREL AGED - Rooster Rojo Reposado's gold colour comes from being aged for 2 months or more in French oak barrels before being bottled. This provides the spirits with a smoother taste while the wood adds hints of orange rind, enriching the flavour Turns out, you’ve been misled. Yes, tequila worms are real. And yes, you can still find them in bottles. There are a couple of things you need to know, though. DOUBLE-DISTILLED, SILVER FILTERED, & EXTRA SMOOTH - Agave juices are double-distilled in stainless steel with pure local water that's been filtered through real Mexican silver for the smoothest alcohol with a prime soft and rich rounded taste

Another mention about the worm is in Sara Bowen’s research « Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal and The politics of production«. She points out the Mezcal brand Gusano Rojo (Red worm) who initiated the adding of worms to Mezcal, when in 1950 a employee got the idea to drop a worm into each bottle as a «distinctive touch». That is the basic process of making tequila complete, however, there is a final optional step involved, Tequila can be aged in oak casks to impart some richer, woody flavours and colour which is where different styles of tequila come into play. Blanco Tequila: The myth, the legend, the confusion of that floating worm inside our tequila bottles. Some of us have never even seen one other than in movies. Is it even a real thing? Does it still exist? I’m here to tell you that yes it does exist, and yes it is still a thing.The fun we had sneaking worms into shots of mezcal for one and other. Living on diets of mezcal and worms. Those were the days. I like to think of myself as the unpaid and unofficial global ambassador for all things tequila and agave even though I’m British through and through. Origins to why it’s there in the first place are pretty murky but there are two stories that make sense. The first of which is simply a marketing ploy. Which to be fair, works wonders. When staring unknowingly at a shelf of mezcal it can be difficult to choose one. When there's a drowned worm in the bottom of the bottle that stands out, promotes curiosity and hence makes you want to buy it. Although on the surface they seem very similar, they are quite different. For one Mezcal can be made with a variety of 25 different agave species, while Tequila has to be made with a certain species of agave. Which technically means - All Tequila is Mezcal but not all Mezcal is Tequila. Just like how all Jacuzzis are hot tubs but not all hot tubs are Jacazzis…

Vegan alcohol includes spirits, beer, wine and cider which are free from animal products. Like the food we eat, vegans choose to avoid non-vegan alcohol and any products with animal-derived ingredients. The most common non-vegan ingredients in alcohol are isinglass, made from the dried swim bladders of fish, gelatine, made from boiled bones, flesh and ligaments, casein, a protein derived from cow’s milk, and albumin from egg whites. Basically, they pour the liquid and can tell by how many bubbles appear, how fast they burst and how large they are what the exact abv is. Testing has been done and they are very accurate with this method. You may be surprised to realise that some beers, wine and ciders include animal products. That’s because many ingredients are hidden, such as isinglass which is used in the filtration process. Producers are under no obligation to list the animal products used in the production process, and so you often can’t identify vegan drinks by their label. Mezcal is traditionally from Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Michoacan. Tequila comes from the Jalisco region. There are always exceptions to the rule and few brands produce with quality, add worms with the singular reason of enhancing their Mezcales with an earthy and fungal vibe. Our personal recommendations are El Cortijo reposado con gusano and Wahaka reposado con gusano. They are aged in oak barrels and the worm intensifies their aromatic profile. That oak profile makes those Mezcales specifically suited for the worm. You should definitely give them an opportunity and if you have tasted other really good Mezcales with worms, let us know.I’d love to talk about and appreciate mezcal without having to mention Tequila but alas, that’s just the way it is. If you’ve read my Tequila 101 guide: Everything you need to know about Tequila’ which is structured the same as this guide just about tequila, you will now be fully understanding of both spirits. Tequila and mezcal both originate from Mexico and are made from agave, a form of succulent that grows in the Mexican desert. Both are widely popular throughout the world, but they aren’t the same thing.

None. That’s right, no tequila has a worm in it. That's another common misconception. The Mexican spirit that has a worm in that bottom is actually as you’ve probably guessed by now Mezcal. Tequila and mezcal are quite similar as covered in my article on the difference between them Tequila and Mezcal, so the misunderstanding is acceptable. In the same way, Tom Bullok explains in his book “The Mezcal experience” that Monte Alban Mezcal followed Gusano Rojo with its worm practice and maintained a prolonged advertising campaign in Playboy issues during the 1970s. It cemented the idea in the male western mind that Mezcal with a worm was in fact, the real Mezcal. Now i’m not saying its ‘healthy’ per say, nor am I claiming to know anything medical, but as far as drinking goes, it sure is one of the healthiest options. Also referred to as rested, reposado Tequila is aged from two months to just shy of a year. Which imparts a slight colour and softens the harshness of the tequila.Some of which you may of heard of, enter mezcal which we just mentioned, some of which you may be unfamiliar with, especially if you’re from the UK or American, spirits like Bacanora and Raicilla. These are all spirits that have to be made in Mexico and are made with agave.