Monte Alban Mezcal

Monte Alban Mezcal is a mezcal, which means a spirit distilled from cooked agave rather than the blue-Weber-only tequila category. The product details don't say which agave species was used, how long it was aged, or the proof, so what follows describes how mezcal like this typically behaves and where it fits. Mezcal is traditionally made by roasting agave hearts, which gives it a smoky, savory character that tequila usually lacks. Expect earthy smoke alongside cooked-agave sweetness, with some vegetal or citrus-peel notes. The smoke can be light or pronounced depending on the bottling, so a small first pour is a good way to find out. Aging is the main variable to check on the label. Mezcal sold young, often called joven or blanco, keeps the roasted agave and smoke front and center. Reposado spends a few months to a year in oak, which usually softens the edges and adds vanilla and light spice. Añejo and extra añejo spend longer in wood and usually lean toward caramel and baking spice, with the smoke pushed into the background. If this bottle carries no age statement, treat it as an unaged or lightly rested style. That style suits mixing, and it suits sipping if you like smoke. For sipping, pour it neat into a caballito or a small rocks glass at room temperature. Chilling mutes the aromatics, so ice is better saved for a single large cube if you want some dilution. Orange slices dusted with salt, or with salt and ground chile, are the traditional accompaniment and suit the smoky profile well. In cocktails, a smoky mezcal works well in a Margarita, where lime and orange liqueur balance the smoke. It also suits a Paloma, with grapefruit soda, lime and a salted rim, and a Ranch Water, with lime and sparkling mineral water over ice in a tall glass. In all three, the smoke comes through more than it does with tequila. That makes it worth trying a half-and-half split with a blanco tequila if you want the smoke to read as an accent.