Mezcal Union Uno

Uno from Mezcal Union is an Oaxacan mezcal bottled at 38% ABV, which puts it a little lighter than the 40% standard for most tequilas and many mezcals. The lower strength makes it easier to sip neat, and it also changes how it behaves in a mixed drink. Mezcal is made from cooked agave, and the traditional method in Oaxaca is to roast the hearts in earthen pits. That roasting is where the category's smoke comes from. Expect that smoke here, along with the cooked-agave sweetness that sits under it in most Oaxacan bottlings. Distributor notes describe this one as balancing sweet and smoky flavors, which is a good guide to what the bottle will do in the glass. Because this is mezcal, the Blanco, Reposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo scale used for tequila doesn't map onto it neatly. Mezcal does have its own joven, reposado and añejo designations, and the product details here don't state an aging category. The usual reading is a young, unaged style, since the pit-roast smoke that defines mezcal comes through most clearly without barrel influence. Resting in oak softens that smoke and adds vanilla, caramel and baking-spice notes. It also rounds off the sharper edges, so a barrel-aged bottle drinks more like a lightly smoky brown spirit. An unaged expression like this one keeps the agave and the smoke in front, and that is the reason to choose it over an aged bottle. Neat, it suits a caballito, the small tall Mexican sipping cup, or a small rocks glass. Serve it at room temperature or with one large cube, since heavy chilling mutes the aromatics. The traditional pairing is orange slices dusted with sal de gusano or plain sea salt, and the citrus and salt work well against the smoke. In cocktails, the smoke plays two roles. A Margarita made with mezcal in place of tequila tastes drier and more savory, and a salted rim fits it well. A Paloma, built with grapefruit soda and lime over ice, lets the smoke sit under the citrus. Ranch Water, with lime and sparkling mineral water in a tall glass, is lighter and keeps the agave easy to taste. The 38% strength means it won't dominate lime and soda, so it is a good fit for long drinks.