° FEATURE °
MEZCAL PANEL TASTING T
he variety and complexity of flavours found in different mezcals can be baffling to the senses, especially when the varietal characteristics of a mezcal can be altered significantly by the terroir and the methods of production. No two mezcals taste the same.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Manuel Terron, Alex Gilmour, Reece Griffiths, Phil Bayly, Jose Ponce, Ben Davidson Here at Drinks World, we thought it was fitting to get some of the most well-known mezcal and industry experts together for a tasting of this beautifully crafted agave spirit. Our friends over at Tio’s Cerveceria in Sydney’s Surry Hills were happy enough to host us for a tasting and education on mezcal. A selection of mezcals made from different varietals were chosen including Espadín, Madrecuixe, Tobala and Mexicano variants. Aiming for a diverse range of flavours, the panel tasted each mezcal and provided some insight on the characters and profiles. Let’s take a look at some of the finest mezcals and their flavour profiles and what the panel’s thoughts were. THE PANEL: • PHIL BAYLY - Global Mezcal Ambassador, Agave Love Founder • REECE GRIFFITHS - Agave Cartel Jefe & Operations Manager, East Village Hotel • ALEX ‘HAPPY’ GILMOUR - Agave Spirits Guru & General Manager, Tio’s Cerveceria • MANUEL TERRON - Spirits Guru at Large • JOSE PONCE – Mezcal Importer & Educator • BEN DAVIDSON - Drinks Curator, Drinks World Magazine
DRINKS WORLD
DW Ed28 2017 pg20-25 MEZCAL 02.indd 23
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9/3/17 12:37 pm