365 | Spirits | Mezcal | Page 2

"Firewater of the God" The spirit of the agave plant in its natural environment.El Mal Pais has evolved to signify the cures of ailments from common cold/flu to prostate cancer and alleviate the pain of childbirth. Laborers also drink it for added strength.

Handcrafted in the village of Minero, this mezcal is made in a 400 year old clay still. Bright and intense, look for a floral nose followed by undercurrents of vanilla, figs, burnt honey, and lemon.

This elegant Mezcal is a spicy web of citrus, black pepper, and light cinnamon with a weight that makes you wonder if it has been aged in oak (it hasn't!)

"Distilled from the agave plant according to centuries-old tradition and technique, Rojas Especial Reposado is made from the Cenizo Agave (Maguey) and produced in the Durango region of Mexico. Rojas Especial is selected by its cut, according to its age, size and color. Sitting in the glass it looks like a small puddle of sap or nectar. It offers a drink of the utmost quality. Rojas Especial is 100% Agave with a flavor and bouquet unlike any other. After nurturing the fermentation stage, Rojas Especial is double distilled. Rojas Espeical is then aged for ninety long days in Kentucky white oak barrels. This distillation aging process gives it great complexity with an earthy array of flavors producing an 80 proof alcohol content without chemical fertilizers in its natural form. Like a mesquite campfire, this is amazingly complex."

For those who don't prefer the white oak flavor, it offers an eart hy peppery taste. Rojas Especial Blanco offers a striking contrast to most clear spirits, such as vodka. In first Impression, light and spritely on the tongue mouth feel, it whispers down the throat and leaves a rather delicate warm sensation considering the 80 proof with a Smokey spicy aftertaste.

"Clear with a very faint nickel straw cast. Rich smoky, fruity charred agave, grassy herbs, and fuel-like minerals are classic and follow through on a bold, yet, supple entry to a dry, rather salty medium-full body with charred peppers and plantains, brined root vegetables, and caulk notes. Finishes with a delightfully retronasal finish of charred pineapple, lime leaves, pewter, and mossy stones. Excellent earthy smoky character in a highly polished frame." Gold Medal.