Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails)
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While visiting a friend last night he had us try this mezcal, Clase Azul. We each had a shot. No expert on these drinks, I found it quite good. Strong smoky taste to it.
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@motojobobo that would technically be a mezcal if we are using the original, broadest definition of "spirit distilled from agave," but that is normally called a tequila. If we use the above definition of mezcal, tequila would be a subtype of mezcal.
Today "mezcal" is, like "tequila," a controlled term, so in that sense it can't be applied to Clase Azul tequila. I am surprised to hear you picked up notes of smoke, because the tequila designation requires the use of autoclaves or ovens to roast the pinas of blue Weber agave plants. The smoke that mezcal is traditionally associated with comes from techniques such as using underground wood burning ovens to roast the pinas. And not all varieties of mezcals do that--some of them mirror tequila production techniques but they are in states that fall outside the tequila designation or use agave that isn't blue Weber.
Clase Azul is fine, but a lot of the cost is the bottle, and there are additives such as sugar. A fifth of Clase Azul is like $150 here in the states, and I could get 4 bottles of better, additive free tequila in less fancy bottles for that.
$0.02
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I thought I could learn a bit about these spirits from you @mclaincausey . Thank you!
I thought it was quite smoky.
I won’t tell our host about how he paid more for bottle (which I’d find hard to use as decoration once empty) than liquid.
Perhaps next time I’m in Mexico I’ll ask you for one or two rec’s on mezcal or tequila.The journey is the objective.
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@motojobobo they even joke about it in their marketing, people make lamps out of the bottles because they’re so beautiful. Maybe it was one of their mezcals if it had smoke but I expect the bottles to look like these ones: https://claseazul.com/clase-azul-family-mezcal
Either way I hope you try some more agave spirits. They’re so good!
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@SourPower thanks to YOU; that bottle you brought was outrageous.
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One of my good friends who is extremely passionate about beverage recently started a fragrance line called Westlands “drawing inspiration from the world of hand-crafted small batch spirits”.
He is a one man operation making the best scents I have ever experienced, with a heavy influence on rum.
Had to pick up the Rum Fragrance Flight inspired by some of my favorite terroirs and distilleries. Highly recommend this stuff!
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The brain trusts at the NHL and the NBA have once again scheduled Colorado playoff games at the same time. This is the third time in these 7 game series, and on game 7. I may not be able to see the games very well either as I will be recovering from LASIK on Saturday. Why not start the imperfect weekend early then with a perfect martini hoping for a perfect game 7 record for my basketball and hockey bros?
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perfect drinks are so underrated
Knowing your affinity for agave spirits, have you tried a rosita @mclaincausey ?
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@pechelman I’ve not but I will try.
I came into a bunch of spirits recently I’d not normally buy including crème de pamplemousse that I’d love to riff on some agave cocktails with.
This one was the crown jewel of this cache:
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@Tago-Mago this is the way
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@pechelman this is the only alternative I’ve tried. Good enough to repeat buy, but I still go back to Campari most of the time.
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Blind tasting consensus was that these two had a lot of surprising differences and the 8yr was the clear winner.
Finished off with a bottle kill of some 1982 decanter juice.
