Spirits Class – Mezcal: Ensambles

The agave plant is the base material of mezcal as the grape is with wine. As great wines can be made from a single type of grape or from a blending of grapes that harmonize to more than the sum of their parts so can mezcal result from a single species or agave or a blend of two or more. Yet with mezcal, the most common high-quality examples to come to the U.S. were initially nearly all in the former category, featuring only a single variety of agave. With the mezcal boom continuing, however, this situation has changed, and more of what mezcaleros call ensambles are becoming available.

In this class Evan Christie will explore with you the world of ensamble mezcals. Rooted deeply in tradition where mezcaleros would take whichever plants were ripe in their area to produce their goods, the ensamble has moved from simple necessity to an expression of the distiller’s art, taking advantage of the different characteristics of each agave to create a unified whole. Expect to taste a range of mezcals with a host of distinctive and attractive flavors, running the gamut from smoky, to fruit, to minerally, to funky. Come see what mezcal producers can create when combining the wide world of agave into these exciting ensambles!

Must be 21+ to attend.