Batch VX3 Tech Sheet
Our latest batch of Especial – VX3 – introduces a maestro mezcalero who needs no introduction: Victor Ramos from Mengolí de Morelos. Victor is a relative and neighbour of Felipe Cortes – the maestro behind Especial batches PA1 Tepextate and FX2 Tobaxiche – and like Felipe, he’s a big legend (in incredibly niche agave nerd circles).
But this isn’t our first time working with Victor. This is VX3 – Victor’s third batch of Especial. But you won’t find VX1 or VX2 in our tech sheets or shop. Why? Because these batches were so delicious, that our friends at Berry Bros & Rudd bought them in their entirety before we had a chance to launch them.
VX1 was a 58 litre batch of Ensamble of Bicuishe, Madrecuishe, Tepextate, & Arroqueno, bottled at 46.6%. It featured heavily in Georgie Fenn’s write up for The Rake about the Berry Bros’ St James shop extension:
I sniffed and sipped and there was no going back, what a fascinating flavour profile! I now have plans for this drink, what must it taste like with game? With a BBQ? The smoky flavours are so smooth and palatable and the options, endless. And that’s what it’s all about, while Berry Bros. & Rudd might think opening a new door is about them, it’s actually about me, and my new found love for Mezcal.
Last bottles available from Berry Bros & Rudd.
VX2 was a 27 litre batch of Bicuishe at 50.8%. It was rich and robust and completely delicious: a rare case of a batch we committed to buying after a single sip, as did the buyer at Berry Bros.
Available from Berry Bros & Rudd.
Based on the success of these batches, we wanted more from Victor. Something characteristically bold and delicious, with a slightly bigger volume suitable for a general release. We found it in 2023, in a 300-litre batch of pure Tobalá. It’s possibly our favourite batch so far. The man doesn’t miss.
Tobalá is a small but mighty varietal of the Potatorum species of Agave. While an Espadín can reach up to 2m high, with the Pina weighing anywhere between 50 and 100kg, Tobalá rarely extends beyond 50cm, and comes in closer to 15kg. But the little guy packs a punch. With a high sugar content and well-rounded flavour notes, Tobalá is a favourite amongst Mezcaleros and punters alike. Combined with Victor's ability to draw big distinctive profiles, we've got a mezcal which hits all the right notes. Both a crowd-pleaser and a show-stopper.
The aroma kicks off with vanilla, charred oak, and raisin – like a smoky Sauternes. Behind this, there are rich, mineral aromas, somewhere between a leather workshop and a pottery studio. It’s warm and captivating, and invites a sip.
The palate is sweet and fruity, with lashings of strawberry jam, dark chocolate and nutmeg, followed by the earthy, spicy and smoky character of dried ancho chilli. Clay and flinty minerals add depth, while a rich and chewy peat-like smoke rounds things off. It’s a luxurious and palate filling profile. The perfect night-cap or post dinner sipper.
Full deets:
Date of production: February 2023
Maguey: Tobala
Agave: Potatorum
Source: Mengoli de Morelos
Roast: 10 days
Woods used: Encino and Mesquite
Days resting after roast: 1
Grind: Ox-drawn tahona
Fermentaion: 8 days in Sabino Pine Tinas
Yeasts: Wild Airbone
Still: 275 litre copper alembic with refrescadera (water in refrescadera changed once during distillation)
Distillations: 2
Volume produced: 300 litres
ABV: 46.68%
