Mezcal is not the small and plucky category of the past. Hamish Smith assess which brands are coming to the fore at the UK's Best Bars.
There are five categories that dominate the UK’s best bars – gin, tequila, vodka, rum and American whiskey – but mezcal is leading the pack in behind. And, with a little pause for reflection, that is quite something.
That this artisanal spirit from the lesser-known states of Mexico can outsell scotch, not to mention brandy, in the UK’s best bars, says a lot about the open-mindedness of the market.
According to our poll, 95% of the UK’s best bars stock mezcal, 80% have two brands or more, and two-thirds have at least three bottles on their back bar.
While some categories bemoan the fact they don’t have a classic cocktail vehicle to gain traction in the sector, mezcal hitch-hiked its way in and made its own. Its classics are recent: Phil Ward’s Oaxaca Old Fashioned was created in 2007, while The Naked & Famous – now the 15th bestseller in the UK’s best bars – was created by Joaquín Simó in 2011.
But the strategy by most mezcal brands is less ambitious, more pragmatic. It is to muscle in on other category classics – the Mezcal Margarita, Mezcal Paloma and Mezcal Negronis are all common sights now.
First out of the blocks – in terms of quality, premium mezcal, not bulk brands – was Del Maguey, arriving in the UK about 15 years ago. In bartenders founder Ron Cooper found open ears and mouths and, now in the Pernod Ricard stable, the brand continues to maintain its position above the competitor set.
In our poll, it was the go-to mezcal in 17% of the UK’s best bars, but perhaps more impressively, almost a half count the Vida-led range among their top-three. When we asked our sample of the UK’s best bars which mezcal brand excited them most, Del Maguey, predictably, was the most mentioned.
But an honourable mention goes to Siete Misterios – sister brand to Michter’s – and Ojo de Dios, which were very much in the conversation.
Quiquiriqui, founded by Melanie Symonds in 2013 and distributed in the UK by Cask, is the other rider to make meaningful inroads into this growing market over the past decade.
15% said the Oaxacan, espadin-led mezcal is the top seller, with 28% saying it was one of their top three. Illegal mezcal, founded in 2006 by John Rexer, and now fully owned by Bacardi, hasn’t yet made the impact you might expect from its owner – according to our poll, anyway.
Only 6% of our bars said it was their bestseller but it was among the supporting cast in a further 15% of bars. The fast-growing Ojo de Dios, which is distributed by Nightcap Brands, is lead by its espadin expression but also blended mezcals – a coffee and a hibiscus bottling. It’s made its way into the house pours and menus already, with 7% of bars attesting to its selling power. 15% of bars said it was among their top-three mezcals.
Montelobos, founded by Iván Saldaña and now owned by Campari, is another established player in the market, with 7% of our respondents suggesting it was their bestseller, and 12% saying it was among their top three.
The 2015-founded The Lost Explorer, handled by Proof Drinks in the UK, is one of the more active brands in the market, attempting to create a luxury mezcal positioning, in the way Patrón did for tequila.
An upsell from the house in most bars, The Lost Explorer was still the bestseller in 6% of bars, according to our poll, a feat also achieved by Axiom Brands’ Mezcal Amores (Amarás). Our list is completed by brands that have small followings among our sample – Bruxo, Pensador and Banhez.