El Popo Avila Agave Spirit

Morelos, Mexico

88pf

 

What do you call an agave spirit from the state of Morelos?  Avila, of course. 

 

With agave harvested from the base of the volcano Popocatepetl, or El Popo, and the distillery 15 miles south of there, El Popo Avila is setting out to bring the word - and spirit - into more common parlance.  

 

Made from Weber blue agave, like tequila, but in a state that can't call its spirit tequila or mezcal.  The name is a tribute to Noe Avila, a master distiller who works at Hector Ruiz’s family’s distillery.  The agave is roasted like in mezcal production but 20% is filtered and blended back into the rest of the new make.  What comes out is probably more similar to mezcal but with toned down smoke and a good amount of, what better to call it than, cream of agave.  Reminds me of jalepeno poppers with no spice and a dash of sweetness.  Hint of hickory.  Some tequila like richness, mezcal like vegetal notes, but tasting like neither.  Guess that's why they call it avila.