Sep 3, 2026 | Read Online​

TASTING OPPORTUNITIES

🔎 Find 100+ agave-themed dinners, tastings, happy hours, festivals, bar crawls, and other exciting events @ mezcalculture​
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​SATURDAY - SEP 5

TX: The Colony
​Expo Tequila & Mezcal: Amazing Tasting Experience You Won't Forget​
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​SUNDAY - SEP 6

CA: Stockton
​Stockton Taco & Tequila Fest​
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IN: Indianapolis
​The 2026 Indy Tequila Festival​
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​TUESDAY - SEP 8

AL: Huntsville
​Tequila Dinner​
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FL: Orlando
​Gozamba 888 Get-Together Taco Tequila and Toro​
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NY: New York
​Taste of Agave: Tequila & Mezcal Tasting​
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​WEDNESDAY - SEP 9

CA: Los Angeles
​Tamal-Making & Sotol Cocktail Experience​
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CO: Denver
​Ilegal Mezcal Pairing Dinner​
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NJ: Jersey City
​Mijenta Tequila Agave Tasting and Educational​
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PA: Bridgeville
​El Tequileno Tequila Tasting Dinner​
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​THURSDAY - SEP 10

CA: Visalia
​Central Valley Agave Club Meeting/Tasting​
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IL: Chicago
​Mezcal Social: The Art of the Agave​
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IL: Wheaton
​Parejo Sotol & Lot001 Brands Mexican Spirits Tasting​
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TX: El Paso
​Agave Terroir Tasting​

BOTTLE REVIEW | TASTING NOTES

Brand: 5 Sentidos​
​Category: Artisanal / Destilado de Agave (Pechuga)​
​Agave: Espadilla (Agave angustifolia)​
​ABV: 49.1%​
​Region: Zoyatla, Puebla​
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​THE SNIFF:
​ - Roasted cacao, dried chiles, and something savory…maybe chicken broth. ​
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​THE KISS:
- Surprisingly sweet upfront with notes of ripe plantain and dark chocolate, before quickly transitioning into earthy, savory mole spices.
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​THE COAT:
- A thick, oily blanket over the tongue. It delivers warming chili spice, cinnamon, and a meaty umami flavor.
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​THE SWALLOW:

• Intensity: Medium
• Complexity: Highly Complex
• Body: Full. Viscous and oily
• Length: Long
• Smoke: Light
• Did I Like It?: Yes. Not an everyday sipper though.

OVERALL REVIEW:

If you like mole poblano, you’re going to really appreciate this bottle. The nose comes in straight mole with roasted cacao, dried chiles, and plantain. The first sip is soft, a little plantain sweetness up front. Then it flips fast into thick, savory spice that coats the whole mouth.

At 49% ABV it has some bite and you’ll feel it. The finish runs long with the classic mole cinnamon and chile heat lingering. Not much smoke in this one though.

I always have a bottle of this on hand as both a ‘wow factor’ from a flavor perspective and for use in tastings to show curious drinkers a unique expression. I can only have about one serving of this before I want something a little less complex and clean. Okay...maybe two servings.

BEGINNER'S NOTE:

Pechuga gets its name from what happens during the final distillation. The mezcalero typically suspends a satchel of herbs, spices, and raw protein. In this case, a raw chicken breast and a basket of mole poblano ingredients are added (cacao, plantains, tomatoes, dried chiles). When the rising alcohol vapor passes through all of the ingredients, it imparts a unique flavor. The fat from the protein gives the mezcal its thicker mouthfeel and the food-first flavor you don't get anywhere else in the category.

FUN FACT:

The agave used in this distilado is called Espadilla. While it shares the same scientific name as Espadín (angustifolia), it is considered “similar but not the same” in different regions of Mexico. Think of Espadín as more commercial name and Espadilla as more of a local/regional name. In this case, local to Puebla. What you call it is up to you. All I know is I’m not getting in the middle of this argument between two mezcaleros!

DOWNLOAD THE TASTING GUIDE:

Below is the tasting guide I use to capture my notes. ​I designed it to follow the way you "should" drink mezcal -- Sniff, Kiss, Coat, Swallow: Mezcal Tasting Guide | MezcalCulture.Com - 2026.pdf​

FEATURED COCKTAIL: GROWN-UP TANG

If you grew up with a pitcher of Tang in your fridge like I did, you're gonna love this refreshing cocktail. It's got that same neon-orange nostalgia with that sweet tangy finish. But the best part? The mezcal kicker.

The real hero in this drink is the Five Saints Blood Orange Liqueur. Using this in place of a more traditional Cointreau imparts that unique citrus flavor we all grew up with. The passion fruit provides the tartness you expect as well as the critical layer of sweetness it needs. Lastly, the fresh lemon keeps the whole thing from tipping into candy territory with some acid balance.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve had a Tang…give this a try. I guarantee all the memories of childhood will come rolling in after the first couple drinks!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Mezcal
• 2 oz Passion Fruit Purée
• 1 oz Five Saints Blood Orange Liqueur
• .5 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

GARNISH:

• Orange or lemon wheel or twist

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake hard for about 15 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, or serve up in a coupe if you're feeling fancy. Garnish with the orange or lemon wheel or twist.

WHAT'S SHAKIN'?

:: MIRACLE RETURNS TO THE CABINET MEZCAL BAR​
Miracle Cocktails Inc. announced the return of its renowned holiday cocktail pop-up for a 12th season across more than 150 locations worldwide. The season officially kicks off on November 6, 2026, at The Cabinet Mezcal Bar in New York City.
​Read More...​
​Source: PR Newswire

:: MOCEL MEZCAL SCORES 99 SFWSC POINTS​
Artisanal producer Mocel Mezcal earned another Double Gold Medal with a near-perfect 99-point score for its Cupreata Expression at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The sister-founded brand also teased the upcoming release of a highly anticipated new product format for their community.
​Read More...​
​Source: Mocel Mezcal Artesanal

:: ASTRAL PARTNERS WITH PRACTICAL MAGIC​
Astral Tequila was officially named the exclusive tequila partner for the highly anticipated upcoming film Practical Magic 2. To celebrate, the brand launched an original social microdrama centered entirely around crafting the movie's iconic "Midnight Margarita".
​Read More...​
​Source: PR Newswire

:: SOLMANO MEZCAL SCORES DOUBLE WINS​
Emerging brand Solmano Mezcal took home both Gold and Silver medals at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The August 27 announcement underscores a fast-moving trend of independent, artisanal agave producers rapidly gaining critical acclaim against legacy brands in the highly competitive US spirits market.
​Read More... ​
​Source: Good Time Spirit Inc.

MEZCAL CULTURE RESOURCES

1. ​The Best Mezcal & Tequila Bars​
2. ​Mezcal Brands Available in the USA​
3. ​Mezcal Tasting Guide​
4. ​Mezcal Tours in Mexico​
5. ​The Best Mezcal Cocktails​
6. ​Mezcal Merch​
7. ​Our Summer Spotify Playlist​