We started Dos Hombres to create a Mezcal that we thought was perfect. A unique blend of the finest Espadin agave, hand-selected from the hillsides of a small village in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul
When it comes to Celebrity brands, celebrity spirits, and in this case a celebrity mezcal, two factors seem to come into play, hype vs. fact. Hype tends to be the predominant factor, oftentimes blurring the facts to the consumer, especially with a lesser-known spirit such as mezcal where the common consumer knows little to no information about it. In relation to a brand like Dos Hombres Mezcal Artesanal, how can one not be blinded by the light of the celebrity factor? We have the 2 main protagonists of the hit show Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, and Aaron Paul coming together now in real life to put out their own “unique blend” of mezcal.
The Hype is off the charts
If Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul aren’t already cool enough, add an element of explorer and adventure. As Bryan said, “Let’s go down to Oaxaca, Mexico, and let’s spend a week and see if we can find something that really appealed to both of us.” These guys did it. They went to Oaxaca and found the ‘best mezcal they’ve ever tasted, in one week.
Aaron Paul recounted the story of how they found their palenque “We stumbled upon this little village three hours from Oaxaca – San Luis del Río – and we sampled multiple mezcals out there and could not find it. We were actually on our way out and someone came running up to us and said, ‘Hey, there’s another palenque that you didn’t see. It’s not on the tour, but it’s a bit of a hike – you have to hike through a river with a machete and just chop through the brush to get to it’. So we did and, no joke, we stumbled upon this operation in the middle of this forest that looked like a meth lab. I’m not just saying that. It did, in a good way.”
Sounds cool right? No, seriously that sounds like an adventure. Now, add it to the mix with the power of the stars’ social media channels, creative brand marketing, a monstrous partnership with Drizzly, delivering their product with robots…robots. Not to mention there is no major competition on the shelves just yet in the Mezcal category.
The Facts
If you hype something too much, it can backfire because people develop unrealistic expectations and Dos Hombres Mezcal Artesanal has some high expectations. Mezcal artesanal, not to be muddied with the category of a “mezcal” with the silent word “industrial”, must meet certain qualities to be deemed the “denominación de orignen” of “Mezcal Artesanal”. It is a craft, from the species of agave selected, the style and process of cooking the agave, how the cooked agave is mashed and fermented, to the method of distillation. All of which proud maestro mezcaleros denote on the label.
Details
Brand: Dos Hombres Mezcal Artesanal
Category: Artesanal
Style: Joven
Agave/Maguey: Angustifolia/Espadín
Vintage: not denoted
Maestro Mezcalero: Gregorio Velasco
Region: San Luis Del Rio Oaxaca
Roast Method: not denoted
Milling & Fermentaition: not denoted
Distillation: not denoted
ABV: 42%
Price: $50-$70 US
Tasting
It all comes down to taste, and personal preference. I will always recommend if ever possible to get your hands on a bottle of mezcal, do it and try it out for yourself with the facts in mind. Here’s what I experienced during an informal tasting of Dos Hombres Mezcal. The results were pleasant.
Dos Hombres Mezcal has fruitful notes; aroma of apples and agave, a freshness of mango with subtle sweetness in taste. Hints of local fruit sapote or mamey can be noticed. Wood and smokiness is present. There is a unique smokiness to this mezcal, it is distinguished and will be identifiable among other mezcales.
Final Thoughts
Dos Hombres Mezcal Artesanal is a pleasant mezcal to sip, pair with food, or in your favorite cocktails. It definitely measures up to the hype and would be a great gift or bottle to bring to a gathering with friends. It is on the higher end of the price point, and until other brands start to hit the market, Dos Hombres might be setting a standard.