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Can mezcal play in the low-ABV space?
Mezcal Amarás is hoping to capitalise on the rising mindful drinking trend by positioning itself alongside the lower-ABV cocktail space.
Mezcal Amarás was founded in 2010 by a team of Mexican entrepreneurs, led by Santiago Suarez and Luis Niño de Rivera, who sought to create a portfolio that honours the Mexican spirit while preserving and benefitting the land, the agave, and mezcal producing communities.
The brand claims to be the first carbon-neutral mezcal company, aiming to offset its environmental impact via a number of sustainable projects. From conception, the brand has championed sustainability, and plants approximately 10 agave plants for every one harvested.
The brand currently offers three core ranges. It’s ‘hero’ offering, Amarás, boasts four expressions: Espadín Joven, Espadín Reposado, Americana, and Cupreata, while within the Amarás Logia range – an ultra-premium and prestige offering – the brand offers six expressions, including Cenizo, Azul, Coyote, Madrecuishe, Lumbre, and Horno. Within the Verde Amarás range, the brand currently offers one mezcal designed for crafting cocktails.
All mezcals within the brand’s portfolio have a minimum ABV of 37%, with most landing between 41-42% ABV.
While Mezcal Amarás products do not fall within the lower-ABV category, which typically features liquids that sit around the 10-20% ABV mark, the brand says it has been intentionally crafted its mezcal with ‘a lower ABV than found in most spirits’ to encourage sipping and mindful enjoyment, making it ‘more approachable’ and better suited for those looking to explore mezcal without the ‘intensity’ of higher-proof options.
This, the brand says, aligns with the ethos of lower-alcohol cocktails and as such, it hopes that it can fit within the broader conversation about mindful drinking.
“Mezcal is a spirit rooted in our heritage and respect for agaves. At Mezcal Amarás, we emphasise savouring each sip, encouraging an intentional approach to enjoying mezcal,” a spokesperson for the brand told The Spirits Business. “While all of our mezcals are full-strength, our goal is to offer a tasting experience that celebrates quality, depth, balance, and the incredibly labour-intensive process of producing each drop of mezcal. Rather than trying to distil a mezcal with the highest ABV for the strongest possible drinks, we place more importance on letting the nuances of each agave shine through in our vast Mezcal Amarás portfolio.”
Mezcal Amarás’s added that its approach to mindful drinking is less about reducing ABV and more about shifting the experience to encourage savouring the spirit. “Our goal is to invite drinkers to slow down and enjoy mezcal in a more intentional way, whether neat or in cocktails that showcase its flavours,” they added.
“We’re seeing mezcal find a place in the wider mindful drinking trend by inspiring cocktails that are balanced, lighter in structure, or paired with low-ABV mixers.”
As such, Mezcal Amarás has created a series of cocktails that highlight the flavours of its mezcal without overpowering them, making them ‘ideal for mindful enjoyment’ and an option for those looking to enjoy lower-ABV serves.
The brand’s Mezcalita serve is said to balance the mezcal’s earthy and smoky notes with agave honey and lime, allowing the unique profile of the spirit to shine, while the Citrus Twist has been created to enhance the spirit’s natural smoky depth with a simple orange twist, which it says is ‘perfect for sipping without added intensity’.
Last year Suntory Global Spirits made its first foray into mezcal through a ‘strategic’ distribution partnership with the Mezcal Amarás brand.
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