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Yuu Baal Mezcal Joven
About Yuu Baal Mezcal Joven
Yuu Baal Mezcal Joven is produced by Grupo Yuu Baal – a Mexican company founded by Flor de María Velásquez and Jorge Alberto Ramírez Márquez. In addition to operating their own family-owned distillery, they also collaborate with various other native Oaxacan mezcal producers. Yuu Baal is produced in San Juan del Río, San Luis del Río, Tlacolula, and Miahuatlan. They take pride in their traditional and sustainable practices, and their mezcals are made by hand each step of the way.
This particular bottle of Mezcal Joven is produced in San Juan del Río, Oaxaca under master mezcalero Isaías Martínez Juan. It is made using 7 year old Agave Angustifolia, also known as Espadín. After the traditional preparation process, it is fermented in pine wood vats and double distilled in copper stills. It is not aged before bottling.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 48%
❖ Distillery: NOM O72X
❖ Aging: none
❖ Price Point: low price
My Tasting notes
The aroma of this mezcal was immediately smoky and earthy. The scent was smooth and consistent as I continued to sniff, without many additional nose notes.
I took my first sip, and found it to be bright and dynamic. There was a nice balance of sweet, earthy, and smoky flavors, although it didn’t taste like any one flavor note in particular. The sweet notes were almost fruity, but not quite. The alcohol heat didn’t bother me much, even though I’m usually a bit sensitive to it. I can definitely see myself sipping this mezcal without mixers in the future.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I wanted to create a fun Día de Los Muertos drink centered around the cempazúchitl flower. It utilizes marigold infused syrup, which must be homemade, as it’s not available commercially. For one large cempazúchitl blossom, I used about 1/4 cup of sugar, and a 1:1 ratio with the water. But really, I was just winging it! Make sure to plan ahead so you have your syrup all ready and cooled before making this drink.
Néctar de Catrina
recipe by Emmeline Gonzalez-Beban
Ingredients
- 2oz mezcal joven
- 1/2oz vanilla liqueur
- 1/2oz lime juice
- 1/2oz orange juice
- 1/2oz cempazúchitl infused syrup
- garnish: cempazúchitl blossom
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled
- Strain the mixture into a small glass
- Garnish with a cempazúchitl blossom
I was pretty impressed with this mezcal inside of a cocktail. The smokiness played nicely against the citrus and the sweetness. The cempazúchitl flavor was very subtle, but added a nice little kick in the background. There wasn’t a flavor note that stood out in particular, but the flavors altogether felt complex, pleasant, and mellowing. This mezcal joven seems smooth and easy to balance.
I was also really relieved about how my recipe turned out, as I had tested it with tequila instead of mezcal, which I knew was a risky move. Unfortunately, I had no choice, as our household had consumed all our bottles of mezcal, and I wanted to save the Yuu Baal for my official tasting. I feel that my recipe really needs the smokiness to tie all the flavors together, just as I had predicted!
Bottom Line
RATING: 5/5
Overall, I really enjoyed trying out Yuu Baal Mezcal Joven. I was especially impressed with it’s sip-ability, given that this bottle is a startling 96 proof. I’m very sensitive to alcohol heat, so it’s rare that I can actually picture myself choosing a glass of something over a cocktail on a random Friday. But, I actually do see myself drinking this mezcal straight in the future.
Against mixers, it also has a nice flavor and balances well, so it’s a good choice as a mixing spirit as well. The fact that it’s family owned and made by locals to the region just makes it all the more sweet! I feel that it’s a great entry point for folks who are new to mezcal, as well as being enjoyable for those with more experience with the spirit. I definitely recommend that you try it for yourself!
As always, drink responsibly.
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