Smoke, Edge, and Straight-Talking Agave
 

This is mezcal with its chest out. Not subtle. Not shy. But still grounded in real technique and time. Rooster Rojo Mezcal doesn't trade on mystique - it leans into flavour, texture, and fire, all dialled up a notch and delivered with confidence.

The nose opens with classic EspadIn markers: roasted agave, charred citrus, and flint. There's a hit of dried herbs and cracked pepper underneath, with just enough funk to let you know it hasn't been over-polished. It smells like a wood-fired kitchen and a desert windstorm met somewhere in the middle.

On the palate, it starts bold. Cooked agave up front - earthy, sweet, slightly bitter - then smoke rolls in fast, supported by white pepper, eucalyptus, and a green citrus peel bitterness that cuts through the heat. The higher ABV adds presence, but not chaos. There's power, but also grip. It tastes alive.

The finish is dry, lingering, and unmistakably smoky - but more ember than ash. There's enough spice and citrus oil to keep it moving, and a touch of salinity that brings everything back to the ground.

This is a mezcal built for drinkers who want presence. Not subtlety, not oak, not sweetness - just smoke, spirit, and structure. Serve it neat with orange and sal de gusano if you're going classic. But it shines in cocktails too. Drop it into a Naked & Famous, a smoky Margarita, or a mezcal Negroni if you want that backbone to carry through.

Rooster Rojo Mezcal isn't trying to be rustic or romantic. It's clean, potent, and upfront - a solid EspadIn with real energy, made to be poured, felt, and remembered.

And if you like your mezcal with a little attitude? This one's already at the table.