Casamigos Mezcal Joven: Hollywood Facade or Smooth Mezcal Joven?

 George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman created the $1 billion Casamigos tequila brand by mistake, but is the more recent Casamigos Mezcal just piggybacking on the OG?

The Story of Casamigos

The story begins in 2013, in a place called Casamigos in Mexico, and it is a true story involving a lot of tequila and a little bit of fame. George Clooney, actor, filmmaker, and humanitarian since 1978, and Rande Gerber, successful entertainment businessman who happens to be married to Cindy Crawford, spent lots of time in their neighboring houses in Casamigos, visiting bars and restaurants together, and of course, drinking a lot of tequila.

They tried many different brands and types of tequila in an unconscious quest for the perfect tequila, but none of them felt just right. Until one day, when everything changed. George looked at Rande, and said something along the lines of, “If the perfect tequila doesn’t exist, why don’t we create it?” And so they did, naming it “Casamigos” after the property in Mexico where the idea was born. Casamigos, including the words casa, house, and amigos, friends, fit the situation perfectly.

In the words of Clooney and Gerber, it was a search for that perfect blend of the “best-tasting, smoothest tequila” that didn’t need “to be covered up with salt or lime” but still contained multiple nuanced flavors and “a long smooth finish," and they claim to have found it: the origins of Casamigos tequila.

Forget the Tequila, What About Mezcal?

To cut a long tequila story short, because this is about mezcal, Clooney and Gerber, with the help of their friend Mike Meldman, had many bottles of the perfect tequila made for them and their friends in a distillery in the Los Altos area of Jalisco, Mexico. They turned it into a brand and it took off, in part due to the famous creators but also due to the quality of the 3 Casamigos tequila bottles they put out: Casamigos Blanco Tequila, Casamigos Anejo Tequila, and Casamigos Reposado Tequila. The 5-year-old brand was sold in 2017 to Diageo for a billion dollars, but Clooney and Gerber remained involved, tasting every batch for quality reassurance. Soon after the company was sold, the friends decided to add the perfect Mezcal to the Casamigos brand. Clooney and Gerber had  fallen in love with a certain mezcal a while ago, and stayed in touch with the creators just in case. 

What Actually Is Casamigos Mezcal?

Casamigos Mezcal is created in Oaxaca, the mezcal capital of Mexico, and is described as “balanced and elegant, offering harmonious hints of tamarind, pomegranate, banana and mango. Fresh herbal mint aromas, dried oregano and thyme lend character to the mezcal. The delicate tones of smoke, hints of licorice and mineral nuances lead to a long silky finish.” 

The process of creating Casamigos Mezcal Joven, like all mezcal, involves multiple steps. It is made using only Espadín agave, and as per the usual method, the pineapple-like agave hearts are slowly smoked in earthen pits lined with volcanic rock for about 5 days. After the agave is cooked through evenly, but not caramelized, it is cooled for a day and then crushed using a tahoe wheel drawn by horses. Then comes fermentation in a big wooden barrel, and of course, finally the distilling process. The mezcal is distilled twice using copper pot stills. Clearly no energy is spared and no corners cut in the process, but what are the results?

Casamigos Mezcal Joven: A Review Overview

While product reviews are mixed, the experts are Casamigos Mezcal fans. Alindahao writes that the overpowering burn commonly found in mezcal is gone, and the smokiness, mezcal’s trademark, doesn’t dominate the smell or palate. She feels it is “definitely the kind of mezcal you sip for pleasure because of its unusually long finish.” 

According to Macie Maislin in her “Casamigos Mezcal Review, Price & Taste Test,” “the lack of burn is the first thing that strikes you as soon as it passes through your throat.” Maislin describes Clooney and Gerber’s newest Casamigos bottle as “earthy, fruity, and full of rich and thick flavors,” as well as possibly the best mezcal on the market due to the subtle flavor choices and “smokey background.” 

The Casamigos Mezcal review on the Klinky Channel, a wine and spirit reviewing youtube channel, was positive as well. The aroma was described as having citrusy undertones, and Mark described it as "tamer” than other mezcals, making it good for sipping on its own. Diane felt it had a “scotchy smokiness to it” that Scotch lovers would enjoy, while both agreed it was a good sipping mezcal because it has depth without being overpowering.

It’s Worth a Shot, Now Where Can You Find It?

Now that we’ve determined that the Casamigos Mezcal is worth taking at least one shot, how can you get some? No matter how small the selection in the liquor store near you, you can try the Casamigos Mezcal Joven by buying online at Tipxy.com. Ordering mezcal online from craft and boutique alcoholic beverage websites like Tipxy guarantees that you can order your mezcal online and have it delivered straight to your door in almost all US states. 

If you've already tried the Casamigos tequilas or mezcal, or want to try it all, check out some other tequila or mezcal brands on Tipxy.com. Laneta Tequila stands out for their fabulously sleek bottle and smooth elegant taste, and if you want to try all types of mezcal, Pluma Negra is the brand to buy. Boasting four different mezcal bottles, Pluma Negra has a mezcal for every type of mezcal drinker, with different bottles made from a different types of agave, and complex and nuanced flavors in every sip. 

As George Clooney says, “The only failure is not to try,” and with online shopping options, trying is pretty easy.