Gusano Rojo Mezcal mit Wurm

Gusano Rojo is a joven mezcal made entirely from agave in Oaxaca, the state that produces the large majority of certified mezcal. Each bottle holds a maguey larva, here from a skipper moth that feeds on agave leaves, the red worm that gives the brand its name. The larva is a twentieth century commercial custom and not a sign of quality, though the label has long built its identity around it.
Espadin, Agave angustifolia, is the cultivated workhorse of the region, prized for an approachable balance of sweet roasted agave, soft fruit and gentle smoke. Pit roasting the agave hearts caramelises their sugars and lends the cooked agave sweetness and light ember that frame the spirit. Bottled unaged at 38 percent, it leans soft and rounded across the palate, an easy, harmonious style that sits close to those moving across from tequila.