Pensador Mezcal

 

We’ve teamed up with El Camino Del Pensador Mezcal in our Summer Issue. Pensador, which was founded by Hackney resident Ben Schroder, is a relative newbie on the scene, but has already been making waves in the London circuit. The liquid is as delicious as it is exotic, a mix of Espadin and Madrecuishe (two distinct agave species) from the Miahuatlan region of southern Oaxaca.

Mezcal, for those not in the loop, is Tequila or rather Tequila is a specific strain of Mezcal. Grown exclusively from agave plants in five of Mexico’s thirty two states Mezcal is an ancient and punchy elixir. Once thought to be a heavenly nectar by Meso-americans its since been refined into the classic sipping spirit it’s famous for today. Pensador still uses the old school method of craft though – think large millstones, underground baking chambers and enormous root veg. Its all very rustic.

Following a road trip around Southern Mexico, Ben became obsessed with Mezcal and spent months scouring rural Oaxaca in search of the perfect juice.

“With pensador I knew I had the full package – rare agave, ancient methods, and an unashamedly high proof. Each sip is a burst of flavour: cooked agave, earth, grass, chocolate, and smoke, but with a balance and elegance not normally found in the category – the perfect vehicle for sharing the magic of mezcal” – Ben

We’ve dished out free Pensador Mezcal to our members at our launch for ‘Summer Vacation’ and it proved a big hit. No surprise there – Pensador was awarded a Master Award in a blind tasting at the ‘Spirits Business Tequila and Mezcal Masters 2018’. They were crowned king of the mezcal category, beating off stiff competition from established global brands, including Licores-Veracruz.

All of this is getting Pensador noticed. As well as its recent award, Pensador can be found at trend setting bars including Dandelyan, The American Bar (Savoy), Happiness Forgets, and Soho House.

Grab the good stuff online: www.pensadormezcal.com or www.thewhiskyexchange.com.