Review: Gem&Bolt Mezcal
Gem&Bolt? Such a bizarre product name doesn’t come our way too often. In this case, one has to surmise, the Gem refers to the mezcal base of the product, and the Bolt is the little something extra added — Damiana, which is a popular herb in Latin America and which is sometimes used to make a liqueur on its own. The Mezcal is made in the San Felipe del Agua region of Oaxaca.
A little information from the distillers:
Fair-trade and sustainable, Gem&Bolt Mezcal is created by a 4th generation master distiller in Oaxaca, Mexico and is the only mezcal on the market distilled with damiana, a mythical Mexican herb that naturally complements the essential “heart opening properties” of this 100% pure agave mezcal. Unlike Tequila (by regulation) which only has to be 51% agave, mezcal is closely regulated to adhere to strict traditional methods, and must be 100% agave. Making Gem&Bolt Mezcal a clean, unadulterated product for consumers who care about what they put in their bodies.
The nose immediately indicates that something unusual is in the mix, with a distinct sweetness above and beyond even the most sugar-forward of mezcal bottlings. Intensely floral on the nose (that’s the damiana talking), with overtones of cinnamon sugar, it still has that lightly smoky, vegetal funk that is the hallmark of mezcal. On the palate, the spirit offers a similar experience, which includes heavy herbal/floral notes that play out over a strange base of roasted mushroom and wet forest floor. The finish evokes the burnt embers of a dying fire — it’s distinctly light on the smoke compared to most mezcals — but also layers on a bitter, vegetal note that mars the more effervescent early character of the mezcal and leaves you wondering where all that sweetness on the nose ran off to.
All told, this might work as a mixer in an herb-heavy cocktail, but on its own the lack of both focus and balance leave the imbiber wanting.
88 proof. Aka Gem y Bolt Mezcal.
C+ / $58
Gem&Bolt Mezcal
$58
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