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CATEGORY REPORT AGA•VIE d'Argent Esprit d'Agave C onsumers today place a high value on innovation. Having the opportunity to sip something entirely new and novel is exactly the kind of experience most enthusiasts are looking for. Their expectations will assuredly be exceeded by AGA•VIE d'Argent Esprit d'Agave, a delectable, groundbreaking spirit that blends premium blanco tequila with lush, young Cognac. AGA•VIE starts with tequila crafted at a state-of-the-art distillery in Jalisco near Amatitán. After harvesting, the agaves used in production are baked in stainless steel autoclaves, shredded and fermented in large tanks with a proprietary strain of yeast. The fermented wash is double-distilled in pot stills. The spirit leaves the distillery unaged and at a high 110 proof. The silver tequila is then shipped to the Charentes River Valley in the heart of the Cognac region of France. There it is blended with young eaux-de-vie distilled from Ugni Blanc grapes under the direct supervision of Master Distiller Didier Mourier. The blend is then re-distilled in a column still and bottled at 80 proof. AGA•VIE d'Argent is a sensational hybrid. It has a velvety, medium-weight body and a prominent herbal and citrus bouquet. Its full, semisweet palate is a mix of oranges, vanilla and baking spices. www.agavie.com Innovation Spirits 152 / the tasting panel / april 2013 Scorpion Añejo 100% Tobalá Agave Mezcal The vast majority of mezcals are distilled from espadin agaves, but this new release from Scorpion is something different—a varietal produced from wild tobalá, the unabashed king of agaves in Mexico's Sierra Madre mountains. To appreciate how rare and spectacular an achievement this mezcal is, brand owner and Master Distiller Doug French spent 15 years, walking the mountains collecting seeds from tobalá agave. He germinated the seeds and after three years had 1,000 plants on his estate—this despite conventional wisdom that tobalá can only grow in the wild. Award-winning Scorpion Añejo Mezcal is proof that conventional wisdom is occasionally wrong. This artisanal mezcal from the village of San Agustin de las Juntas is double-distilled in a copper pot still and aged 3 ½ years in French oak barrels. The dark amber spirit has a wafting herbal bouquet, a broad, savory palate and a delectable finish. The range also includes the fresh and exuberant Scorpion Silver 100% Tobala Agave Mezcal. www.scorpionmezcal.com Cabelleros, Inc.