The Tasting Panel magazine

June 2018

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86  /  the tasting panel  /  june 2018 AGAVE SPIRITS from partner Susan Clausen. After their visit to Morelos, they brought samples of its characteristic agave distillate back to Minneapolis and shared it widely as they sought feedback. The triple-distilled finished product, Revel, has a higher alcohol content and less smoky qualities than those original samples. Under the Revel name, McFarlane and Thompson currently have two products on the market: Blanco and Reposado, with an Añejo expression set for release this fall. Made from blue weber agave, Revel contains no additives or added sugars and is the first official release of "Avila": a new agave-based spirits category which combines the modern- ized steaming process of tequila with the roasting process of mezcal. The Revel Spirits team is currently collaborating with a group of 17 farmers in the area to create these three expressions, the first two of which have already landed at establishments like the beachside Mexican eatery Tallula's in Santa Monica, California. The 80-proof, unaged Revel Blanco exhibits hints of citrus and juniper with a clean agave finish, providing a complex sipping spirit or the multi-faceted base of an innovative cocktail. Revel Reposado, also 80 proof, ages in American oak whiskey barrels for 12 months and features hints of smoky oak and vanilla with a rich texture. It's an easy-sipper reminiscent of a lightly smoked mezcal with the structured aging of a whiskey, but the spirit can easily play a role in a boozy or even savory cocktail. By founding Revel, McFarlane and Thompson sought to highlight the native spirits being made in Morelos and spearheaded an effort to establish Avila as its own distinct category—a spirit that derives its character from the area's mineral-rich, volcanic soils. With this in mind, the pair are work- ing closely with their farmer partners, as well as distillers and the regional government, to promote Morelos' distillates to the broader market. In the future, McFarlane says Avila will reach beyond the use of blue weber agave and the methods currently employed by Revel to instead be more broad and inclusive with one common thread: the land that captivated them on that very first visit. MORELOS: A BRIEF HISTORY Evidence shows that nomadic tribes lived in what's now the Mexican state of Morelos, located northwest of Oaxaca near Mexico City, as early as 6,000 B.C. Due to Morelos' persistently warm climate, the farming of maize and cotton has occurred there since roughly 1,500 B.C. Established in 1868, the state was named after priest and Mexican independence leader José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón. At one point in the mid-1800s, the state's capital, Cuernavaca, briefly served as the capital of Mexico. Morelos is the second-smallest Mexican state and is home to active volcano Popocatépetl, traditionally dressed Chinelo dancers, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and Lagunas de Zempoala, one of Mexico's largest national parks. Mary Thompson curates the bar menu at Tallula's, which focuses on local produce and high-end agave-based spirits. The smoky Revel Reposado enhances the flavor profile and texture of a Tallula's original cocktail with fresh lime, mint, and cinnamon syrup.

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