Scorpion Mezcal
ABOUT:
Scorpion Mezcal is a bold, unapologetic brand famously known for its slogan, "Worms are for wimps," and for placing a real scorpion exoskeleton at the bottom of every bottle. Founded in 1996 by Maestro Mezcalero Douglas French in the village of San Agustín de las Juntas, Oaxaca, the operation has grown from a grassroots startup into a massive 50,000-square-foot powerhouse. Today, French leads production alongside Maestras Mezcaleras Elsa Arguelles Sanchez and Erika Aquino Aguilar. Scorpion stands out in the artisanal mezcal landscape because of its unique distillation process: rather than using traditional earthen fire pits, they slow-cook their estate-grown agaves in a steam autoclave, mill them, and double-distills the spirit first in stainless steel and then in 120-gallon Oaxacan copper pot stills. This yields an incredibly pure, clean maguey flavor. Furthermore, Scorpion is heavily invested in local sustainability, operating a massive agave nursery to cultivate rare wild varietals for years before planting them on their rural estates.
WEBSITE:
MEZCALS OFFERED:
Silver (Joven): The brand’s unaged, award-winning flagship expression, freshly distilled from 100% agave. This bright and spritely mezcal presents an amazingly complex nose featuring light smoke and fruit fudge. The palate is simultaneously dry and sweet, balancing vibrant notes of lime, lemongrass, and citrus with earthy leather and a delicate, dry campfire smoke, finishing with a lingering, silky spice.
Reposado: A beautifully refined sipping mezcal that takes their signature steam-cooked agave base and rests it in premium French Oak barrels. This maturation process softens the spirit, intertwining the clean, bright agave notes with warm, complex layers of wood, vanilla, and gentle spice, all balanced by a soft, delicate finish.
Añejo / Extra Añejo: Scorpion's aged portfolio takes full advantage of their extensive barrel room, allowing mezcals to mature in individual French Oak casks anywhere from one to over twelve years. These deeply aged expressions drink with incredible luxury and weight, offering a sophisticated experience loaded with dark caramel, toasted oak, dried fruits, and a highly elegant, exceptionally smooth finish.