review by Dan Dunn

(thanks to Tiare of amountainofcrushedice.com for the cool photo)

Before we begin, you gotta know some stuff -- both tequila and mezcal are made from the juice of agave plants in Mexico. The difference is that tequila is made from blue agave and is produced primarily in the state of Jalisco, while mezcal comes from agave known as maguey, most of it harvested and coverted into hootch in Oaxaca. Oh, and mezcal's been around longer, dating back to the early 1500s. Got it? Good.

Next thing you need to know about is a lip-smacking new mezcal called Ilegal. The name hearkens back to Prohibition, when mezcal (then called Mexican whiskey) was being smuggled into the States. It also refers to the not so distant past when brand founder John Rexer used to sneak samples of his favorite mezcals across the border into Guatemala to serve in his tequila bar, Cafe No Se. Why is it misspelled? Not sure. Maybe Rexer and his partners are being clever. Maybe they're just a bunch of drunks (and, hopefully, not the litigious sort). Whatever the case may be, Iligal is some seriously fantabulous mezcal. They make great reposado ($70) and anejo ($110), but for my money the joven ($55) is where it's at... and, like most poor bastards these days, my money means a lot to me.

The joven is the lightest of the three varieties, and is imbued with crisp, clean and fruity characteristics -- grapefruit and apple being the dominant flavors. There's some smoke in there too. A little jalapeno as well. For the love of all that's good and holy, you need to try this stuff straight first, then mix some into a margarita. Rinse and repeat. I'm telling you, mi amigos and chicas, it's pure frickin' ecstasy. Like, remember that scintillating scene in the great Mexican film "Like Water for Chocolate" when Pedro first kisses his Tita? Well, drinking the Ilegal joven feels like that. Rent the movie. Buy the mezcal. Feel the heat.

Using the very same scoring sytem we use to rate wine, I'm giving Ilegal Joven a whopping 96. That's Rachel McAdams territory, who would have been great in "Like Water for Chocolate," I might add.

Okay, time to shoot some mezcal and grill up some pigeons. I'm out.

For more about Ilegal Mezcal visit http://www.ilegalmezcal.com/

by Matt Robold, the Rumdood

Ron Diplmomatico Blanco is the newest rum to be brought to us by Distilerias Unidas in Venezuela.  For over 50 years the distillery in La Miel has produced several lines of rums which can be found all over the world.
The Ron Diplomatico line of products has long had shelf-space in my collection.  The Reserva Exclusiva is a personal favorite and I was first exposed to the new Blanco rum in London at the 2008 UK Rumfest.

It has taken some time, but the Diplomatico Blanco has made its way to the shores of the USA.  According to Distlilerias Unidas, the rum is distilled 4 times before being aged for up to 6 years in oak casks and then blended and filtered through 5 runs of charcoal to strip all color from the spirit – leaving it clear, crisp, and light bodied.

Appearances
The rum is almost perfectly clear.  There is no discernible green tinge that you sometimes find with oak-aged white spirits.  When swirled in the glass the legs form thickly and very slowly work their way down into the bowl.

Click here to read the full review on Rumdood.com