Real Minero "Still Strength" Barril Oaxaca

750ml bottle

51.6% abv

Full-bodied with notes of tropical fruit, pink peppercorn, citrus zest, and vanilla.

Real Minero Barril is made using maguey Barril (Agave karwinskii), which often has other names in communities outside Santa Catarina Minas. The name “barril” comes from how the plant looks as it is somewhat barrel shaped.

Real Minero (previously Mezcal Real Minero) is considered by many to be one of the world’s finest mezcal producers. The Angeles family has been making mezcal for several generations in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca. Their mezcal is made in small clay pot stills, and almost all of it is rested in glass for several months before bottling, giving the mezcal a much softer character. Outside of creating great spirits, they also have one of the largest and most diverse sustainable agave reforestation programs. With the help of the community, they’ve been able to rescue several agave varieties that were previously thought to be extinct. 

In 2020, the brand began dropping the word “mezcal” from their labels. The term “traditional” replaces the CRM “ancestral” designation. Shortly thereafter, the brand officially parted ways with the certification process; all future releases will be labeled as “agave spirits” or something similar. Despite the label changes, nothing significant about their production process has changed over years.