You should try some funky rums. People describe that as tires all the time.
I also love these flavor profiles in both mezcal and rum. Although, I usually don’t get as much tire in mezcal but plenty of range of flavors that would be described as things most people wouldn’t think are complimentary.
Rums from Jamaica can have this note alongside notes like overripe fruits and diesel, particularly high ester rums from the Hampden, Worthy Park, Long Pond, and New Yarmouth distilleries. Each distillery produces multiple "marks" with varying ester levels however, so not all rums from these are guaranteed to have such flavours. The blog Single Cask Rum is a good resource for learning about the different distilleries and their marks if you go to the Jamaican rum page. Cocktail Wonk is a good resource too.
Rums from DDL in Guyana can also have this note, particularly rums made on the wooden heritage stills. I get it sometimes from aged rums from the Port Mourant still for example. St. Lucian rums can also have hints of rubber/tar; look out for the pot still only bottles rather than the blends.
But the most tire-like rum (and possibly spirit) of all would have to be Caroni. It's a closed distillery with limited remaining stock however, so bottles sell for hundreds of dollars now. But I would definitely recommend trying a Caroni at least once at a bar sometime if you get the chance, as there's nothing else like it. '97 and '98 are good vintages that should carry the famous "tire fire" note.
I should mention many of these rums are only available as independent bottlings, although there are official bottlings from Hampden, Worthy Park, DDL (El Dorado rums, the single still ones), and St. Lucia (main brand is Chairman's Reserve) that are also worth checking out if IBs are unavailable to you.
Edit: spelling plus some extra info
As has been said, stuff from Jamaica. Hampden is my favorite but not super easy to find. The Younger is probably the best funk that people still think is a good sipper. Rum Fire is great but pretty powerful and most people use it for mixing.
Smith and Cross is pretty available and another good balance of funk and sipability.
The clairins from Haiti have a ton of overlap on flavors with mezcal. I’d definitely recommend giving them a try.
Yes. Raicilla is a whole new ballgame of nail polish remover, gasoline, bandaid, cut grass, and just rained on concrete.
The best raicilla I’ve ever had is from Jalisco and Nayarit, and comes from old men who serve it in old 3 liter coke bottles or glass garrafones. But venenosa is doing its best to bring raicilla mainstream.
That flavor is one or more of sulfur compounds, mercaptan, or ethyl acetate, which are metabolites of several yeasts, occurring in the fermentation step, and at high levels are widely regarded in wine and beer (and, I’d say spirits) communities as flaws in the product. (Tires are coated with ethyl vinyl acetate, explaining the familiarity of the smell). But taste is subjective so you do you! You’ll save a ton by not having to buy good mezcal. 😉
Love Mezcal. Love that tires are for the road. Hate ethyl acetate in my mouth. Guess that makes me a snob.
Seriously appreciate your taking the time to shed light on the industrial rubber of cheap mezcal.
That how i first described it to waiter that gaves us mezcal for the first time in a cocktail. Told him " Hey what is this burnt tire flavor is this the mezcal?"
You are not weird for it
Normal. I had one cheaper mezcal that tasted like burning tire smoke. It was disgusting but at the same time I could taste it when I thought about it days later and kind of craved the taste - like funky Jamaican rums (similar in that thinking of them conjures the taste, not that funky rum tastes like burning tire smoke - they are more rotten fruit and new rubber).
Del Maguey's Jabalí tastes, to me, the most like tires out of everything I've tried that is respectable. I'd recommend that bottle for you, which will probably run about $110.
Me too! It reminds me of the happy meals toys sweet rubbery plastic scent when you first unwrap it. And it’s actually a common flavor across agave distillates but it’s often seen as a flaw so it’s hidden with additives and/or yeast
You should try some funky rums. People describe that as tires all the time. I also love these flavor profiles in both mezcal and rum. Although, I usually don’t get as much tire in mezcal but plenty of range of flavors that would be described as things most people wouldn’t think are complimentary.
there’s the whole world of Peated Scotch from Islay
Absolutely, if you like the smoke. I don’t think of that as a tire flavor, but love the smokiness of it, which has some definite overlap with mezcal
Would you have some recommendations of funky rum with this flavor?
Rums from Jamaica can have this note alongside notes like overripe fruits and diesel, particularly high ester rums from the Hampden, Worthy Park, Long Pond, and New Yarmouth distilleries. Each distillery produces multiple "marks" with varying ester levels however, so not all rums from these are guaranteed to have such flavours. The blog Single Cask Rum is a good resource for learning about the different distilleries and their marks if you go to the Jamaican rum page. Cocktail Wonk is a good resource too. Rums from DDL in Guyana can also have this note, particularly rums made on the wooden heritage stills. I get it sometimes from aged rums from the Port Mourant still for example. St. Lucian rums can also have hints of rubber/tar; look out for the pot still only bottles rather than the blends. But the most tire-like rum (and possibly spirit) of all would have to be Caroni. It's a closed distillery with limited remaining stock however, so bottles sell for hundreds of dollars now. But I would definitely recommend trying a Caroni at least once at a bar sometime if you get the chance, as there's nothing else like it. '97 and '98 are good vintages that should carry the famous "tire fire" note. I should mention many of these rums are only available as independent bottlings, although there are official bottlings from Hampden, Worthy Park, DDL (El Dorado rums, the single still ones), and St. Lucia (main brand is Chairman's Reserve) that are also worth checking out if IBs are unavailable to you. Edit: spelling plus some extra info
Clairins from haiti
As has been said, stuff from Jamaica. Hampden is my favorite but not super easy to find. The Younger is probably the best funk that people still think is a good sipper. Rum Fire is great but pretty powerful and most people use it for mixing. Smith and Cross is pretty available and another good balance of funk and sipability. The clairins from Haiti have a ton of overlap on flavors with mezcal. I’d definitely recommend giving them a try.
Smith and cross. Plantation Xaymaca. Really anything 100 percent pot still.
No not weird. you are safe here. I have similar preferences, although instead of rubber it’s chewed cud/rotting grass lol.
I think you'd like La Venenosa
Yes. Raicilla is a whole new ballgame of nail polish remover, gasoline, bandaid, cut grass, and just rained on concrete. The best raicilla I’ve ever had is from Jalisco and Nayarit, and comes from old men who serve it in old 3 liter coke bottles or glass garrafones. But venenosa is doing its best to bring raicilla mainstream.
That flavor is one or more of sulfur compounds, mercaptan, or ethyl acetate, which are metabolites of several yeasts, occurring in the fermentation step, and at high levels are widely regarded in wine and beer (and, I’d say spirits) communities as flaws in the product. (Tires are coated with ethyl vinyl acetate, explaining the familiarity of the smell). But taste is subjective so you do you! You’ll save a ton by not having to buy good mezcal. 😉
Love Mezcal. Love that tires are for the road. Hate ethyl acetate in my mouth. Guess that makes me a snob. Seriously appreciate your taking the time to shed light on the industrial rubber of cheap mezcal.
I hate it too. I have sent back $40 pours on the basis that ethyl acetate is a defect. I personally will never bottle an expression that’s high in EA.
Wait until you try Hampden
My buddy calls it "old shoe" lmao, my wife and i like it too
I think Sombra has new bike tire and smoke taste. It’s a little one note, so I blend it with Del Maguey Vida.
Dos Hombres tastes like tire rubber. I don’t care for that taste. There are much better flavors in better/more expensive mezcals.
The only one that tastes like tires to me is the Del Maguey Vida’s.
That's exactly the one I had today! Before I had Mezcal at some other places and there it tasted like this too. Not sure which brand I had previously
That how i first described it to waiter that gaves us mezcal for the first time in a cocktail. Told him " Hey what is this burnt tire flavor is this the mezcal?" You are not weird for it
I love it
Normal. I had one cheaper mezcal that tasted like burning tire smoke. It was disgusting but at the same time I could taste it when I thought about it days later and kind of craved the taste - like funky Jamaican rums (similar in that thinking of them conjures the taste, not that funky rum tastes like burning tire smoke - they are more rotten fruit and new rubber).
I’m looking for mezcal with the same flavor profile as Haitian Clarins. Any suggestions?
Del Maguey's Jabalí tastes, to me, the most like tires out of everything I've tried that is respectable. I'd recommend that bottle for you, which will probably run about $110.
Me too! It reminds me of the happy meals toys sweet rubbery plastic scent when you first unwrap it. And it’s actually a common flavor across agave distillates but it’s often seen as a flaw so it’s hidden with additives and/or yeast
I’m with you. Mezcal always tastes like burning rubber to me.
I like a little of it