(Photo: Ilegal/Lindsay Wynn)
On Wednesday, Ilegal Mezcal expanded its catalog of age-stated spirits with a fusion of its Reposado and Caribbean rum barrels. The limited-edition release is the latest splash from a brand eager to harmonize mezcal with techniques often reserved for the tequila industry.
Its new expression starts with a reposado aged four to six months in American oak barrels. The liquid was then transferred to 8-year Caribbean rum casks for up to two months, adding hints of caramel sweetness, butterscotch, tropical fruit and warm spice to the otherwise vegetal palate. Just 215 barrels of Ilegal Reposado Caribbean Cask Finish were produced, yielding an undisclosed number of bottles available to consumers.
Those hoping to pick up the expression can find it at a suggested retail price of $57.99 while supplies last.
"Ilegal Caribbean Cask Finish takes our Reposado to a new place and speaks to the community blending spirit Ilegal was founded on, marrying the agave-forward character of Ilegal with the vibrant influence of Caribbean rum casks," John Rexer, founder of Ilegal Mezcal, remarked in a news release. "We look forward to sharing with our fans far and wide."
Ilegal's emphasis on cask finishes represents a departure from the mezcal status quo. Most of the market's biggest names take what's called a "single village" approach, wherein different agave varietals (tobala, tepeztate, madrecuixe, etc.) are distilled by a variety of producers before being introduced to consumers under a single imprint.
For Ilegal, however, variety comes not from the agave but from the age statement. Taking a nod from tequila lingo, the brand has introduced a Joven, Reposado, Añejo and 7-Year Extra Añejo all produced at Palenque Mal De Amor using agave Espadin.
The streamlined approach has already paid off. In 2023, spirits giant Bacardi finalized a deal to buy out the brand for a rumored $130 million. Ilegal Reposado Caribbean Cask Finish is the imprint's first release following the acquisition.
Ilegal's current status on the market is a distant cry from its illicit roots. The company began life in 2004 when founder John Rexer started bootlegging unmarked mezcal from Oaxaca to a bar he owned in Antigua, Guatemala. In 2006, Ilegal formalized itself as a brand; in 2010, it signed a U.S. distribution contract. By 2022, the company was selling an estimated 174,000 cases per year.
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