dos hombres mezcal in shot glass with salt and lime on bar

Dos Hombres Mezcal Review: Our Expert Thoughts

Dos Hombres is a mezcal created by Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, known for their roles as Jesse Pinkman and Walter White in the hit TV show Breaking Bad – and with that, it joins the endless list of celebrity alcohol brands.

With two big actors behind the brand, you can expect Dos Hombres to be pricier than most mezcals in the market. This alone can make you doubt if it’s worth your money, which makes you want to dig through Dos Hombres mezcal even more.

Luckily, we’ve reviewed Dos Hombres mezcal, so you don’t need to buy a bottle without having anything to expect. Read to the end to hear all our notes about this mezcal created by Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, and find out if it’s worth giving it a try.

A Quick Look at Dos Hombres Mezcal

Below is a quick table summarizing our ranking and what we’ll cover in our Dos Hombres mezcal review.

Overall Rating 3
Flavor 3.5
Value 3
Tasting Notes Smoky, earthy, citrusy, grassy
Classification Mezcal
Distillery San Luis del Rio
Proof 84 proof, 42% ABV / 90 proof, 45% ABV
Aged Unaged
MSPR $58

Pros And Cons of Dos Hombres Mezcal

Every brand of liquor has its fair share of pros and cons. Here’s an overview of what we liked and didn’t like about the Dos Hombres mezcal.

PROS CONS
Great initial taste Unpleasant aftertaste
Very smooth Expensive
High brand recognition Doesn’t have the best value

What Is Dos Hombres Mezcal?

Dos Hombres is a mezcal brand owned by Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston. Many think the brand’s name is a recollection of Los Pollos Hermanos from Breaking Bad, though neither of the two actors has made such claims.

Like the majority of other mezcals in the market, Dos Hombres is made from the espadín variety of agave. There’s also Dos Hombres Tobala, made from maguey tobala, a different variety of agave used in mezcal production. Both are made in San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca led by mezcal expert Gregorio Velasco Luis.

Dos Hombres mezcal has a clear appearance, similar to tequila. You might ask if mezcal isn’t the same as blanco tequila then, but the difference is mezcal is made from any agave plant, while tequila is only made from a specific variety, the blue Weber agave. Therefore, it's not the same as something like Hornitos tequila.

Dos Hombres’ woody and smoky flavors make it an excellent choice for mixing into cocktails. Although we’ll cover our tasting notes in more detail below, many consider this a cocktail espadín due to not having the complex aromas most mezcal aficionados favor.

Is Dos Hombres Real Mezcal?

Dos Hombres mezcal is made from the espadín variety of agave, making it a 100% true mezcal. There isn’t a reason to think Dos Hombres isn’t a real mezcal, especially if you doubt it because of its endorsement and ownership of celebrities. 

What Does Dos Hombres Mezcal Taste Like?

Upon first sip, Dos Hombres mezcal had a smoky taste with citrusy notes lingering in the mouth. Similar to mezcals made from tepeztate agave, this mezcal also has some mineral taste, which may feel a bit salty. These are expected in any espadín, but there’s more to the taste of Dos Hombres mezcal.

The initial tasting notes of Dos Hombres mezcal is overall your standard espadín. It’s smoky and woody with a citrusy flavor in the background. However, the aftertaste wasn’t as enjoyable as our first impressions. It has an emerging bitter aftertaste that is almost too peppery or grassy. 

The smoothness of it makes the Dos Hombres mezcal go down nicely, but it definitely didn’t have a pleasant finish. We’ve also noticed this being mentioned in other Dos Hombres mezcal reviews.

What Is the Alcohol Content of Dos Hombres Mezcal

Dos Hombres has two varieties. Dos Hombres Espadin has an ABV (alcohol-by-volume) of 42%, while Dos Hombres Tobala has a 45% ABV. Both are typical for a mezcal, though many find the 42% lower than desired. Although we didn’t feel the same, a higher ABV could certainly bring out more complex flavors.

Is Dos Hombres Mezcal Good?

Dos Hombres has the punch we expect from a mezcal when you open the bottle and give it a sniff. It has smoky and earthy flavors and a slightly citrusy aroma with some minerality to combine everything nicely in the mouth. However, these flavors aren’t strong or complex enough, and the mezcal itself doesn’t have the most pleasant aftertaste.

For the price range, Dos Hombres fails to deliver the value we expect. It’s a good but not a great one. There are better alternatives at a cheaper price that will offer more complex and enjoyable flavors, especially when drinking neat.

While Dos Hombres mezcal can be a great espadín to mix into cocktails, you’ll also have more affordable options offering a better value. With all these, we can conclude that it’s an okay mezcal, but not the one that will grab the attention of frequent mezcal enjoyers.

Is Dos Hombres the Best Mezcal?

With everything mentioned above, we can’t say that Dos Hombres is the best mezcal out there. Although it comes from one of the best mezcal-making regions of the world, with production led by an expert, it’s nowhere near what we hope to see from a great mezcal.

Dos Hombres didn’t have the best flavor or a balanced aftertaste for us after trying it multiple times, to be fair. However, as with other spirits, the best mezcal is subjective. You need to try it for yourself to determine if Dos Hombres has what you want to see in a mezcal.

How Is Dos Hombres Mezcal Packaged?

Dos Hombres Espadin has a pretty standard bottle. It has a simple design with the signature of Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston in the front. Each bottle also includes a batch and bottle number.

Dos Hombres Tobala, on the other hand, has a fancier package given its higher price range. It comes in a wooden crate with a white bottle that looks classy and elegant.

How Should You Drink Dos Hombres Mezcal?

You should drink Dos Hombres like any other mezcal. For many, the best way to enjoy mezcal is to drink it neat at room temperature, preferably in a glass with a wide opening to get all the aromas. Traditionally, mezcal is served in a jicara, a tiny cup made from a halved dried fruit. Assuming you don’t have one, a rock glass will do just fine.

Once you’ve poured in your Dos Hombres mezcal, give it a smell directly under your nose and bring the glass to your mouth. Take a small sip by kissing the glass, swish it to get all the flavors, and swallow. Since mezcal is a sipping drink, you shouldn’t shoot it down like vodka.

As for pairing, you can drink mezcal with lime and salt as with tequila – or like we did – with an orange wedge sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon. Either way works fine, but the smoothness of mezcals like Dos Hombres doesn’t call for anything to complement its flavors for most people.

How Much Does Dos Hombres Mezcal Cost?

Dos Hombres mezcal is typically sold for around $58. This isn’t cheap but not too expensive – just a little above the average. It shouldn’t cost you more than $15 per shot/glass at a typical bar.

However, there’s also Dos Hombres Tobala, a premium option. It’s much pricier than Dos Hombres Espadin, going for $350 to $400 per bottle. It costs more, but getting one in your hands could be difficult as it has limited availability.

Where Can You Buy Dos Hombres Mezcal?

Mezcal isn’t as popular as tequila or spirits like whiskey and vodka. Although Dos Hombres has good brand recognition thanks to Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, it’s not a liquor sold everywhere. Still, you should be able to buy it from large liquor stores.

If you can’t find it, enter your ZIP code on the Dos Hombres website to see where you can buy a bottle. Like liquor stores, not every bar sells Dos Hombres, but the ones that sell it tend to have a younger audience.

Is Dos Hombres Mezcal a Good Gift?

Dos Hombres Mezcal is an excellent present to a friend who’s a fan of Breaking Bad. The liquor itself may not offer anything special, but its link to the mega TV show will definitely excite and put a smile on the faces of friends who have watched it.

For a mezcal lover, a top-quality mezcal will make a better gift. Since Dos Hombres isn’t one, the alternatives below are more appropriate.

Where Are Alternatives to Dos Hombres Mezcal?

Dos Hombres mezcal costs between $55 and $60 per bottle. For this price, you can get your hands on many quality espadín mezcals, though you may need to spend a little more to get a top-quality bottle, like the Espadín Joven. In liquor stores, you’ll have many alternatives to Dos Hombres that sell for $30 to $50.

If you’re buying to mix into cocktails, any mezcal will do fine, but Eléctrico Mezcal’s Espadín distilled with lemongrass is a safer bet that is versatile. Using this mezcal, you can create countless cocktails. It’s particularly an excellent base for Tommy’s margarita.

Those who want to try this spirit for the first time can opt for mezcal with a rich aroma like Nosotros. It’s an ideal choice for starters, with its captivating flavors coming from a unique blend of agaves.

Dos Hombres Mezcal: Yay or Nay?

four shot glasses of tequila with lime and pile of salt on grey table

As with many other honest Dos Hombres mezcal reviews that think the same, this brand of mezcal created by Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston gets a nay from us. We liked its smoothness and had good first impressions, but the aftertaste and the lack of complex flavors don’t make it something that we fancy.

All in all, Dos Hombres Mezcal doesn’t offer anything special for its price. You can spend only a little more to get a top-quality mezcal that is much more pleasant to drink. Whether you buy alcohol from a local liquor store around the corner or at Speakeasy, you’ll find better options that offer more value for the money than Dos Hombres mezcal.

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