Mezcal Joven espadín, distilled with roasted corn 50% ABV Gluten-free Vegan

Mezcal Vago Elote

Candelaria Yegolé, Oaxaca

Espadín mezcal made by Aquilino García López's family, with toasted heirloom corn added in the still. Sources disagree on whether it is double or triple distilled and on which pass the corn joins. Owned by Heaven Hill.

Hangover index

6/10

Heavy

vs. category average 5/10

Chemistry profile

Congeners: High
Histamines: Low
Polyphenols: Low
Sulfites: Very Low
Tannins: Low
Sugar: Very Low
Additives: Very Low

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In its favor

✓No additives allowed under DO Mezcal
✓Small palenque production

What to watch

!50% ABV delivers more ethanol per pour
!Corn distillation adds congener load
!Smoke phenols and methanol typical of pit-roasted mezcal

Factor by factor

Congeners High

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Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.

Histamines Low

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Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.

Polyphenols Low

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Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.

Sulfites Very Low

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Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.

Tannins Low

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Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.

Sugar Very Low

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Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.

Additives Very Low

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Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.

Allergen flags: agavecorn

Vago Elote is a deliberate outlier: toasted corn in the still gives it a sweet, nutty profile, and the 50% proof means a standard pour carries more alcohol than a 40% bottle. Corn is not a gluten grain, so it stays gluten-free.