Se Busca Mezcal Reposado 750ml

Se Busca means “wanted,” and the brand was created to honor the rebel spirit of the Adelitas and Soldaderas, the women who fought on the front lines of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 to 1920. Its mezcal is handcrafted at the family-owned López Sosa palenque in San Juan del Río, Oaxaca, where the family has been producing mezcal for more than five decades, by maestros mezcaleros Rodolfo and Mary López Sosa, using hand-harvested 100% Espadín agave and traditional methods. The core line, in the brand’s words, “expertly balanc[es] rich cooked agave and traditional mesquite smoke.”

What sets Se Busca apart is the aging. Its Reposado and Añejo are rested in French oak, and the Reposado spends 10 months in French oak barrels, well beyond the two-month minimum for a reposado. That barrel time “softens the smoke into coconut, sweet almond, and hazelnut, with oak and mesquite underneath,” giving a sweeter, rounder mezcal than the Joven. It’s bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof), and a tawny-brown color.

The brand’s tasting notes describe a nose of “vanilla, coconut, oak, white flowers, and mesquite,” and a palate of “coconut, cooked agave, vanilla, sweet almonds, and hazelnuts,” a reposado that is “sweeter than its Joven counterpart,” with “notes of coconut, sweet almond, and hazelnut balanced by complex oak, cereal, and mesquite.” It has earned a Gold Medal from Tastings.com, and has been reported to score 94 from The Tasting Panel and to win a Double Gold at The Fifty Best 2022. A reviewer on Mezcal Reviews, who prefers a younger style, found “a warm floral taste, ending with a sustained mouth warmth,” and noted it “didn’t have as much of that French oak as I would have liked,” a fair marker of how restrained the oak is: this is a soft, approachable reposado, with the smoke dialed down and the agave still in front.

It’s a friendly, lightly smoky mezcal for customers who are new to the category or who normally drink reposado tequila, and it sips well neat or over a large cube. It also works in a Paloma, a mezcal margarita, or an Old Fashioned. If a customer wants more oak and dried-fruit depth, point them to the Añejo.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Se Busca Mezcal Reposado is produced at the family-owned López Sosa palenque in San Juan del Río, Oaxaca, Mexico, by maestros mezcaleros Rodolfo and Mary López Sosa, from hand-harvested 100% Espadín agave (Agave angustifolia), in small batches. It is rested 10 months in French oak barrels. The brand is owned by the Stoli Group. Bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof (ABV may vary slightly), 750ml.

Critics Reviews

Tastings.com — Gold Medal

The Tasting Panel — 94 Points; Double Gold, The Fifty Best 2022 (as reported)

Se Busca (tasting notes):
“Nose: Vanilla, coconut, oak, white flowers, mesquite. Flavor: Coconut, cooked agave, vanilla, sweet almonds, and hazelnuts.”

Se Busca (brand description):
“Sweeter notes are found in this aged mezcal. Coconut, sweet almond and hazelnut can be uncovered in this complex spirit that expertly intertwines with notes of oak, cereal and mesquite delivering a rebellious bouquet.”

Mezcal Reviews (a reviewer who prefers younger mezcal):
“This repo is pretty good but didn’t have as much of that French oak as I would have liked.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Vanilla, coconut, and oak, with white flowers and mesquite.

Palate
Soft and slightly sweet, with toasted coconut, cooked agave, sweet almond, hazelnut, and a touch of cereal.

Finish
Warm and sustained, with gentle oak and mesquite.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Suggestions

Neat in a copita or over a single large cube — the best way to taste the coconut and almond.

Mezcal Paloma — with grapefruit soda, lime, and a salted rim.

Mezcal Margarita (Blackwell’s 3-2-1) — 3 parts mezcal, 2 parts orange liqueur, 1 part fresh lime.

Oaxacan Old Fashioned — with agave syrup and bitters.

Food Pairings

• Tacos al pastor and grilled meats
• Mole and roasted vegetables
• Dark chocolate and almond desserts
• Aged cheeses