Tequila’s sister spirit mezcal has become Mexico’s No. 1 booze in recent years. This has lead to a wave of new mezcal brands introduced into the U.S. market in the last few years, including celebrity brands. Today we’re pitting George Clooney’s Casamigos against Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s Dos Hombres in the first-ever Mandatory Mezcal Battle.
Cover Photos: Dos Hombres and Casamigos
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In this battle of celebrity mezcal brands, which one is better? We couldn’t decide. While taste is definitely up to the individual drinker, to truly know which reigns supreme, you’ll just have to grab a bottle of each and do a taste test. We recommend pairing them with a viewing of the classic film Three Kings and a few episodes of Breaking Bad.
Overall Winner: Tie
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Mandatory Mezcal Gifs
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Founders
Casamigos was founded back in 2013 by Rande Gerber, Mike Meldman, and Hollywood leading man George Clooney. Dos Hombres was launched this summer by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad Fame. The latter definitely has the bigger celebrity draw.
Winner: Dos Hombres
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Story
Back in July, fans of Breaking Bad eagerly awaited the news that Cranston and Paul were hinting at on Instagram. Would we have a new movie (eventually)? Instead the big news was about the duo releasing a mezcal brand called Dos Hombres. Casamigos came out of the friendship between George Clooney and friends Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman. In 2018, after taking the tequila world by storm, Casamigos introduced a joven mezcal. Casamigos has a history of making great spirits while Dos Hombres is new to the scene:
Winner: Casamigos
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Reach
Casamigos has a greater reach thanks to its longevity and the fact that it was purchased by Diageo, a worldwide brand, in 2017 for $250 million dollars. But Dos Hombres touts itself as an artisanal brand and it looks like the founders are taking it more seriously than a school teacher making meth.
Winner: Casamigos
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Brand Name
Both brands stole their names from Spanish. Dos Hombres translates to “Two Men” while Casamigos translates to “House of Friends.” Obviously, Dos Hombres is a reference to the founders, but it’s really not all that exciting a brand name. Casamigos is fun, energetic, and exciting.
Winner: Casamigos
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Bottle Design
Both bottles are very creative and unique. Casamigos is a black bottle with the brand’s iconic rising sun and the autographs of its founders. Dos Hombres is simple and straightforward with two donkeys looking at each other. It’s not as exciting as Casamigos, but there’s something pleasing about the simplicity.
Winner: Dos Hombres
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Ingredients
Dos Hombres is made in the town of San Luis Del Rio in Oaxaca using espadin agave that grew for at least six years before harvesting. The agave root balls are cooked inside pits carved into the earth before being milled using a traditional stone wheel pulled by a donkey. Casamigos is also made with espadin agave. It’s grown in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, and is made by a family that has been distilling mezcal for five generations.
Winner: Dos Hombres
