Maestro Dobel "Pavito" Pechuga Tequila (750ml)

Dobel Pavito is an oddity of the highest order. This unusual spirit from the high-end brand owned by José Cuervo has been absolutely unavailable around Thanksgiving for the last several years. Even at $70, it was simply impossible to get. Now, for whatever reason, we’re able to snag this fun fall specialty for a fraction of its intended price, so I bought everything I could get my hands on. There’s simply nothing more fun in the store to bring to the Thanksgiving table than this wild spirit. It’s not funky or weird, as you might expect, and it may feel a little “easy” to those who have cut their teeth on Oaxacan pechuga. But for mixing, sharing or gifting, it’s simply impossible to find a more exciting bottle for the price. And it actually tastes really nice. The pechuga style of mezcal, a sacred tradition produced for the fall harvest festival, inspired this tequila, which of course is culturally and historically a type of mezcal from around the town of Tequila. Instead of mezcal, it starts with 100% blue weber tequila distillate, then is infused with turkey breast, spices and fruit. The result is a fruity, round, tequila-meets-gin sort of hybrid, though without the classic gin flavors, of course. I might have steered you toward a more intense and complex artisanal version if this were sitting on the shelf at $70. But at $25, this is the go-to holiday tag-along bottle and hands down the best conversation starter on the shelf today. Plus, it’s cheap enough to experiment with at the bar. Persimmon Palomas, anyone?