5 Sentidos Sierra Negra is a small-batch mezcal made in Oaxaca with maguey Sierra Negra. The high altitude at which this is produced makes the fermentation unique.
About this destilado de agave
5 Sentidos Sierra Negra is made with maguey Sierra Negra. The agave is hand mashed, fermented with spring water and tepehuaje bark in stone. This bark provides an organic source of nitrogen that is used to stabilize the fermentation. Albarradas is approximately 7,500 feet above sea level and too cold to ferment the agave without some sort of stabilizer. Once fermented, this mezcal is double distilled in clay pot stills. The first batch of this mezcal was released in the US in 2017 and was a total of 181 bottles. The ABV of each batch will vary slightly. Read about our visit with maestro mezcalero Alberto Martinez in the blog post Cinco Sentidos and El Destilado
Notable batches:
- SN01 – 140-liters
- SN02 – 178-liters
- SN03 – 140-liters
5 Sentidos
5 Sentidos (or Cinco Sentidos) is named after the five senses that their mezcaleros use to produce their agave spirits. The producers of this mezcal do not use any model machinery or tools, being guided only by their senses throughout the production process. The brand was launched by El Destilado restaurant in centro Oaxaca. The restaurant is known for it’s creative menu, unique cocktails, and exception agave spirits. The brand is a curated tour of Mexico with a wide range of expressions that are made by some of the best mezcaleros in the region. Cinco Sentidos is uncertified mezcal and is labeled as “Destilado de Agave”.
Learn more about 5 Sentidos:
- Cinco Sentidos and El Destilado on Mezcal Reviews
- Santa María Ixcatlán: Rawhide Fermentation with Amando Alvarez on Mezcal Reviews
- What’s in A Name? on the K&L Wines Spirits Journal blog
Review this bottle
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il1
12 reviewsClay, funk, leather, cheese. Don’t really get any fruit. Very thick.
meserole
73 reviewsAt some point while dining at El Destilado in Oaxaca, I tried a bunch of the 5 Sentidos mezcals. And… probably I was too drunk to remember, although I do recall that the food was mind blowing.
Anyway, I was keen to try a Sierra Negra, and saw that this was one of the best reviewed mezcals on the site bar none. Unfortunately, maybe this was a middling batch (SN-06) but I was disappointed.
The musty, “barnyard funk” that others mentioned is there on the nose, unfortunately the body was totally surprising. I swear it almost tastes like a neutral grain spirit, or perhaps an unaged (“white”) corn whiskey. I swear I could be misled about what spirit this even is in a blind tasting.
Can’t mark it lower than 3 stars as it’s certainly unique, but I might have trouble finishing this bottle.
At some point while dining at El Destilado in Oaxaca, I tried a bunch of the 5 Sentidos mezcals. And… probably I was too drunk to remember, although I do recall that the food was mind blowing.
Anyway, I was keen to try a Sierra Negra, and saw that this was one of the best reviewed mezcals on the site bar none. Unfortunately, maybe this was a middling batch (SN-06) but I was disappointed.
The musty, “barnyard funk” that others mentioned is there on the nose, unfortunately the
HyeWestSaloon
3 reviewsSN05-18
Absolutely wonderful. Nose is nice and bright. But what a parade to the palate. So many levels going on. It’s savory! Dusty and dry. Sweet and spicy. Leathery slap to your tongue. Makes you want to come back for more and more. Absolutely love it.
Joe
27 reviewsTried at my local mezcaleria, Mayahuel. Distinct smoky smell, lightly vegetal. Somewhat earthy flavor. Somehow smells like I would imagine the Sierra Negra maguey smells like. Really interesting, and flavorful. Most of the enjoyment comes from the smell, the taste is has a powerful alcohol sharpness that overwhelms the more subtle aroma. Seems hella strong.
donpedro
39 reviewsBatch SN08-19, bottle 44/159:
Nose: raisin, grapefruit, dusty dirt road, hints of bubblegum
Palate: leather, slate, melon, light mesquite/charcoal, and tobacco
Mouthfeel: smooth but warming, with a lengthy finish
Overall: delicious! Outstanding craftsmanship with rustic aromas and palatal notes.
Brahh
11 reviewsEasy to sip, but not boring.
SpencerS
13 reviewsThis mezcal reminds me of scotch with its charred wood characteristic. The clay mellows out the citrus notes on the nose with a dusty wet stone quality. It smells like its been made in a location that has been making mezcal for a very long time. A must try.
Leslie
2 reviewsAll of Alberto’s batches have a nice citrus zest nose to it for me, maybe orange or grapefruit. This one is SN05-18 Slightly dusty, more eucalyptus. Palate is a bit dusty too. but then it goes into tasting like chocolate covered raisins. I get quite a bit of acidity at the end. Big flavor but without any of the roughness that may come from other clay pot distillates. Soooo easy to drink.
Mansson
71 reviewsBatch SN05-18, distilled July 2018. A whiff of woody dustiness. Distinct fruity/vegetal sweetness offset by some salty notes. Cinnamon, white pepper, citrus zest. Fresh, creamy and very well-balanced. Soft and rounded; no burn at all. Dangerously easy to drink.
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsIt’s curious that the Americana is in the same category as arrroqueno. Batch SN02, and I really like this one. Fresh, and crisp with a little bit of spice.
stigibeu
33 reviewsN: fresh tennis balls is accurate here, to my nose; cheese and barnyard funk, along with some background citrusy notes–maybe papaya?; smell of sea breeze as it opens up a bit
P: smooth, viscous, and heavy, like motor oil; pleasant, slight bubblegum quality after resting in the taster for 20 minutes or so; peppery and vegetal
F: tingling and sharp; earthy
O: love how this mezcal evolves from nose to tail, as it were (an apt description, perhaps, given the barnyard notes). I go to it on any occasion for an incredible mezcal experience. 9.25/10.
SN02
14/192
N: fresh tennis balls is accurate here, to my nose; cheese and barnyard funk, along with some background citrusy notes–maybe papaya?; smell of sea breeze as it opens up a bit
P: smooth, viscous, and heavy, like motor oil; pleasant, slight bubblegum quality after resting in the taster for 20 minutes or so; peppery and vegetal
F: tingling and sharp; earthy
O: love how this mezcal evolves from nose to tail, as it were (an apt description, perhaps, given the barnyard notes). I go to it on any
Tyler
643 reviewsAlberto Martinez is a master! It’s hard to choose a favorite from him but batch SN01 of the Sierra Negra is up there. It’s like soft cinnamon butter. There isn’t a hint of bite 49.5% ABV aside from a slight tingle of grapefruit zest. The flavors remind me of the colors of the light orange bark used in the fermentation. This is very different from other clay mezcals; the clay isn’t too dark and muddy. The clay notes here are like a toasted s’more enjoyed by a bonfire with a fine cigar. Bottle 88/181.
Alberto Martinez is a master! It’s hard to choose a favorite from him but batch SN01 of the Sierra Negra is up there. It’s like soft cinnamon butter. There isn’t a hint of bite 49.5% ABV aside from a slight tingle of grapefruit zest. The flavors remind me of the colors of the light orange bark used in the fermentation. This is very different from other clay mezcals; the clay isn’t too dark and muddy. The clay notes here are like a toasted s’more enjoyed by a bonfire
rsidrys
50 reviewsBOLD! Love it! Cheesy funk on the initial nose which turns to melon, especially honeydew, some tropical fruits. Spice on the palate, that cool refreshing wintergreen mint feeling/taste that I get from some clay pot distilled mezcal. Finish has minerals, cooked agave, finally at hint of smoke and touch of clean ash on the tail-end. Beautiful and wild ride. SN01
Rakhal
421 reviewsSN04. Somebody mentioned new tennis balls and it stuck in my head, but that’s not quite it….it’s like my grandfathers garage. Mysterious. Smooth, creamy, and mysterious. It might take the full bottle to wrap my head around this one.
pallzley
16 reviewsunknown batch
One of the most interesting and complex spirits ever. The goat-milk funk is very real. Dab some on your hand, let it dry, and smell the goat cheese. Agave is there in full force, in a cherry and perique tobacco robe. I agree with dusty and refined. Long aftertaste of this.. cereal-like agave taste. And the craziest part about this bottle, is that it never stopped morphing and blooming for the entirety of its lifespan. It got more barnyard’y and funky – less of that tobacco dominance. I may not be giving this spirit justice, but it deserves attention.
batch SN03
Smells of leather, agave, smoke, coconut sugar, roasted goat marrow, cow’s cheese.
It is mildly acidic, peat, violets, stems of sourgrass (aka Bermuda buttercup), smoky agave. Palate quickly fades to slate, perfume of violets, dehydrated coconut meat… and after a minute my mouth tastes both peaty and milky. It eludes to the dusty yet refined characteristic! Overall I found this specimen both peaty and floral at the same time but not as savory as I was expecting. This batch is different, and more interesting than the first I had.
unknown batch
One of the most interesting and complex spirits ever. The goat-milk funk is very real. Dab some on your hand, let it dry, and smell the goat cheese. Agave is there in full force, in a cherry and perique tobacco robe. I agree with dusty and refined. Long aftertaste of this.. cereal-like agave taste. And the craziest part about this bottle, is that it never stopped morphing and blooming for the entirety of its lifespan. It got more barnyard’y and funky – less of that toba
GreenspointTexas
385 reviewsEnjoyable
StevenR
13 reviewsBatch SN02. Bottle 191/192
Tennis balls, cheese curds, mushrooms, a pig farm, acetone, deer musk and douglass fur create an exceptional first impression.. that mouthfeel is very rich and far from angular.. leather, AstroTurf, cave aged gruyere, creamed corn and something I cant put my figure on that reminds me of a flavor in the VdM Lechuguilla all create a unique taste like no other Mezcal Ive consumed .. 4.5 stars
thamthong
47 reviewsbatch SN02. barnyard is the overarching note to this. waxy pear, new rubber soles, slight cheesy funk, clean burning embers. much brighter on the palate with sweet, mouthwatering acidity. eucalyptus, new shoes, leathery finish with a faint hint of smoldering campfire. long mineral finish with a touch of goat’s milk. this is among the most beguilingly and enjoyably complex spirits i’ve ever tasted.
Jonny
708 reviewsBatch SN01. Aromas of wild apples, slight vinegar, and dried plantains. Very soft and rounded. Sweet on the front of the tongue and warm as if from natural fire on the very back of the palate. This is really enjoyable. Reminds me of wet river stones, very viscous and thick. Warm but not hot. This is slightly dusty and rustic. Incredible.