Powered by 100% agave

Clande Lechuguilla (Blue)

Clande Lechuguilla (Blue) is unlike the other Clande releases in that it is made with 100% agave (the others are made with the sotol plant).

About this destilado de agave

Clande Lechuguilla is made from 100% agave (not sotol, like other Clande releases). The name Lechuguilla is actually just a local name for distilled agave in this region. This can be a bit confusing as the same name is used for a specific type of agave in other communities in Mexico. This Lechuguilla can be made with agave Lechuguilla, but the bottle will always list the specific type of agave used. Check your bottle to see if it’s made with maguey Churque, Espadin, etc… This destilado de agave is made by Bienvenido Fernandez, Lupe Lopez, and Tavi Torres. Check your bottle for specific details to see which producer made it.

Clande Sotol

Clande Sotol is a brand that celebrates the art and tradition of craft spirits in Chihuahua. Clandestine distilleries used to be found in Northern Mexico and were known as “vinatas.” These facilities were used to produced both Sotol (from Dasylirion) and Lechuguilla (from Agave). Vinatas were prohibited in the early 1900s and Maestro Sotoleros were persecuted and sometimes incarcerated. Sotol Clande represents sotol from different regions and delivers the impact of terroir on this beautiful spirit. The project seeks to support small local producers and improve their standard of living, as well as protect the future of the Dasylirion plant. The ABV will vary by batch. Check your bottle for details.

The labels on their bottles are color coded. The YELLOW label is sotol made by Bienvenido Fernandez. The RED label is sotol made by Don Eduardo Arrieta. The PURPLE label is sotol made by Lupe Lopez. The GREEN label could be made by either Bienvenido Fernandez or Lupe Lopez, and it is an Ensamble that combines sotol and agave, which are cooked, milled, and distilled together. The BLUE label could be made by Bienvenido Fernandez, Lupe Lopez, or Tavi Torres, and it is made with 100% agave.

Member rating

3.88 out of 5

8 reviews

TheAgaveFairy

TheAgaveFairy

169 reviews
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars2 years ago

Lot 3 – Tavi Torres 45.6%

Full nose! Nut butters, vanilla, soft clays. Corn coming through more now, with tinges of tarragon, light mint, black pepper.

Palate is soft, more mineral, more than I would expect. Mulch and wood dust – pine. Good sweetness, but not much in the way of fruit or citrus or anything bright. Black lemon at most (which are dried limes). That kinda nut butter I find somewhat commonly in the category is fresh on the entry. The texture is pretty wonderful. This over delivers for its proof. Finish is long, complex, showing more green.

Thanks @cagliostro for the sample!

Lot 3 – Tavi Torres 45.6%
Full nose! Nut butters, vanilla, soft clays. Corn coming through more now, with tinges of tarragon, light mint, black pepper.
Palate is soft, more mineral, more than I would expect. Mulch and wood dust – pine. Good sweetness, but not much in the way of fruit or citrus or anything bright. Black lemon at most (which are dried limes). That kinda nut butter I find somewhat commonly in the category is fresh on the entry. The texture is pretty wonderful. This over

Read more
cagliostro

cagliostro

32 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars2 years ago

batch info: Bienvenido Fernandez Lot 1 (49.3%)

nose: this nose is unlike any other lechuguilla I’ve had, much brighter, lemongrass, citrus, sweet earthy funk, forest floor, hazelnuts, bit of dryer sheets, apricots, oregano

palate: more in line with what I’d expect but so full and punchy, cola, sugar plums, peanut butter, honey, some earthy aromatics – tealike, I don’t know my teas so the best I can say is a delicate black tea, some more fruit briefly show their face toward the finish – maybe passionfruit or apricots, the earthiness grows and lingers longer, maybe even some shellfish in the finish? like grilled shrimp

YUM. This is probably the best lechuguilla I’ve had. I’m a fan of shrevei/churique generally, but this takes the cake over the two Tavi batches and two Lupe batches I’ve tried. Tough to score on a bar pour, but maybe a 9? Wish I could find a bottle for purchase.

I’d also like to review my Tavi Torres lot 3 on here, but I’m not sure how to submit two reviews without some sort of batch distinction feature on the site.

batch info: Bienvenido Fernandez Lot 1 (49.3%)
nose: this nose is unlike any other lechuguilla I’ve had, much brighter, lemongrass, citrus, sweet earthy funk, forest floor, hazelnuts, bit of dryer sheets, apricots, oregano
palate: more in line with what I’d expect but so full and punchy, cola, sugar plums, peanut butter, honey, some earthy aromatics – tealike, I don’t know my teas so the best I can say is a delicate black tea, some more fruit briefly show their face towar

Read more
Agavitis

Agavitis

2 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars3 years ago

october 2018, 95 l made, Abv: 46 % , 100% agave shrevei Lupe Lopez
I can only recommend this bottle for those who like bold flavors. Certainly not a typical mezcal taste, but what is typical about mezcal? It’s its diversity, isn’t it? In the end I can’t say it better than Philip, a Serbian bartender I got to know in Amsterdam. Phillip was catapulted back to his native village in Serbia on the first draft, where they scatter charcoal on the snow-covered streets in winter to keep the elderly from slipping. And this is it, this Mezcal tastes village, mineral and has a slightly ash character that broods for a long time. It really does taste like winter on the farm; animalistic, soggy and a brutal gust of blue cheese that will linger in your copita for a few more days. One can also discern some winter herbs and a speck of aniseed. If you want to know what they mean by funky mezcal, this is it.

october 2018, 95 l made, Abv: 46 % , 100% agave shrevei Lupe Lopez
I can only recommend this bottle for those who like bold flavors. Certainly not a typical mezcal taste, but what is typical about mezcal? It’s its diversity, isn’t it? In the end I can’t say it better than Philip, a Serbian bartender I got to know in Amsterdam. Phillip was catapulted back to his native village in Serbia on the first draft, where they scatter charcoal on the snow-covered streets in winter to keep

Read more
meserole

meserole

73 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Sweet corn, anise on the nose. Stringent, lemongrass and freshly cut grass on the mouth. Fizzy, vibrant, tingly, vegetal aftertaste. Although it’s not my favorite from the Clande line, it’s an exciting beverage in its own right, and one I would gladly get my hands on which is increasingly less possible now that the brand has dissolved.

Lot No 10 – June 2020. Tried at El Destilado restaurant in Oaxaca City.

Mansson

Mansson

71 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Lot no. 1, distilled April 2016 by Chito Fernández. I think this is technically an (uncertifiable) mezcal rather than a sotol as it was made entirely from agave (Agave churique). First I found it thin and alcoholic, but it opened up quickly in the glass. It’s quite herbal with an additional strong note of “sweaty horse saddle” (a description given many years ago by a friend to a particular wine – and it is very pertinent here). I also detect some liquorice. A complex drink!

Lot no. 1, distilled April 2016 by Chito Fernández. I think this is technically an (uncertifiable) mezcal rather than a sotol as it was made entirely from agave (Agave churique). First I found it thin and alcoholic, but it opened up quickly in the glass. It’s quite herbal with an additional strong note of “sweaty horse saddle” (a description given many years ago by a friend to a particular wine – and it is very pertinent here). I also detect some liquorice. A complex dri

Read more
Rakhal

Rakhal

421 reviews
Rated 3 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Lot 1. Raw leafy vegetables, asparagus, sage, thyme, herbal tea and anise. Interesting Sotol.

Nic Hnastchenko

Nic Hnastchenko

108 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Had a green bottle, but seems to be the same Mezcal Lot 1/1 (?) by Lupe Lopez from Chihuahua.

Still learning things about Sotol, and this one was unique but well rounded with some of the wood notes that i’ve gotten from other Sotol’s but a different balance with the added agaves. I’ve never heard of Agave Churique before, so that’s a new one. Delicious, and I’m always up for something new, Clande the pack with their Sotol in my experience thus far.

Jonny

Jonny

700 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Lot from April 2016 by Chito Fernandez. Strong aromas of hay and barnyard animals. This tastes like an empty horse stall on a cold winter morning in Vermont, with an added hint of a spearmint mint tea bag to taste. There’s also a slight note of anise.

Review this bottle

Login or create an account to add your tasting notes

Back to top