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El Jolgorio Cenizo (A. Karwinskii)

El Jolgorio Cenizo (a. Karwinskii) is made with an agave Karwinskii that the producer calls “Cenizo.”

Rating: (17 reviews)
Cost:$$$$
Brand:El Jolgorio Mezcal
NOM:NOM-O98X
Mezcalero:Ignacio Parada
Maguey:Cenizo
Agave:Karwinskii
Distillation:Copper
Style:Joven
State:Oaxaca
Town:Santa Maria Zoquitlan
ABV: 48%
Release year: 2015
Website: https://backbarproject.com/portfolio/casa-cortes/, opens in new window

About this mezcal

El Jolgorio Cenizo is made with maguey Cenizo (agave Karwinskii) that takes up to 14 years to mature. The first batch of this mezcal was released as a fairly large lot considering how seldom agave Cenizo is used in Oaxacan Mezcal. Master Mezcalero Ignacio Parada is well known for his work with wild agave, and this Cenizo is no exception to his strong record of creating great mezcal. Notes of this mezcal include sweet nectar, chalky minerals, and sea salt. It has a long, extended finish. Newer releases of this mezcal come in a black bottle, and are no longer labelled Cenizo as the CRM told El Jolgorio that in order to certify this mezcal, Cenizo could not be used to name this Karwinskii agave. Despite the local naming, this is now simply called a.Karwinskii.

El Jolgorio Mezcal

El Jolgorio translates to “the revelry”. Jolgorios are small festivals that occur in remote, mountain villages throughout Oaxaca, Mexico. They celebrate births, deaths, weddings and Saint’s days. For centuries, the lifeblood of these celebrations has been traditional mezcal. In 2010, the Cortés family began building a collective of top mezcal distillers from around Oaxaca. As of 2019, El Jolgorio represents sixteen different families, working in ten different regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, each with its own special story. Every bottle is hand-marked with the specific details of each batch, to truly connect the drinker with the family behind the expression.

In 2017, the team behind the brand realized that certain varieties of agave would be extremely limited and they would only be able to make them available once per year (if at all). They began packaging these rare editions in black bottles to set them apart from the other releases.

The artwork on the first 8 releases was created by Alejandro Peña (Espadin, Pechuga, Tobala, Cuixe, Madrecuixe, Tepeztate, Barril and Mexicano). The next 5 labels were created by Asis Cortes (Arroqueno, Jabalin, Coyote, Tobaxiche, and Cenizo) and the Sierrudo artwork was created by Alberto Almánza.

Member rating

4.59 out of 5

17 reviews

Ben P

Ben P

107 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars4 months ago

Edition 8 – 52.1%

Nose: Mustard seed, cedar and sand wood, pine needles, mesquite bbq, TJs spicy limeade, underneath it all there’s some soft vanilla and honey suckle
Palate & Finish: Fruitier than I would expect, lemon iced pound cake, soured mangoes, sugared grapefruit, orange juice, sweet bell peppers, celery, lime, then more grassy, burnt herbs, ash. Finish is BBQ pellets, tobacco, burnt rind, more lemon lime, damn it goes a long time and becomes more espresso bean like as it sits

Awesome example of some great Karwinskii. I love how it combines the citrus fruit, some classic pine with some herbs. The kind of pour that leaves you wanting to try another sip to see what pops out.

Edition 8 – 52.1%
Nose: Mustard seed, cedar and sand wood, pine needles, mesquite bbq, TJs spicy limeade, underneath it all there’s some soft vanilla and honey suckle
Palate & Finish: Fruitier than I would expect, lemon iced pound cake, soured mangoes, sugared grapefruit, orange juice, sweet bell peppers, celery, lime, then more grassy, burnt herbs, ash. Finish is BBQ pellets, tobacco, burnt rind, more lemon lime, damn it goes a long time and becomes more espresso bean like as it

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mt_rainyer

mt_rainyer

43 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars11 months ago

Did a mini-tasting with a friend comparing two bottles of this one:
Edition #1 (when it was still labelled as Cenizo):
For those who like mineral/minty flavors this is one of the best bottles out there. The nose didn’t smell like much even as I made my way through the bottle (simple mineral smell/smoke smell), but the palette has winter green mint, aloe, wet stone, wheat grass, and a luscious thick texture. It tastes like the feeling of sipping a refreshing iced drink in the summer, but with a finish that lasts forever.
5 Stars

Edition #5
Very different nose on this one, you can smell the mintiness and a touch sweetness (something like prickly pear?). The palette is less minty, more luscious green (think more tep flavors) with a slight sweetness. The finish goes on for just as long.
4.5 stars

Did a mini-tasting with a friend comparing two bottles of this one:
Edition #1 (when it was still labelled as Cenizo):
For those who like mineral/minty flavors this is one of the best bottles out there. The nose didn’t smell like much even as I made my way through the bottle (simple mineral smell/smoke smell), but the palette has winter green mint, aloe, wet stone, wheat grass, and a luscious thick texture. It tastes like the feeling of sipping a refreshing iced drink in the summer, but wi

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Wanderingspider

Wanderingspider

53 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars1 year ago

Edition 5, 2019 bot # 29/185

Nose: Pretty classic A. Karwinskii. So much minerality but still classy mezcal. Vegetal.
Palate: Hot and heavy. You get the booze but also thankfully the extraction and as a result-crazy long finish. Great, explosive mouthfeel. Almost spicy. Definitely not for the untrained tongue. A bit floral too honestly.

Solid 4.25

schan_ban

schan_ban

3 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars2 years ago

Ignacio Parada, Edition 06, Harvest 2020, Bottle #1/160

Only my 3rd experience with a black EJ bottle and wow this one was incredible. Aroma has outstanding mix of smokiness and sweetness without any of the harsh nail polish that you can sometimes get with other mezcals. Initial palette has a very pleasant fruity sweetness, grassy, and vegetative flavor – remarkably well balanced all throughout. Finish leaves a more subtle smokiness that isn’t overpowering at all but also isn’t completely missing or muted. Heat is also surprisingly well balanced as well. Overall the best mezcal I’ve had so far and exactly what I think an “ideal” mezcal should be like – if you see one of these bottles don’t hesitate to get it.

Ignacio Parada, Edition 06, Harvest 2020, Bottle #1/160
Only my 3rd experience with a black EJ bottle and wow this one was incredible. Aroma has outstanding mix of smokiness and sweetness without any of the harsh nail polish that you can sometimes get with other mezcals. Initial palette has a very pleasant fruity sweetness, grassy, and vegetative flavor – remarkably well balanced all throughout. Finish leaves a more subtle smokiness that isn’t overpowering at all but also isn’

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Matthew

Matthew

9 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars2 years ago

Ignacia Parada, Edition 05, Harvest 2019, Bottle 152/185

1/26/22: Wow, this is a treat. Grassy and vegetal, poblano, wet stone. Lots of minerality, some ripe fruit as well (almost overripe pears). The finish is long, rich, and coating, with plenty of sweetness.

Overall a wonderfully balanced and nuanced expression, all of the notes are hit together in symphony. This mezcal brings forth bold flavor, yet is delicate at the same time. Very very tasty.

Tyler

Tyler

636 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars2 years ago

Ignacio Parada is one of my favorite El Jolgorio mezcaleros. This has lots of mineral complexity. There are some interesting funk flavors here like blanched yellow peppers and allspice. There is some spicy lime rind and wood. It’s almost like a bit of Jabali added into a Karwinskii. I’ve been sitting on this bottle for a while without reviewing it. I’m not head-over-heels for this like some of his other releases. It is fun to have an 8 year old mezcal from Ignacio that still packs a punch at 53.1%! Edition 01 from 2014 when it was labeled as “Cenizo”.. bottle 114/400 (I think, hard to read).

Ignacio Parada is one of my favorite El Jolgorio mezcaleros. This has lots of mineral complexity. There are some interesting funk flavors here like blanched yellow peppers and allspice. There is some spicy lime rind and wood. It’s almost like a bit of Jabali added into a Karwinskii. I’ve been sitting on this bottle for a while without reviewing it. I’m not head-over-heels for this like some of his other releases. It is fun to have an 8 year old mezcal from Ignacio that still pa

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zeepuzzler

zeepuzzler

25 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Edition 02 from 2018 by Ignacio Parada, Black Bottle 104/800.

The nose on this one is like sticking my head in a lush garden plot. I get well-tilled soil and big leafy green aromas: romaine hearts, carrot tops, and spearmint. The palate is savory and vegetal with such a high degree of minerality that I’m reduced to thinking in one-word adjectives. Fresh. Grassy. Stoney. Buttery. Incredibly, the finish is even more exquisite with notes of sweetened condensed milk and untoasted sesame oil. It lasts for several minutes before ending gently with a hint of alfalfa sprouts.

A sublime karwinskii. Indisputably stellar.

Edition 02 from 2018 by Ignacio Parada, Black Bottle 104/800.
The nose on this one is like sticking my head in a lush garden plot. I get well-tilled soil and big leafy green aromas: romaine hearts, carrot tops, and spearmint. The palate is savory and vegetal with such a high degree of minerality that I’m reduced to thinking in one-word adjectives. Fresh. Grassy. Stoney. Buttery. Incredibly, the finish is even more exquisite with notes of sweetened condensed milk and untoasted sesame

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t8ke

t8ke

144 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars3 years ago

4th Edition, 2018 Harvest, Ignacio

Eye opening, and thankfully far too difficult to find more of lest I buy…many. Affording them is another problem. Overall, the complexity here is a treat, it’s succulent. The combination of salinity, fresh fruits and that pop of bright vegetal notes is a profile I can never say no to.

edgy4sure

edgy4sure

39 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

dude, really? this is incredible – so smooth. fresh up front, like a candy or gum almost, very cool (no heat it seems). these EJ products seem to be spot on considering the price points. very, very good, buy them all! (can’t wait for my 3 pack of todos santos arroqueno to show up)

meserole

meserole

73 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Very delightful. Grassy, with absolutely no alcohol heat on the tongue — in fact, it’s rather cool, almost mint-like, with an oily, slightly viscous umami flavor, which it has in common with the El Jolgorio Tobalá (which was a 5 star bottle in my book). The aftertaste is really special: clean, earthy, creamy — really elevates this to that highest echelon of mezcal.

This was gifted to me, but found it for sale at $190 US in NYC (Verve Wines, Tribeca).

GreenspointTexas

GreenspointTexas

385 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Finally tracked this down. Mama Rabbit – Las Vegas. $10 pour. Hay, anise, fruit orchard… dulce de leche finish. Solid. Reminds me of the Wahaka VdM Cenizo

Rakhal

Rakhal

421 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Edition 03, 2018, Ignacio Parada. WOW!! Tasted all the black bottles at Mezcalogia in Oaxaca and this was the unanimous favorite. Wheat grass, cream, carrot, celery, dry soil, freshly cut grass, tahini. This one is special.

Nic Hnastchenko

Nic Hnastchenko

108 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Black Bottle – Edition 01, Harvest 2014. Had this among a few other amazing mezcals and this was the absolute winner. I had ordered not realizing Cenizo was a Karwinskii and that definitely explains why i loved it so much.

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

12 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Edition 02 from 2018 by Ignacio Parada. Black Bottle 61/800, 52.5% ABV.

High intensity Cenizo Karwinskii. Nose is savory green vegetables and wet rocks. Palate is exactly like other reviewers describe – robust like roasted asparagus and bell peppers and turns minty and stony at the end. Surprising amount of sweetness that brings all the flavors together. Long, savory finish with high minerality. I love karwinskiis and this is a superb example that packs a punch.

COak

COak

228 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars5 years ago

I’m a big fan of karwinskiis so this was a treat. Vegetal, minerally and minty. It’s really nice and worth a try.

Jonny

Jonny

700 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Edition 01. Harvest 2014. 440 bottles. This is definitely a karwinskii. Vegetal aromas with hints of spearmint and jalapeño peppers. Palate notes of high minerality, green peppers, and buttery asparagus. This is really good. Very enjoyable.

Squashplayer

Squashplayer

36 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars6 years ago

Batch 01, Harvest 2014. 440 bottles. Produced by Ignacio Parada who also does an out of this world mezcal jabali. An oaky smoke on the nose but sweetness on the palate. The finish is long and spicy. This is a very interesting mezcal that seems to get better each time I pour a taste. Too bad this is such a rare agave used for mezcal. Definitely worth a try.

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