Powered by 100% agave

El Jolgorio Tobala

El Jolgorio Tobala is made by Gregorio Martinez and Valentin Cortes, whose work is an artistry that is unsurpassed. This Mezcal is very fresh and aromatic.

About this mezcal

El Jolgorio Tobala is made from wild maguey Tobala. Growing wildly in high altitudes, its relatively tiny size yields limited quantities of intensely aromatic Mezcal. Gregorio Martinez and Valentin Cortes make this delicious spirit with an artistry that is unsurpassed. This Mezcal is very fresh and aromatic with rich heavy fruits on the nose. The taste is of mango and roasted agave and it is pleasantly viscous.

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

4.42 out of 5

25 reviews

mezcalbbq

mezcalbbq

2 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars11 months ago

An exemplary Tobala!
Sweet and fruity, easy drinking.

Had it at Leyenda so don’t have details on batch.

exileonmorrison

exileonmorrison

10 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars2 years ago

It’s late afternoon, the sun lingers over the garden as you sit on a veranda smelling the jasmine and wet leaves on the breeze. That’s the nose. In the same garden, on the same veranda, there is a bowl of fresh fruit, mostly apples and star fruit that are succulent and ripe. You eat one, then another, then another. That is the pallet. It is a soft and bright Mezcal and worth your time.

Americana Kyle

Americana Kyle

60 reviews
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars2 years ago

So sweet and fruity. Its chalk full of exotic fruit flavors. Excellent expression of Tobala

Zack Klamn

Zack Klamn

542 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Nose – I don’t get much in the nose maybe a little bit of banana cream.

Palate – A big shot of minty heat to start then it subsides a little to 5 star dessert level sweetness – cheesecake, fresh tropical fruit down to the buttery, crumble base. The smoke comes alive in the finish and compliments the aforementioned sweetness.

I love the palate – it’s a top tobala but the only weakness is that I thought the nose was flat.

Wanderingspider

Wanderingspider

53 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Edition 16 (2016)
Botella 188/1050

Lots of cedar on the nose immediately upon opening. Bruised fruit, some floral notes…and like mashed potatoes? A bit metallic as well.
Very creamy/oily texture. ultra long on the finish as a result.
Warm but not unbalanced for abv
Definitely cooked fruit element carrying through.
Not cheap but very good. Between a 4.25 and 4.5 star.

meserole

meserole

73 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Incredibly unique flavor, almost gamey like a thanksgiving turkey. Surprisingly viscous in the mouth, with a rich, full steak and potatoes dinner type of aftertaste.
Unique and lovely, and glad this was the El Jolgorio I took a shot with among the many expensive options. Paid $130 at Astor Wine and Spirits in NYC.

James

James

9 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Edition 16, 2016 Harvest, Bottle # 347/1050, Gregorio Martínez, Batch GMGTB100818EJ

This was really overpowering to me at first, with a strong & nearly artificial banana flavor. But it settled down a little over the course of a month or two. Silky smooth, fruity (especially on the nose), palate is sweet with a little dust and tropical funk, medicinal. This quickly moved to the top of my list of open bottles I was enjoying, and will be sad to see it go.

TheAgaveFairy

TheAgaveFairy

169 reviews
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Pedro Vasquez batch from 2014: full of perfumed bright berries, and Runtz character. mineral, delicious! 8/10 on the t8ke scale I’d think, sadly not really around any more.

Gregorio Martinez Ed 15 47%: tasted blind, I didn’t think this could be a copper distilled tobala. More green and earthy than anticipated, with good structural balance. 7/10.

Check your producer info on each bottle!

MezcAleman

MezcAleman

28 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Edition: 17 – Harvest: 2016 – Bottle 395/980
Very good! On the first poor after opening the bottle I had pine on the nose with sweetness, a little smoke and tropical fruit. When you let it sit in the glas for some time the pine goes away.
Smooth mouths feel with great taste and finish.
Spicy and complex. Less sweetness than expected. Besides the tropical fruits some green.
Best Tobala I had so far!

El-Dawg

El-Dawg

208 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Harvest 2016, Edition 16, Bottle 857
Sweet on nose, and throughout, but with lots of green. Reminds me of a Tep… Notes of some clay, minerality, and with pink bubblegum on the finish. Deep, complex, and spicy, and not as sweet as other Tobalas. Brings some good heat as well. In general I’d love to try this again, and it tasted a lot more green and spicy and vegetal than expected. 4.25. (favorite EJ for me is still the Tepeztate…so far).
Tried different bottle, same edition. This one carries stronger notes of cream brûlée, umami flavor, some BBQ…more woody and meaty than sweet…so crazy how each bottle & edition can evolve. I’d probably rate this one closer to 4.

Harvest 2016, Edition 16, Bottle 857
Sweet on nose, and throughout, but with lots of green. Reminds me of a Tep… Notes of some clay, minerality, and with pink bubblegum on the finish. Deep, complex, and spicy, and not as sweet as other Tobalas. Brings some good heat as well. In general I’d love to try this again, and it tasted a lot more green and spicy and vegetal than expected. 4.25. (favorite EJ for me is still the Tepeztate…so far).
Tried different bottle, same editio

Read more
Brahh

Brahh

11 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Edition 16 from 2016 by Gregorio M. Garcia. Bottle 613/1050, 47% ABV.
Top. Fruits, sweetnes, slight smokiness. Great finish.

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper

12 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

Edition 16 from 2016 by Gregorio M. Garcia. Bottle 412/1050, 47% ABV.

Favorite Tobala I’ve tried to date. Highly aromatic nose with notes of ripe fruit, pine sap, honey, and pollen. Palate is sweet and delicate with more ripe fruit and honey without any of the funkiness you sometimes find in Tobala, Pleasantly viscous mouthfeel for 47%. Highly enjoyable medium length finish of flowers and honey with a slight soapy note. Complex and dangerously easy to drink.

Patrick

Patrick

57 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars4 years ago

This one is from Pedro Vasquez at 47.3%.
Edition 6 2014
Nose : Dusty, vegetal with spices and bananas
Taste : strange… this taste more like a Tepextate.? Cooked agave, leather, vegetal. Very complex. Love it!
Finish : sticky, long and slightly smokey.

Mansson

Mansson

71 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Edition 14, distilled 2016. Beautifully balanced between fruit. light smoke and mineral notes. Floral, with tropical fruits. Orange marmalade. Very rounded and easy to drink. Silky mouthfeel.

Rakhal

Rakhal

421 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Edition 15 from Don Goyo!! Gregorio Martínez Garcia. Tried this at the excellent Cultura restaurant and Mezcaleria in Carmel California. Complex mix of sweet, vegetal, and earthy. Banana, bubblegum, leather, tobacco, and fresh serrano pepper. I’ve heard he no longer works for EJ so you’ll probably have to stop by his palenque in San Baltazar Guelavila to get some. Pick up some of his Tepextate while you’re at it.

Nick

Nick

25 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Sweet and fruit on the nose, syrup and a nice feel on the tongue. Touch of agave at the start, some green, then honeycomb with a nod to pineapple and pepper. Letting this sit in the glass for a moment a slight smokiness and leather wander back in as you finish. The sweetness is very enjoyable and certainly shows off the Tobala agave. Would it be rude to call it a dessert mezcal? Tasted at a new restaurant here in Australia where mezcal is enjoying its place in the sun.

Dave

Dave

12 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Edition 14, 2016 harvest, bottle 676 / 800, batch GMGTB230617EJ.

Pale nose, the only thing that comes to mind is orange pez, pollen, and or honey.

Silky flavor. Once it hits your tongue, the taste keeps developing into more depth. Fruity, orange, tropical.

Very pleasing. This was one of the first premium mezcals I bought. At 100 a bottle, I would definitely buy again.

jgerdes

jgerdes

7 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Lots of fruit – Pineapple, Mango, Lemon. Light ash finish.

GreenspointTexas

GreenspointTexas

385 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars5 years ago

Wish I could give this one 3.5 stars. Closer to 4 stars if you take out the price, 3 stars for the price. I personally prefer Del Magueys Tobala and others to this one, especially at $160, but this is ok. Kind of a funky, cheese taste that I have yet to find in other Tobala’s. If you were to blindfold me, I would have thought this was a Raicilla.

thamthong

thamthong

47 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars5 years ago

edition 9, 2015, 47.8% abv, gregorio martinez g. fruit forward nose with a lightly ferment-y twang, baking spices. anonymous fruitiness leads the palate followed by that jolgorio clean agave greenness, pink peppercorn. the finish is like walking by a bath & body works store. obviously a high quality product but lacking in anything truly exceptional.

Review this bottle

Login or create an account to add your tasting notes

Back to top