Lalocura Tobala is made by Eduardo “Lalo” Angeles, the son of the late Don Lorenzo of Real Minero. Lalo learned to make mezcal from his father.
About this mezcal
Lalocura Tobala is made with maguey Tobala in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca. Lalocura has been available in select areas of Oaxaca for a few years, but it finally became available internationally in July 2018. Eduardo “Lalo” Angeles cooks his maguey Tobala with Encino wood, mashes the cooked agave with mallets, ferments the agave in Mexican Cypress vats, and double distills the mezcal in small clay pots. His operation is small and there are only limited batches of his Tobala available.
Lalocura Mezcal
Before starting Lalocura in 2014, Eduardo “Lalo” Ángeles spent years working as the fourth generation master mezcalero of his family’s brand Real Minero, where he combined a lifetime of working under his father, the late, great Don Lorenzo with a collegiate degree in agricultural engineering. Many Real Minero bottles from several years ago actually have Eduardo listed alongside his father as the master distiller. Lalocura’s clay pot distilled mezcals have built a steady cult following over the last few years. People from around the world show up at the palenque in Santa Catarina Minas each day hoping to spend time listening to Lalo tell stories while they taste the 20+ expressions he has resting in glass at any given time. If you like clay pot distilled mezcal and you like Real Minero, it’s highly recommended that you find some Lalocura.
Read about our visit to Lalocura in the blog post A Tour with Oaxacking: Mezcal Lalocura
Review this bottle
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TitoPuenteJrJr
3 reviewsLalo’s tobalas were our second favorite (after tobaziche) when my GF and I visited Lalocura last month, but really hard to say one was better than the other. We tried two different kinds of tobala that grow in the area, and an older batch that had been kept in a small clay jug for 6 months or so. All 3 were great in their own ways. all three were very soft bodied with varying degrees of acidity ranged from very minimal to super bright on one of the newer batches. Lots of different green notes – grassy, sweet peas, sweet peppers and green apple acidity. Each one was very special in its own way.
Lalo’s tobalas were our second favorite (after tobaziche) when my GF and I visited Lalocura last month, but really hard to say one was better than the other. We tried two different kinds of tobala that grow in the area, and an older batch that had been kept in a small clay jug for 6 months or so. All 3 were great in their own ways. all three were very soft bodied with varying degrees of acidity ranged from very minimal to super bright on one of the newer batches. Lots of different green no
JoeVandal
8 reviewsFantastic. A bit pricey but the juice is so damn good! My first from Lalo.
Sour apple, lime, very light clay on the nose.
Palate is fruity, slight clay, little bit of mint freshness, very bright!
L: Tabalei2022-A Bottle 36/533
SoloAgave
86 reviewsPerhaps one of the finest mezcales that I’ve ever encountered. I savor every sip like its my last one. Rich, round, fruity, mineral, tart green apples, just has a little bit of everything and stays with you after each kiss. If not for the price point this would be with me at all times. If you get the opportunity – treat yourself. Incredible mezcal from an incredible producer at Lalocura.
Zack Klamn
509 reviewsLot: l-07T (Bottle: 884/1304)
Nose – Strawberry Nerds candy. Cheesecake tarts.
Palate – A few seconds of clay, Hawaiian Punch (fruit punch) and blueberry topped cheese cake. Then a blast of black pepper and mint heat (slightly hot for 49%) and yummy smoke. This settles down to a long clay and pine finish with a bbq’d chicken with charred, sweet Bullseye.
aarild
132 reviewsDried figs, slate and dusty loft aromas with hints of lactic sourness. More dried fruit on the palate, just a hint of the quince/lime flavour I think of as the maguey tobalá signature. Heavy mineral notes, yet balanced, good viscosity. I would, somewhat illogically, rate it higher if it wasn’t a tobalá, but I found the clay pot minerality was masking the great agave specific fruitiness. Please also note that if the price point was not so high, this could be four stars.
Nov. 2019.
«Tobala 2020» batch: a lot fresher and fruitier, with Lalo’s deep, mineral/woody elegance. Since he stopped labelling as “mezcal”, the price is nearly half of what it was too (Europe import). 4.75 stars.
Dried figs, slate and dusty loft aromas with hints of lactic sourness. More dried fruit on the palate, just a hint of the quince/lime flavour I think of as the maguey tobalá signature. Heavy mineral notes, yet balanced, good viscosity. I would, somewhat illogically, rate it higher if it wasn’t a tobalá, but I found the clay pot minerality was masking the great agave specific fruitiness. Please also note that if the price point was not so high, this could be four stars.
Nov. 2019.
«Tobala 20
ElAgave
34 reviews47%abv
Nose – tree bark, cucumber, sweet and fruity
Palate – orange rind, banana, cedar, pine
Finish – minty, pine
edgy4sure
39 reviewsFresh, fruity, smooth – had to tuck this to the back of the cabinet so it’s a little harder to reach for. so damn good!
meserole
72 reviewsGrassy, sweet, bright in the mouth, with an effervescent mouth feel almost like sour pop rocks candy. Or maybe I was just drunk after 15 chupitos. Either way, this was my favorite from the many Lalocura varieties I tried at his tasting room in Oaxaca, and if I had any idea that bottles in NYC cost $150+ I would have brought more home!
Juriy
23 reviewsTried this at a bar in CDMX yesterday and wow, such a nice tobala. Great flavor, not too harsh, pleasant aftertaste. Got that oily taste I like in tobalas.
Rorschach
40 reviewsMy favorite Tobala so far.
Bought at the palenque so no specifics other than May 2017 distillation. 47% abv.
Chris
40 reviewsNov 2019 49.1% batch bought in the Benito Juarez mercado. Now this is what other tobalas want to be when they grow up! I’m not getting any of the apples in this batch. The flavor builds and seems to rise right through the sinuses into the brain’s pleasure receptors. Had the Noble Coyote tobala last night – tart grapefruit with a salty, metallic finish. Three stars is generous on that one. Lalo’s 70% Tep 30% tobala is pretty much gone – maybe a couple 250ml bottles here and there. Hope he makes some more soon. Bought Lalo’s Aug 2019 San Martinero and Rey Campero Tobala, which hasn’t been made for a while, but those will have to wait until I’m back in Texas at the end of the week.
Nov 2019 49.1% batch bought in the Benito Juarez mercado. Now this is what other tobalas want to be when they grow up! I’m not getting any of the apples in this batch. The flavor builds and seems to rise right through the sinuses into the brain’s pleasure receptors. Had the Noble Coyote tobala last night – tart grapefruit with a salty, metallic finish. Three stars is generous on that one. Lalo’s 70% Tep 30% tobala is pretty much gone – maybe a couple 250ml bottles h
NickSanford
23 reviewsOne of my favorite Tobalas instantly on the first taste. First notes I received were the sour apples and the candied tarts. It gives it a very cotton candy type of flavor, but not with the intense sweetness as much which gives it a wonderful subtle sweet flavor that isn’t to overpowering like some other Tobalas. This one is sensational and I had to buy a bottle from Eduardo himself when I visited his Palenque.
kozinnski
14 reviewsSour apples, tart candy, candied ginger, clay, chalk, raspberries. Super fruity, high toned, and razor sharp.
stigibeu
33 reviewsLot L-07T, bottle 284/1738
N: apple, sour funk, lime, light peach
T: dry, sharp front and very smooth end, slight green pepper/jalapeño, herbaceous, faint smoke. After 20 minutes in the glass, candied mint. Then still later, random taste of BBQ chicken deep into the glass.
F: cracked pepper for days, minimal burn. Very pleasant.
S: 9.39/10. One of my favorites and a great clay pot expression. Worth the cost.
GreenspointTexas
382 reviewsSomewhere between 4 and 4.5 stars. Solid tobala, but maybe not worth $180. Pepto, dried berries and wet asphalt. Interesting
Tyler
595 reviewsAgree with the other reviewers. Lots of sour apple funk here. Completely unique and organic. Fresh mint. January 2019 batch.
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsAnother delicious mezcal from Lalo, fruity but not super sweet. Packs a little bit of a punch, which is never a bad thing.
Revisited. Lalo brings out the most random tasting notes for me. On this one, I got Nerd candy.
Jonny
618 reviewsSmells like green apples. Very fresh, lively, and bright. Slightly sour on the palate with a bit of clay. Hints of dry caramel, candied dates, and granny smith apples. I totally dig this.
COak
206 reviewsSour mash smell. Green apple tart. Bright!