Maguey Melate Chuparrosa is made from maguey Chuparrosa, which does not appear to have a scientific designation at this time.
About this destilado de agave
Maguey Melate Chuparrosa from Isaac Alvarez Rodriguez in San Lorenzo Jilotepequillo, Oaxaca. This is made with the rare maguey Chuparrosa (A.Sp). According to the brand, there are only a few small pueblos that collectively only have around 1,000 living plants of this varietal. They are semi cultivated in the sense that they are replanted in the mountains and then left alone for 5-7 years before harvest.
Maguey Melate
Maguey Melate was founded on two ideas: 1) Artisanal agave spirits are amazing and should be shared with the world, and 2) The faster-cheaper economy is a harmful force for people, the environment, and now agave spirits.
They believe if mezcal (and agave spirits) can be understood and appreciated at its full potential, people will show their preference for quality artisanal mezcal that is sustainably and fairly sourced. By raising consumer consciousness on the origins of mezcal and educating enthusiasts on matters of quality and character, informed people will be empowered to ensure the future of mezcal. To do this, they’re reaching a large audience with an impactful message: KEEP MEZCAL ARTISANAL!
Maguey Melate is perhaps most well-known for their Mezcalero of the Month Club, which delivers artisanal small-batch agave spirits directly to the doors of consumers in the US and Mexico. In addition to the monthly spirits, they offer exclusive content and interviews with producers. Single releases are also available in the Maguey Melate shop.
Review this bottle
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Zack Klamn
542 reviewsBatch: SER-CHU-001
Nose – Twizzlers red licorice. Chicken jerky. A slight sanitized hospital note.
Palate – Poppyseed cake. Cherry and light cream. Both pine and oak wood notes. Dry, sweet and tangy finish. Solid!
This one is alright; I quite like it! This later Maguey Melate batch by a different mezcalero (Sergio Martinez Rodriguez) seems like a level up versus the previous batch from a couple years back.
Tyler
641 reviewsOh boy, the infamous Chuparrosa from MM. To be fair, Maguey Melate has a strong track record, especially in 2022 – a year of killer subscription releases. I bought this 375ml bottle in the doldrums of 2020. Why? Because the agave species sounded badass and the label looked cool, what could go wrong? Well, after ~2 years and finally opening it.. it’s not the worst. Honestly it is kinda perfect for your friend’s friend that loves “smoky tequila”. I’ll probably use this and drop 0.5oz into a cocktail here and there. Or share it with your friend’s friend. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. What is great about MM is that they consistently explore, experiment, and then ship interesting stuff direct.
What about the tasting notes? Ok, well.. imagine a cotton candy machine outside of an oil spill set ablaze. Hot chemicals with a faint sugar finish.
Oh boy, the infamous Chuparrosa from MM. To be fair, Maguey Melate has a strong track record, especially in 2022 – a year of killer subscription releases. I bought this 375ml bottle in the doldrums of 2020. Why? Because the agave species sounded badass and the label looked cool, what could go wrong? Well, after ~2 years and finally opening it.. it’s not the worst. Honestly it is kinda perfect for your friend’s friend that loves “smoky tequila”. I’ll probably u
cagliostro
32 reviewsMaguey Melate Sergio Martinez Rodriguez Chuparrosa (49%)
SER-CHU-001
nose: polenta cake, hazelnut cream, lysol – kinda intense, stewed apples, thin mints, piney
palate: woody, chestnuts, honey toast, pears, finishes in heavy pine
much better than what i expected given impressions on the previous chuparrosa batch. 5/10. pretty enjoyable in spots but the flaw are similarly pronounced. honestly the beginning of the palate is quite pleasant but the finish and nose leave much to be desired.
Maguey Melate Sergio Martinez Rodriguez Chuparrosa (49%)
SER-CHU-001
nose: polenta cake, hazelnut cream, lysol – kinda intense, stewed apples, thin mints, piney
palate: woody, chestnuts, honey toast, pears, finishes in heavy pine
much better than what i expected given impressions on the previous chuparrosa batch. 5/10. pretty enjoyable in spots but the flaw are similarly pronounced. honestly the beginning of the palate is quite pleasant but the finish and nose leave much to be desired.
donpedro
39 reviewsDiesel, pinesol, acetone, and ammonia. Was really excited to try this, but it just is not for me. Unique, but very off-putting. Keep trying to come back to it, but can’t bring myself to finishing bottle.
tallchad
103 reviewsMy least favorite from the first Maguey Melate tasting box.
The aroma is not bad with mango,
pineapple and light smoke.
Taste is not good with way too much smoke and bitterness.
The finish is bitter with gasoline aftertaste.
Azi
40 reviewsAt the front, loads of pine, grass, and other green vegetal things. maybe a bit of brine. The end is definitely a bit sharp. Not a mezcal expert, but i think other folks are reacting to st that I’m just not picking up on???
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsVery unique, wasn’t my favorite of the taster batch. Don’t have a lot of tasting notes on these, but going with the gut feel rankings.
Gregg T&T
100 reviewsMenthol (like medicated lip balm), lemon pine sol, and some acetone. More pine needles on the palate, musty and ethanol – it’s a bit hot. This one is really out there, which I really appreciate and enjoy but could use some refinement.
GreenspointTexas
385 reviewsAcetone and sharpie/gasoline. Glad I didnt spring for the full 375ml. Oof
Rakhal
421 reviewsAt first I hated it but every time I tried it I liked it more, unfortunately 50ml only goes so far. It’s aggressive. Nail polish remover and paint thinner, but under that I also got leather jacket, rolling tobacco, raw cremini mushroom, and fabric softener. I actually wish I had more of this to rest in glass for a year and see if that improved it.
El-Dawg
209 reviewsPiney smell (best thing I thought it had going for it), which probably resulted from the fermentation. Overall I got strong ethanol / alcohol tastes, with some mintyness. Overall it just seemed a bit “cheap” and really not that good or interesting for me. 2.25
Kon-tiki
16 reviewsMy expectations for this bottle were high, but upon opening the bottle, I got an immediate hit of strong diesel fumes….. That was a hard to get past, but the longer the mezcal sat in the glass, the more it mellowed…. Now that my bottle has been open (and capped) for a couple weeks, it’s all mellow now….. I get musty aromas like mildewed wood, gym socks, hemp, and yeast…. These are admittedly not my favorite aromas, but they’re better than the diesel…… The palate is very gasoline/diesel heavy. It’s also a bit acrid. Not a fan. ISA-CHU-001.
My expectations for this bottle were high, but upon opening the bottle, I got an immediate hit of strong diesel fumes….. That was a hard to get past, but the longer the mezcal sat in the glass, the more it mellowed…. Now that my bottle has been open (and capped) for a couple weeks, it’s all mellow now….. I get musty aromas like mildewed wood, gym socks, hemp, and yeast…. These are admittedly not my favorite aromas, but they’re better than the diesel…R
COak
228 reviewsStrong gasoline on the nose. The tongue is chemically and gas. I don’t get enjoyable flavors from this. You need some warm up mezcals to be able to drink this.