Maguey Melate Cupreata from Federico Valentín Alva Ibáñez is made with agave Cupreata, which he also refers to as Tobala Verde.
About this destilado de agave
Maguey Melate Cupreata from Federico Valentín Alva Ibáñez was produced by Don Fede at the age of 95 years old. At the time of production, he’d been distilling for 80 years, having started at the early age of 15.
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: FED-CUP-001
Nose – Sour green apple. Very light basil. A hint of fresh nail polish.
Palate – Funky baked Granny Smith apples. Syrupy brown sugar. Cedar chips. Overall, sweet, funky and sour. I only had less a 1 oz. sample to try but quite enjoyed this.
TheAgaveFairy
169 reviewsNose: Oh that’s nice, mineral, meaty, grilled limes for days, really clear agave, light fruits in syrup, floral. This hits on many receptors. My notes go closest to Tyler’s + the cedar notes. Browned butter ever so softly, bacon bits, a little cayenne, cinnamon, this is just fun.
Palate: Acidic in a fun way, confirming the grilled lime on the nose, a minerality, but just a nice agave body with a light astringent white pepper holding it back. The finish is of decent length, and is subtle and subdued though a touch on the smoky side.
Thoughts: The story behind this guy is amazing; he has a good style going and clearly knows what he’s doing.
Conclusion and “t8ke” scale rating: 7/10. Amazing to taste something like this!
Nose: Oh that’s nice, mineral, meaty, grilled limes for days, really clear agave, light fruits in syrup, floral. This hits on many receptors. My notes go closest to Tyler’s + the cedar notes. Browned butter ever so softly, bacon bits, a little cayenne, cinnamon, this is just fun.
Palate: Acidic in a fun way, confirming the grilled lime on the nose, a minerality, but just a nice agave body with a light astringent white pepper holding it back. The finish is of decent length, and is subtle and
Tyler
663 reviewsHeard Don Fede’s ensamble blend is really good and want to try it. For me, this Cupreata is fine. It is straight-forward. Some pleasant fruit notes. A bit of damp tree bark. Good control of ABV. There are some slight lactic notes in the finish but they aren’t too distracting. The plastic fermentation is interesting – how is that affecting the flavor? 50ml mini-bottle from the tasting kit. Lot FED-CUP-001. 70 liters.
tallchad
122 reviewsReally nice all around. From the Maguey Melate tasting box. Aroma is good, clean with light smoke. Rakhal was right when he mentioned cedar. The taste is bold and strong but the finish is my favorite part: it’s like hot lava and asparagus! Super fun.
gonzalezjr21
10 reviewsA very enjoyable Cupreata! Tasty with a bit of a bite. Zesty green pepper, bright citrus notes, musty with some sweet fruity flavors. Don Fede is a 95 year old mezcalero who started making mezcal since he was 15 years old.
Nic Hnastchenko
108 reviewsOne of my favorites from the tasting batch, real tasty. Cupreata an underrated agave.
GreenspointTexas
385 reviewsStandard Cupreata. Melon, lime, and basil. Slight gritiness on the back end… reminds me of Del Maguey’s Tobala for some reason
Rakhal
430 reviewsNice Cupreata from Don Fede. Fresh jalapeño, spearmint, cinnamon, allspice, and cedar. His Ensamble is still my favorite though.
El Dawg
227 reviewsMusty smell, and the test was very sharp & ethanol laced. Didn’t get a whole lot here and wasn’t terribly impressed. Slightly better than his espadilla, but my favorite from Don Fede is still the Ensemble that Melate released summer 2020. 3.25 & review #50!