Maguey Melate Deer Pechuga from Julio Topete Becerra was originally released as the November 2022 Mezcalero of the Month Club agave spirit.
About this destilado de agave
Maguey Melate Deer Pechuga from Julio Topete Becerra was originally released as the November 2022 Mezcalero of the Month Club agave spirit. This is made with Agave maximiliana. Before the third distillation, maestro Julio added a deer leg and guava fruit to the still. Deer are part of the ecosystem of his 500 acre ranch and he hunts them twice a year. The guava trees grow behind the stills at his taberna.
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.
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Tomas
2 reviewsBatch: DEE-JUL-001, 48% ABV Bottle # 2-371
Aroma: Baked raisins, a trace of old sawdust and a funkiness with a bit of a fruit smell, maybe from the guava?
Taste: I got tootsie rolls right away, just not as sweet. Cinnamon.
Finish: Dry and lingering. Funky.
I’ve been hunting deer and eating venison for a lifetime and don’t really smell it at all. I caught a small taste on one of my sips but for me it wasn’t like I was drinking deer juice like I was prepared for, ha! I really enjoyed this. Tongue and lip numbing.
Batch: DEE-JUL-001, 48% ABV Bottle # 2-371
Aroma: Baked raisins, a trace of old sawdust and a funkiness with a bit of a fruit smell, maybe from the guava?
Taste: I got tootsie rolls right away, just not as sweet. Cinnamon.
Finish: Dry and lingering. Funky.
I’ve been hunting deer and eating venison for a lifetime and don’t really smell it at all. I caught a small taste on one of my sips but for me it wasn’t like I was drinking deer juice like I was prepared for, ha! I really enj
JRock
5 reviewsJudging by the prior reviews, this was a polarizing mezcal. Sadly for me, my palate was on the downside for it. I just couldn’t get past the funky richness and, to me, off-putting flavor. I set it aside after two tastings and let it sit for a while, hoping my tastes would expand or the bottle change a bit, but no go.This one was not for me.
tallchad
103 reviewsUgghh! If I am being optimistic I could say “an interesting experience”. I don’t think it is the Deer/Guama pechuga that is throwing me off. The sample of the straight Maximiliana is the same for me. Just not fun or good.
In the aroma there is some big “lechuguilla funk”, and something like burnt syrup or molasses. The taste is really funky with some sweetness. The finish is ungood with even more funkadelic funk. Sorry MM, I love that you find cool and unique mezcal but this one is not for me.
Ugghh! If I am being optimistic I could say “an interesting experience”. I don’t think it is the Deer/Guama pechuga that is throwing me off. The sample of the straight Maximiliana is the same for me. Just not fun or good.
In the aroma there is some big “lechuguilla funk”, and something like burnt syrup or molasses. The taste is really funky with some sweetness. The finish is ungood with even more funkadelic funk. Sorry MM, I love that you find cool and unique mezcal but this one
Manning
24 reviewsBatch: DEE-JUL-001
Aroma: strong smell of dates and burnt sugar. Also there is some lingering spices and clay funk.
Taste: Wow, this tastes just like this Okinawa brown sugar candy I got a few years ago. It’s almost the excact same flavor as that candy. I do get a bit of meatiness from the deer, but it’s certainly in the background compared to the brown sugar bomb of flavor. The finish has a bit of funk and some cinnamon and allspice. I get a very slight trace of that guava in the finish, but it’s hardly there.
Overall this is very very sweet and makes for a pretty good after dinner dessert pour. But the brown sugar flavor really overwhelms everything else.
Score: 7/10
Batch: DEE-JUL-001
Aroma: strong smell of dates and burnt sugar. Also there is some lingering spices and clay funk.
Taste: Wow, this tastes just like this Okinawa brown sugar candy I got a few years ago. It’s almost the excact same flavor as that candy. I do get a bit of meatiness from the deer, but it’s certainly in the background compared to the brown sugar bomb of flavor. The finish has a bit of funk and some cinnamon and allspice. I get a very slight trace of that guava in the
El-Dawg
209 reviewsGet some sweeter dates on the nose like Zack mentioned. Taste is more savory than sweet, but overall very delicious. I don’t get really any of the deer or guava that make this a pechuga, but there is a lot of complexities to enjoy. Also not as ‘funky’ as other raicilllas I’ve had, which makes this more approachable. I know this one was very polarizing, but I think it’s a really solid pechuga. I prefer this to the pure Maximilliana as well from this producer.
Get some sweeter dates on the nose like Zack mentioned. Taste is more savory than sweet, but overall very delicious. I don’t get really any of the deer or guava that make this a pechuga, but there is a lot of complexities to enjoy. Also not as ‘funky’ as other raicilllas I’ve had, which makes this more approachable. I know this one was very polarizing, but I think it’s a really solid pechuga. I prefer this to the pure Maximilliana as well from this producer.
Zack Klamn
542 reviewsBatch: DEE-JUL-001
Nose – Dates. Brown sugar (a lot!) and oatmeal. Funky clay (although it is copper distilled). Vibrant, funky and sweet aromas – love what I’m smelling here.
Palate – Brown sugar bomb. Tasty, gamey venison. Fig newton cookies. Celery leaf. Sprinkle of anise. Mouth feel is very thin, but the flavors are potent. Long, meaty and again, brown sugar for days in the finish. Lemongrass comes in the aftertaste.
This pechuga may not be for everyone but it’s for me. I love when I’m able to taste the meat. The slight downside is that this pechuga is potentially overly sweet (brown sugar explosion) which throws the balance off a bit. All said though, I really enjoy this.
Batch: DEE-JUL-001
Nose – Dates. Brown sugar (a lot!) and oatmeal. Funky clay (although it is copper distilled). Vibrant, funky and sweet aromas – love what I’m smelling here.
Palate – Brown sugar bomb. Tasty, gamey venison. Fig newton cookies. Celery leaf. Sprinkle of anise. Mouth feel is very thin, but the flavors are potent. Long, meaty and again, brown sugar for days in the finish. Lemongrass comes in the aftertaste.
This pechuga may not be for everyone but it̵
Rakhal
421 reviewsDEE-JUL-001. 44%ABV. I’m a big fan of this producer, especially the expressions made in his ancestral wood still. This has a lot of really delicious flavors. I got a lot of dark brown sugar, fig newtons, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and something that reminds me of an attic in an old wooden house. The only thing I don’t like about this one is that it comes off as kind of watery and thin. 44% ABV isn’t necessarily low for a Raicilla, I’ve had many lower proof Raicilla’s that didn’t come off as this watery. I don’t get any of the guava that they added to the third distillation, maybe some gaminess from the deer? If I tasted this blind I wouldn’t have guessed it was a Pechuga.
DEE-JUL-001. 44%ABV. I’m a big fan of this producer, especially the expressions made in his ancestral wood still. This has a lot of really delicious flavors. I got a lot of dark brown sugar, fig newtons, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and something that reminds me of an attic in an old wooden house. The only thing I don’t like about this one is that it comes off as kind of watery and thin. 44% ABV isn’t necessarily low for a Raicilla, I’ve had many lower proof Raicilla’s that didn’t co