Maguey Melate Ensamble from Lorenzo & Tomas Virgen was originally released as the October 2023 Mezcalero of the Month Club agave spirit.
About this destilado de agave
Maguey Melate Ensamble from Lorenzo & Tomas Virgen was originally released as the October 2023 Mezcalero of the Month Club agave spirit. This ensamble is made from primarily Ixtero Amarillo, Cenizo, and what the producer refers to as “Mezcal Negro.” This region of Jalisco has incredibly rich and fertile volcanic soil, so many of the agaves in this region are grown amongst other edible crops.
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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Spirit_Buff
5 reviewsMezcal Review #3 – Maguey Melate October 2023 Club Pick – Ensemble
An Ensemble of Ixtero Amarillo, Cenizo, and Mezcal Negro. 47.4 % ABV
Notes: From Chancuellar, Jalisco – distilled in a Filipino copper pot by Lorenzo and Tomas Virgen in Dec. 2022. 460 L outrun.
Nose: Pineapple and baiju. Minty and cheesy, white wine vinegar.
Palate: Thin texture. Very lactic – the cheesy note continues and gets louder, as does the mint. Apple juice, caramel, cream. The peppermint filling they put in chocolates.
Finish: Wood smoke, toothpaste, blood, and chamomile tea. There’s an odd textural thing that happens as well where it starts to feel almost gritty, which doesn’t help with the tooth paste impression.
Comments: Oof – I don’t completely hate it, but this is odd. I think Raicilla is maybe not my cup of tea. Difficult to love and the flavors are not well balanced.
Mezcal Review #3 – Maguey Melate October 2023 Club Pick – Ensemble
An Ensemble of Ixtero Amarillo, Cenizo, and Mezcal Negro. 47.4 % ABV
Notes: From Chancuellar, Jalisco – distilled in a Filipino copper pot by Lorenzo and Tomas Virgen in Dec. 2022. 460 L outrun.
Nose: Pineapple and baiju. Minty and cheesy, white wine vinegar.
Palate: Thin texture. Very lactic – the cheesy note continues and gets louder, as does the mint. Apple juice, caramel, cream. The peppermint filling they put in
infraredrobert
4 reviewsDecember 2022 batch
Club mini TOM-EMS-001
As this is my first taste of a raicilla, perhaps my dislike is predicated on an uninformed pallet. However, if the nose was not off-putting enough, the taste of spoiled milk on the tongue and quick moldy finish makes me happy to only have 100ml of this spirit.
Tyler
643 reviewsLike many raicillas, this is a wild ride. There is some white wine vinegar on the nose and finish. Sipping, there are unique notes of old dry pineapple, spoiled milk, and Baiju. Not really a fan of this – I enjoy funky raicillas like La Venenosa Sierra del Tigre but some of the pungent notes are a bit unpleasant. It is a bit of a novelty pour; definitely glad I only have 100ml of it.
Ben P
110 reviewsNose: Tropical bubble gum, banana, puke, dentist office, cheesy, cheesecake, up close there is so much fruit and strawberry kiwi
Palate & Finish: More tart strawberries, banana runts, stringy mango, mint toothpaste, leatheriness, herbal lemonade, mint green tea. Finish is blue cheese, dental clean freshness, licorice, very dry and chalky, mango kombucha, tepache
I had to spend some time with this bottle and it thankfully mellowed as it stayed open. Tons of artificial fruit, some herbal menthol, and lemonade leathery tang. The craziest part about this bottle to me was the nose. When opened from a few feet away it smells like unpleasant butyric acid, but within about a foot it would shift quickly to bubble gum and strawberry kiwi. Wild! When Im in the mood for something unique I find myself reaching for this one. Fun stuff but not every day.
Nose: Tropical bubble gum, banana, puke, dentist office, cheesy, cheesecake, up close there is so much fruit and strawberry kiwi
Palate & Finish: More tart strawberries, banana runts, stringy mango, mint toothpaste, leatheriness, herbal lemonade, mint green tea. Finish is blue cheese, dental clean freshness, licorice, very dry and chalky, mango kombucha, tepache
I had to spend some time with this bottle and it thankfully mellowed as it stayed open. Tons of artificial fruit, some herbal menth
Jam
149 reviewsReview #98: The nose is so pungent, with lots of strawberries and cream, pineapple, minty toothpaste, bubblegum, butyric acid, puke, the crap you pick out of your toenails, rotting wood, cotton candy, parmesan, and a grungy car shop. The palate has more strawberries and cream, a big dollop of mint toothpaste, cotton candy, bubblegum, parmesan, butyric acid, and lasting acidity like pineapple on the finish.
I’m going to start off saying, and I’m surprised noone else has, this has so much butyric. A mix of what you pick out from under your toenails and puke. The aromas seriously travel across an entire room and the further they travel, the more the butyric dominates. It’s 100% a mood pour and there’s so much I like about it but this is just weird. Love the juicy fruity profile this has and although I’m sensitive to the butyric I find myself mostly enjoying it with the rest of the profile. This is wild stuff and it’s really hard for me to rate. This honestly feels oddly like a 3/5 and a 5/5 at the same time for me, so I’ll meet myself in the middle here.
Review #98: The nose is so pungent, with lots of strawberries and cream, pineapple, minty toothpaste, bubblegum, butyric acid, puke, the crap you pick out of your toenails, rotting wood, cotton candy, parmesan, and a grungy car shop. The palate has more strawberries and cream, a big dollop of mint toothpaste, cotton candy, bubblegum, parmesan, butyric acid, and lasting acidity like pineapple on the finish.
I’m going to start off saying, and I’m surprised noone else has, this has so m
Manning
24 reviewsAroma: Incredibly strong aroma that travels across the room of tropical fruit bubble gum and overripe pineapples. There is also a strong lactic funky smell past in initial blast of fruit, and I’m getting some mint as well.
Taste: This one smacks you across the face with parmesan cheese, pineapple, strawberry, and mint. Very werid combination but it works in small quantities. This is definitely a slow sipper (and only a few sips at a time at that), but I like it.
Overall: wish it were a bit more drinkable, as I’m done after a few sips, but I’d give it a 7/10 for weirdness.
Aroma: Incredibly strong aroma that travels across the room of tropical fruit bubble gum and overripe pineapples. There is also a strong lactic funky smell past in initial blast of fruit, and I’m getting some mint as well.
Taste: This one smacks you across the face with parmesan cheese, pineapple, strawberry, and mint. Very werid combination but it works in small quantities. This is definitely a slow sipper (and only a few sips at a time at that), but I like it.
Overall: wish it were a
Imperium
99 reviewsConsider my world rocked! What a unique expression, this is why I love mezcal! This brings back childhood memories!
Nose: Strawberry and grape Laffy Taffy, Sweettarts, Juicy Fruit gum, rotten pineapple.
Palate: Just this juicy explosion of fruit flavors that makes me want to get up and dance. Juicy Fruit gum and concentrated Laffy Taffy, which I haven’t had in 30+ years… amazing what memories mezcal can bring back to you. This stuff tastes like the color yellow had a party with a bowl of fruit that got blended together and left sitting for a few days in the sun. I need more!
Consider my world rocked! What a unique expression, this is why I love mezcal! This brings back childhood memories!
Nose: Strawberry and grape Laffy Taffy, Sweettarts, Juicy Fruit gum, rotten pineapple.
Palate: Just this juicy explosion of fruit flavors that makes me want to get up and dance. Juicy Fruit gum and concentrated Laffy Taffy, which I haven’t had in 30+ years… amazing what memories mezcal can bring back to you. This stuff tastes like the color yellow had a party with a bowl of fru
El-Dawg
209 reviewsSuper juicy nose! Reminds me of a raicilla for sure. Lots of overripe fruit. Taste has tons of fruit (strawberry fruit rollups, some kiwi, pineapples). Kinda tart and dry also like in a white wine, but still really sweet because of the fruit funk. Super interesting and different but is missing “something” to really love it (or it’s else too much of this juicy fruitiness funkiness for me). 3.25 stars.
relevanteagle
12 reviewsBottle: 85 ABV: 47.4%
Nose: pineapple, strawberry, mint, slight funkiness, sweet
Palate: pineapple (in the front), kiwi, rotten pineapple (in the end), pine (in the end), parmesan cheese (in the end)
Finish: bitterness, umami, cheese
Thoughts: Wow! This is one the craziest mezcales I’ve ever had. The first sip I took had me yelling. It’s this crazy combo of very sweet tropical flavors at the start that roll into this bitter, overripe fruit parmesan cheese thing that is just insane. So happy to have tasted this because it reminded me how diverse mezcal is. 10/10 recommend but definitely a small dose sipper.
Bottle: 85 ABV: 47.4%
Nose: pineapple, strawberry, mint, slight funkiness, sweet
Palate: pineapple (in the front), kiwi, rotten pineapple (in the end), pine (in the end), parmesan cheese (in the end)
Finish: bitterness, umami, cheese
Thoughts: Wow! This is one the craziest mezcales I’ve ever had. The first sip I took had me yelling. It’s this crazy combo of very sweet tropical flavors at the start that roll into this bitter, overripe fruit parmesan cheese thing that is just insane. S
free2roca
8 reviewsJUICY FRUIT! The flavor of overripe tropical fruit is strong with this one. Some really great notes and a few that are a little lactic for me. Great for a few sips and to expose others to the wild flavors of agave distillates. Just gets a bit overwhelming.
Rakhal
421 reviewsWhoa!! So much tropical fruit!! Juicy Fruit Gum in liquid form. I love Raicilla from Jalisco, this one is a little bit intense on the artificial fruit flavor notes though. I totally dig it, but in small doses. If I were a cocktail maker I would think this one would be good with a little pineapple juice, some soda water, and a squeeze of lime.