Maguey Melate Espadin from Heladio López Luis was originally released as the June 2024 Mezcalero of the Month Club agave spirit.
About this destilado de agave
Maguey Melate Espadin from Heladio López Luis was originally released as the June 2024 Mezcalero of the Month Club agave spirit. Heladio listened to the elders in his community who stressed the importance of a quality water source for mezcal production. In 2022, he began making side-by-side batches with the only variable being the water source. This Espadin was made with water from the Tierra Blanca mountain spring, which is about 2km away. In other batches, he also uses water from the Rio Chico, which flows through his backyard, as well as collected rainwater.
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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tallchad
112 reviewsReally good capon’d espadin make great mezcal! Add a clay pot and I am in love!
There are two versions here, both same process/batch except for water source. Both are great.
Rio Chico water source–46.4%
Aroma is chalky, slight vegetal with dry dirt. Hmmmm, where is the clay and berry cream of many ancestral batches?
Taste is great with an exceptional viscous mouthfeel! Easy to sip with a burst of lime zest at the backend.
Finish is good and as it fades there is a sweet clay note, almost floral.
Really great!
Tierra Blanca water source–47.5%
Aroma has berries, cream, clay and is sweet with light tanginess.
Taste is great, very balanced, not as viscous as Rio Chico water source, but definitely sweeter.
Finish is incredible and steady, very long.
This is more “clay-pot” profile than the Rio Chico.
Heladio, please keep you experiments cooking! I love them.
Really good capon’d espadin make great mezcal! Add a clay pot and I am in love!
There are two versions here, both same process/batch except for water source. Both are great.
Rio Chico water source–46.4%
Aroma is chalky, slight vegetal with dry dirt. Hmmmm, where is the clay and berry cream of many ancestral batches?
Taste is great with an exceptional viscous mouthfeel! Easy to sip with a burst of lime zest at the backend.
Finish is good and as it fades there is a sweet clay note,
little_agave
44 reviewsbatch HEL-ESB-001 bottle 300. 350 liters June 2023.
Agua de Tierra Blanca:
roasted sweet potato aroma. gentle heat, warm long finish. bright, minerals. very close between the 2. tasty nonetheless.
Rio Chico (mini bottle)
finding this aroma to have a slightly sweet cinnamon dulce vibe going. hint of cheese. also a gentle heat, long finish. I cant pinpoint these notes but I find it to be heightened in this one between the 2. earthy peat, woody. bitter dry cooked fruit. very similar. I prefer this one over the other by a hair.
batch HEL-ESB-001 bottle 300. 350 liters June 2023.
Agua de Tierra Blanca:
roasted sweet potato aroma. gentle heat, warm long finish. bright, minerals. very close between the 2. tasty nonetheless.
Rio Chico (mini bottle)
finding this aroma to have a slightly sweet cinnamon dulce vibe going. hint of cheese. also a gentle heat, long finish. I cant pinpoint these notes but I find it to be heightened in this one between the 2. earthy peat, woody. bitter dry cooked fruit. very similar. I prefer this
Rakhal
422 reviewsI’ve been wanting to do a side-by-side of Mezcals where the only variable was the water source for a very long time. I was very excited to try these two! I am not disappointed. To my palate they are vastly different.
Tierra Blanca: This Mezcal has a tropical vibe. I get notes of mango, pineapple, bitter dark chocolate, crushed bricks, Spearmint Altoids, Red Hot candy, Brazil nuts, and sea salt. This one is quite a ride! Tropical, mineral, slightly bitter, minty, spicy, nutty, and salty. I like it. 4 stars.
Rio Chico: This one really speaks to me. Somehow airy, clean, and light but also concentrated, deep, and sweet. This one definitely takes me somewhere. I feel like I’m sitting by a river in Santa Catarina Minas on a beautiful breezy day sipping Mezcal and looking at the clouds. I get notes of brown sugar, maple syrup, wet clay, orange peel, and vanilla ice cream. This one is sublime. 5 stars.
I’ve been wanting to do a side-by-side of Mezcals where the only variable was the water source for a very long time. I was very excited to try these two! I am not disappointed. To my palate they are vastly different.
Tierra Blanca: This Mezcal has a tropical vibe. I get notes of mango, pineapple, bitter dark chocolate, crushed bricks, Spearmint Altoids, Red Hot candy, Brazil nuts, and sea salt. This one is quite a ride! Tropical, mineral, slightly bitter, minty, spicy, nutty, and salty. I
El-Dawg
219 reviewsBeautiful smell – fresh flower water, candy sweet tarts.
Notes of butterscotch candy, spice, tropical fruit. For a clay distilled this also has less of that ‘tangyness’ I’ve come to expect, but overall really solid and one of the more enjoyable Espadins I’ve had in while! Agreed with others that this would be highly enjoyable (approachable if you will) for most people.
Jonny
713 reviewsBatch HEL-ESB-001. This is a really solid Espadin. I like it a lot. Aromas of vanilla ice cream, Tang, orange grapefruit juice, apple cider, and linseed oil. The palate has notes of anise, burnt sage, and charred oregano. Additional elements of tropical fruit on the palate, including kiwi, guava, and papaya. This is highly enjoyable and seems like something that a lot of different palates would enjoy.
Ben P
122 reviewsNose: vanilla yogurt, tangy orange cream, play doh, petrichor, lemongrass as it sits
Palate: vanilla mango, some charred orange rind, a bit of sea water, kiwi skins, such a nice soft mouth feel. A bit of earth from the clay as you move into the finish. Reminds me of red clay. Finish is mesquite, a bit of bitter charred cilantro, after some time I get some nice grassiness
Lovely stuff. Agreeable, consistent from start to finish. Not wildly complex but I find it hard to believe most people won’t enjoy this. This is a pour I’ll probably reach for often over the coming months. I can see why Heladio said most visitors enjoy this.
Nose: vanilla yogurt, tangy orange cream, play doh, petrichor, lemongrass as it sits
Palate: vanilla mango, some charred orange rind, a bit of sea water, kiwi skins, such a nice soft mouth feel. A bit of earth from the clay as you move into the finish. Reminds me of red clay. Finish is mesquite, a bit of bitter charred cilantro, after some time I get some nice grassiness
Lovely stuff. Agreeable, consistent from start to finish. Not wildly complex but I find it hard to believe most people won’t
les
37 reviewsorange, cream, vanilla, anise, mint, lemon peel, char, wood