Pal'alma Al Pastor is made with maguey Espadilla by maestro mezcalero Asunción Matilde Vargas in the state of Puebla, Mexico.
About this destilado de agave
Pal’alma Al Pastor is made with maguey Espadilla by maestro mezcalero Asunción Matilde Vargas in the state of Puebla, Mexico. The agaves are cooked in a conical earthen oven and milled by hand with axes. Fermentation is done in a shallow stone well and then distilled only once using a hybrid ‘Filipino style’ clay & wood tree trunk still with a copper coil condenser. During the second distillation, al pastor was added to the still in a pechuga style.
Pal'alma
Pal’alma (or Mezcalito Pal’alma) is curated by Erick Rodriguez. Erick also bottles under the brand Almamezcalera. Known by many as the Indiana Jones of Mezcal, Erick Rodriguez works with agave spirits producers from the 20+ states of Mexico. Anywhere he finds agave fields and a freshwater stream, there’s a good chance that someone is making mezcal nearby. He has a private tasting room in Mexico City, which we visited in 2017, and wrote about in our post Almamezcalera & Mezcalito Pal’alma.
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Rakhal
421 reviews14-Enero-2018. Lote 1. 24/33. 56% ABV. I bought this bottle years ago at Ericks legendary tasting room in Mexico City. At first glance the idea of an Al Pastor Pechuga seems gimmicky but this bottle is an absolute miracle!! Somehow the entire flavor of a perfect Pastor taco is in this Mezcal, even the corn tortillas!! You have to try this at least once, it’s mind blowing.
Average José
54 reviewsMaestro: Asunción Matilda Vargas
Lote: 20
Botella: 19/60 & 50/60
ABV: 59%
IMHO this is absolutely magic. There’s no way I’m going to be able to adequately review it, there are so many flavors and twists that every time I pour it I find something new.
The nose is the Sierra del Tigre of Pechugas. It’s loud and intriguing and interesting and totally different from anything else I’ve ever tried. Bacon grease, fennel, candied oranges, sweet yellow corn, wet terracotta, cane sugar, chipotle beef jerky, green beans… it just keeps giving.
A blast of flavors! Smokey bbq sauce slathered pork up front then cedar, pineapple, adobo, guajillo chilis, molasses, clay pot, honeysuckle, sweet agave, achiote, white vinegar, slate…
The finish is long lasting, not overly hot (and not at all hot for 59%) and tastes of unseasoned dried mushrooms, grilled veggies, clove, corn tortillas, charred asparagus, sweet onion, and 1-2 more (unknown to me) spices. It has a solid viscosity that makes it hang out with you well after you sip it, I absolutely love that too.
I prefer and mostly chase all types of Pechugas and Raicillas and this one is now at the very top of my list. It’s bold and addictively tasty and totally unique; I’d recommend trying a pour first if possible before buying it if you’re not into “wild and different” expressions but for me it’s heaven in a bottle and I’ll be stocking up regardless of its (100% totally justified) price point. 5/5!
Edit: Several months later and F me this is the most amazing bottle of Mezcal I’ve ever had. If I owned something and you wanted it for just one more bottle I would give it to you. Air and time has made this even tastier – I will forever be on the hunt for more.
Maestro: Asunción Matilda Vargas
Lote: 20
Botella: 19/60 & 50/60
ABV: 59%
IMHO this is absolutely magic. There’s no way I’m going to be able to adequately review it, there are so many flavors and twists that every time I pour it I find something new.
The nose is the Sierra del Tigre of Pechugas. It’s loud and intriguing and interesting and totally different from anything else I’ve ever tried. Bacon grease, fennel, candied oranges, sweet yellow corn, wet terracotta,