Lote: E-19-E-19

Nope. Not the espadín I’m looking for. Really unenjoyable experience alongside the fruitier, brighter batch from Joel Barriga. This has increasing notes of burnt rubber, plastic, wet rag, and chemical funk. Really not my cup of tea. Harsh and unappealing.

Batch: unknown – Agave Mixtape Vol. 1; ABV: 45.89%

Nose is full of floral notes (gardenia?) with accompanying sugary, creme brûlée aromas. Somewhat reminds me of the aroma of the piñuela distillates from Rezpiral. There is also a salty, sea breeze element hiding in the back.

On the palate, there is a citrus note that I can’t quite place; it is somewhere between calamansi and citron. There is also a candied, artificial flavor bordering on “blue raspberry”. The finish is heavy on the saline, brine flavors.

Lot 27, Date 12-18, Bottle 524/920, ABV 43.3%

Ok, this is nice. So much acidity!! This is a food pairing dream come true; there are too many good options to serve it with. I mean, it makes sense that a chef selected this expression for his raicilla brand.

Peaches and cream on the nose, with fresh herbs and other vegetal notes. WOW – the palate is straight fresh ground black pepper followed by slight apple cider vinegar meets cilantro. Very saline and tangy. This won’t impress most mezcal drinkers in its own due to the mouthfeel and single distillation, but with food this is simply fantastic. That mouthwatering acidity kept me coming back for more throughout the entire meal.

Meh, for me, it’s just ok. Note, however, I am not a huge fan of Salmiana from the expressions I’ve tried (they all have a bit too much of that bacon fat meets jalapeño popper flavor for my liking).

Loads of jalapeño, green bell pepper, bacon fat, and jack cheese. Moderate smoke element. Definitely spicy in the mouth. Tastes more like you are eating a meal than sipping a spirit. Overall, a solid mezcal for the price, but sadly just does not do it for me.

Series 5; 250 liters, October 2019; 49.8%

Wow! By far the best Mexicano I have tried to date.

Loads of menthol, cinnamon, dried ginger, and salt water on the nose. Mesquite, leather, and hints of anise on the palate. Mouthfeel is thick, but still quite a bit tingly and hot. Definitely more on the rustic side of the agave spirit spectrum. This is delicious. Get a bottle before they’re gone!

Nose is full of wood, pepper, cinnamon Altoids, baking spice, wildflower honey, and roasted agave. There’s a hint of tire rubber as well, somewhat similar to some Cenizos I’ve had.

Loads more cinnamon and baking spice on the palate, with notes of leather and tobacco as well. As it oxidizes, there’s some almond nougat flavors that come out as well, but this is definitely spicy first and foremost.

Lote: HER-TEP-001; Bottle: 172

Nose is minty and fresh, with lemon verbena and subtle cherry notes. Finish on the nose is a bit like dried, ground chiles. Mouthfeel is a bit syrupy, without being too heavy. Some citrus on the palate with definite sweet and herbal notes. This is fantastic; definitely one of the best Tepextates I’ve ever had. Already ordered another bottle!

Drank this while rewatching “Agave,” remembering Maestro Aquilino and his contributions to modern mezcal in the USA via Judah and Vago. Wish I would have been able to visit his palenque during his life.

Wow, that roasted corn definitely shines through on the nose and palate. Mesquite and dust on the nose, with some cheese funk and mint hiding among the corn notes. More corn on the palate with leather, dirt, and cotija cheese. Funky and delicious. Aquilino was a master for sure. Descansa en paz Aquilino.

Loving this! Batch MXTC03-01, bottle 62/158

Nose of pound cake and Twinkies, with strawberry and green mango followed by subtle hints of chives and freshly chopped tomatillos. Some cinnamon and baking spice start to take over after extended oxidation.

I completely agree with Tyler’s take when it comes to the palate – major tiki drink vibes here. There are moments of coconut, then pomegranate (grenadine), then pineapple, all accompanied by a fruit nectar like sweetness. I was really surprised by how creamy this is since it’s not distilled in clay. Perhaps Maestro Delfino’s hybrid, three-plate still is the secret! Mouthfeel is thick and syrupy in the best way. This is a killer bottle!

Nose: loads of jalapeño and green bell pepper! Good Lord. Maybe a tiny bit of menthol and some cinnamon on the back end.
Palate: jalapeño is so prevalent in this bottle! It does give way to some other notes, however, including bacon fat (bordering on pancetta), that cheese umami (think parmigiano-reggiano), and chives. This is a solid bottle, but it falls short of what I had expected from the legend of Erick.

Love the nutty nose on this one! Nose is full of peanut, baker’s yeast, and leather. More leather, melon, and slate on the palate. Very saline and spicy finish. Not as lengthy as some I’ve had, but great nonetheless.

Nose: yup, the pink lemonade is real. Definitely loads of lemon, strawberry, and spearmint. Even a bit of cotton candy as well.
Palate: the citrus aromas transition to orange on the tongue, with saline/salt water too.
Mouthfeel: notably thinner than the agave spirits I tend to prefer, there is nice, food friendly acidity though.
Overall: decent, straightforward fruit bomb. Not my favorite, but I’m still happy I have a bottle for summer days.

Lot 4, 2019, Cenizo, 300L, 5/5 stars

I completely agree with the reviewers of Lot 2 on this one – funky pear and cheese (cotija) with brown sugar and petrol. Some lime and cherry hiding there as well. Very smooth with minimal heat. There is that almost rubber/ammonia flavor similar to sharp Brie. Viscous and complex on the palate, with further brown sugar, berry, clay, and roasted agave. Delightfully acidic, it pairs well with a wide range of plates.
Very good stuff!

Lot 5, 2019, Masparillo, 250L, 4.5/5 stars

Pineapple, lime sherbet meets lemonade, cherry. This has far more tropical than berry fruit notes. Also, less cotija flavors than lot 4, and the rubber/ammonia element is still there but takes more of a backseat. Outstanding how consistent the base flavors are to the other lots, even with a change in agave. For me, lot 4 for was a bit funkier, but this is really outstanding as well!

Nose: outstanding! Peanut butter, the creamy melon of a Melona bar, pineapple, lavender, very subtle pine tar, freshly baked pan de muerto con nata (especially that nata scent).
Palate: more pine tar and sweet herbs, hints of menthol and spearmint
Mouthfeel: soft and brief
Overall: really good stuff, but I wish the palate matched the killer nose on this!

**Update: a week after opening, this bottle has really opened up! That beautiful nose is now finally making it onto the palate along with increasing tropical fruits. Quickly becoming my go to nightcap thanks to it’s sweeter, fruity profile.

Batch SN08-19, bottle 44/159:

Nose: raisin, grapefruit, dusty dirt road, hints of bubblegum
Palate: leather, slate, melon, light mesquite/charcoal, and tobacco
Mouthfeel: smooth but warming, with a lengthy finish
Overall: delicious! Outstanding craftsmanship with rustic aromas and palatal notes.

This is the go-to introductory bottle for many mezcal first timers (was for me as well), particularly because it works so well in cocktails. Great in cocktails, meh as a neat sipper.

Meh. Not at all worth the price. Salt, citrus, and smoke… and that’s about it. Very flat and unappealing, and honestly too disjointed for use in cocktails.

For this price point, this is a decent ensamble. A bit sweet with overtones of salt and definite mesquite and ancho chile smoke. Hints of grass and light citrus.

Batch 0218; 256 bottles; distilled in Feb. 18, bottled in May 18

Wow. Loads of green notes on the nose – green bell pepper, jalapeño, spearmint. Hints of black pepper as well. Jalapeño and more green peppers on the palate with undertones of sweetness. There is almost a floral note that I can’t place – perhaps it’s the cypress from the open ferment. Beautifully balanced with no alcohol burn, even at 52%. Delicate and complex – a bottle I have found myself returning to every evening since acquiring it. This is a delight every time I try it.