ALI-TOB-001
Honestly not much apples in this apple tobala. There is a sweeter smell, and some candy sweetness on the taste…I just don’t get the apples. Solid tobala though, and curious to what this would taste like withOUT the apples.
After much air time, I do get some green apples at the end! Love that I found that, but still around 3.5 stars for me.

Edition 3 (US bottle).
Buttery and lush with a greenish herbal taste. Sweet and the smoke seems really subdued. Solid espadin, and more like a 3.75.

Batch ADE-MAD-001. 56.7%. Glad I got the higher ADV version.
Very sweet & sugary smell (like Jonny said, baked goods). Full mouth taste, and more sugary sweetness. This one definitely got better with time…like 1 to 1.5 star type of better. Goes to show what some airtime/oxygen will do (and why I wait a while after opening up a bottle before making these type of reviews). Great proof and great mezcal!

Nose has some apple and a little ‘fruit funkyness’ to it. Follows through to the taste. As Zack mentioned a bit sour, which is slightly off-putting.

One of my favorite Espadin’s of all time. Nose is soft and a bit creamy and floral/flowery. But man….the taste is a full mouth feel of complexities and intricacies and sweetness. Like raw sugar that’s flavored with candied fruit essence. The 21 year aging process definitely did some magic here. 51% but tastes like a 45%. Wow. 4.75 stars.
Review #145

Sweet, vanilla smell. More vanilla on the taste, some green vegetal mixed in there as well. Pepper spiciness. A bit tangy as if clay distilled. Very good, and hard to pick the winner in the side-by-side jabali box.

20-001
Really good, solid smell. Citrus. Some heat. Great value, peppery taste. Maybe a bit too hot but for the money this is both a great cocktail mezcal and one that can be sipped in a pinch.

GER-JAB-002
Awesome, sweet sweet smell. Butterscotch or caramel or brown sugar notes all over this. Some mint as well. Taste is strong and I dig the 50+% ABV. Creamy as well, and just really solid. Not much more to say.

Good smell, fabric softener. Taste has some light sweetness to it. Pine or mint maybe. Not overly complex, but pretty well rounded. Like what Jonny said of this being a session lechuguilla – I have no problems with that. Complaint would be it seems a bit harsh on the end taste. 3.25ish

Lote AA015
This 48% batch is pretty awesome. Sugar water, candy corn, and the typical grassiness throughout. Some earth, dirt, and light cream (creaminess is throughout the taste in fact, and is very pleasant). No complaints.
Review #139

First Mezcalero tasting, and I picked the one that is currently the highest rated on MR. This one delivered – great nose! Sweet and smokey throughout and balanced. Some anise and another strong note I can’t figure out. Creamy, full-mouth feel. This tastes just like the desert in all of the best ways.
Review #140

It was finally time to knock this one out of my sotol list. It’s OK. Actually it doesn’t take much of the sotols I’ve had (and love). There is a creaminess to the taste, which might be the best thing it has going for it. Signs of ‘burnt rubber’ or uninteresting related notes, which come from the production.
50ml sample was a perfect purchase to try this one…and thus no lote number. I love sotol (this doesn’t taste like one), and as someone pointed out, it almost taste more like an industrial tequila.
Review #138

Batch: BODDVC12, Edition 3, 2020.
Subtle pechuga smell – some light citrus, sweet, buttery notes. Solid smell. Taste has strong smoke throughout – viscosity is great, but a bit hot. Cenizo maguey definitely comes through. Some lime in the finish. Good, but not great by pechuga standards. 3.75
Review #137

Lote: DPV02 by Pedro Vasquez.
Espadin like smell. Cream and some buttery notes in the nose. Taste is green, grassy, and oily. Perhaps a bit too hot at the end if anything. Very solid & complex & balanced though. I need more than this 1 oz….
Review #136

JOS-PEC-001. Strong, sweet and fruity nose. Taste is a very well balanced and overall a very good example of what “a pechuga is”. Soft, creamy finish. Very enjoyable, and I’ve loved sharing this one with with folks. A great “dessert” mezcal if you would.
After revising months later I get a lot of the baking spices and cinnamon in the taste.

Lote: DVCCO0420 by Valentin Cortes.
Rich, grapey, and balanced. Some caramel and sweet notes in the taste. This is definitely a coyote, and reminds me of an EJ Coyote I have, although it’s from a different producer. It seems like there is a “grapeness” to these coyotes…not medicinal or bad, but unique in it’s own way.
Review #134

Lot: DVCTE0517
Strong tepeztate nose that I love. Powerful notes of jalapeno, pepper, and some olive brine. Love the complexity of the nose. More of the same on the taste, but with an added creaminess. This is a newer batch that I believe has been rested in glass since 2017.
Review #133

Lote: PAZ-801
Light smell, and not overly “tepeztate-y”. Taste has some sweet, birthday cream frosting. Some fresh green notes as well, but in my opinion it’s missing some of the stronger tep. notes that I love. For 55% ABV this awesome and balanced….agreed it tastes more like a 48%. Well rounded and good. Just doesn’t blow me away.
Review #132

Grassy smell, and enjoyable. Over a few tastings I’ve gotten some notes of soy sauce, smoked fish jerky, and more grass (which is a standout quality to me with all sotols). I also seem to gravitate to sotols (especially the ones mixed with agave, ensambles), and this one isn’t bad at all (if not a bit light). In fact it’s gotten better with time. Appreciate Melate trying new things and deviating from the “norm”!

Batch: YJ 14-16
Vanilla wafers. Bit light overall, but balanced with a strong & smoky finish. Frosting, and tobala sweetness in there too. I like it!
3.75 stars
Review #130