Nose:Slightly Cheesy. Greek Yogurt. Lactic. Slight Ethanol.

Taste: Sweet Vanilla. Agave. Banana. Bright. Sufficiently oily mouth feel. Lingering after burn in the mouth and a slight numbness. Light Minerality. Accent of Smoke.

Synopsis: I’ve just recently gotten into mezcal. Maybe 4-5 months. In that time I’d say I have tried 6-7 different Espadins. This is a league above all of them with only Real Minero’s Espadin somewhere up there with it. At the price point it’s seriously hard to beat. A whole lot of complexity and an easy sipper. Has that lovely funky cheese smell I get in some Espadins and a lovely fruit/agave forward palate wrapped in just enough smoke. If someone told me they just got into Mezcal or have been wanting to try it, this would be among the bottles I would consider.

¡Salud!

Nose: Vegetal, Granny Smith, Cantaloupe, Celery, Cheese, Molasses, Apple O’s

Taste: Apple O’s, Granny Smith Apples, slight Lactose, Caramel Apple, Molasses.

Synopsis: What an absolute treat. This Sierra Negra from the Ramos family does not taste like it should clock in at 60%. Truly dangerous. Going into trying my first Puntas i expected a harsh, alcohol heavy nose and palate, but am pleasantly surprised. I’m just a gringo from the East Coast so to me this expression tastes like a green candy apple at the state fair, dipped in the terroir of Oaxaca. Sweet, Vegetal, Green Fruit palate. I would love to sit this Puntas next to a bottle of Real Minero Barril, they are uncannily similar. This puntas is everything you want it to be, and I thinks it’s delicious.

¡Salud!

Rating: 97/100

Lot: DS002-ETC 288/708

Nose: Sour Apple. Lactose. Dry Erase Marker

Taste: Sour apple, Pineapple Core, Citrus, Burnt Orange Peels, Orange Truffle, Lingering menthol mouth feel.

Synopsis: Right off the still! Opening this bottle brought immediate sour apple to my nose, like the smell you get after you bite into a juicy Granny Smith. I was pleased to taste that sour apple up front on the palate as well. Smelling through the sour apple you get the slightest hint of lactose from the espadín, which is surprising considering it makes up 90% of the ensamble, and then on the back end of the nose is the dry erase marker. Lots of unripe fruity citrus flavors when sipping that come wrapped in a smoky/pine/burnt finish. I would not say this bottle is for everyone, but for people with palates that are used to smokey, sour, and more astringent flavors. I was lucky enough to get ahold of this bottle because I was sifting through my states archaic online inventory. Took 2 days for them to find out they had a whole case in the back when initially they told me they didn’t have it. This bottle is a collaboration with a stateside taco chain called Taco Bamba. At a $55 dollar price point it’s yet another very complex Rey Campero offering that is hard to beat. If you happen to see it on the shelves, don’t pass it up!

Original Rating: 77/100

Revisited this mezcal about a week after opening. Airing out this mezcal took off a lot of the ethanol nose and flavor and opened up the floral and fruit notes.

New Rating: 92/100