Joel Barriga, 50.7% ABV, May 2017

First mezcal I ever tried, and still the best. Sharp, crisp smoky flavors, agave forward, almost no alcohol heat despite the higher proof. I can’t quite pick out individual flavors in mezcal the way I can tequila or sotol, but this is still very, very good.

Earth and citrus on the nose, with a little wet cement. Palate is like slap in the face with sweet lime followed by less intense earth and minerality. Finish is earthy minerality with a hint of smoke.

An excellent spirit, easily worth the $50 I paid for it. There’s a funky note (don’t know how else to describe it) present throughout, but not in a bad way. I’d highly recommend this to someone, particularly if you want something sweet but unusual and different.

Strong vegetal aroma with notes of sage. Intensely vegetal and mineral on the palate, which smooths our into dry grass. Minerality sticks around through the finish, along with notes of smoky grass and a bit of heat. Can’t find any hint of the sweetness mentioned in other reviews, overall I found this to be a rough, dry drink. It’s the only sotol I’ve had so far, so I suppose you could say it’s my favorite at this point. I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to buy this again.