Lot 0220 ER. Aromas of hot dry earth and spicy jalapeno peppers. Hints of Menthol on the nose as well. The palate has notes of vanilla ice cream, lemon, pine, fresh greens, and minerals. Lots of subtle complexity. Highly enjoyable.

Lot 01/19. 3402 liters. 47%. Very clean nose. Aromas of light sweet lemon and lime. The palate is also very delicate and light. This is right down the middle but not super interesting. There’s nothing off-putting about this but also nothing that makes me want to have much more.

Slightly yellowish in color. Very rich on the nose with sweet cooked agave, cocoa, molasses, and canola oil. The palate is a little starchy, with more canola-type notes, maybe a bit of sunflower and pumpkin seed. This one is weird for me, because I don’t think it’s one of my Melate favorites, but I’ve now polished off 99% of the bottle in just a couple sittings, so maybe this is more appealing at some subconscious level (or it’s just really to drink!)

March 2020 harvest. Bottle 14/350. Pleasant aromas of sweet flowers in spring, cotton candy, sweet tarts, and airheads. Tasting notes of vanilla bean, flan, milk chocolate, spearmint gum, and molasses. Enjoyable.

Lot TPZ1A. 44% ABV. Smells nice. Aromas of orange peel, lemon, and lime. More aromas of sweet vanilla bean and macadamia. The palate is also very citric, with notes of orange and apple juice with lots of smoke. There’s a heavy smoke element to this, more so than with most I’ve had recently. I’m not getting a lot of the peppery notes I typically associate with Tepeztate, but this has some really nice fruity notes.

Lot 34. Big fruit punch nose. Aromas of tropical fruits like pineapple and papaya mixing with candy notes like Airheads, bubblegum, and red tootsie pops. The palate is fruity as well, and a bit sticky in mouthfeel. Fruity notes of plantains, pineapple, guava, and lime. More tasting notes of tobacco and grilled peppers. This is really enjoyable.

Tasted a dram sample, so no batch or bottle number. Aromas of slate, saw dust, cigar box, cedar, oak, and hazelnut. The palate is light with more notes of slate and cedar, mixing with some notes of red berries: strawberries, red raspberries, and cranberries. A bit of heat on the back of the palate.

ENNCEL1905. Aromas of chalky minerals, butterscotch, brine, salt water, dried lavender, and caramelized orange. Like GreenpointTexas, I get a lot more Jabali on the palate of this. Notes of butterscotch candy, cinnamon, brown sugar, honey, Butterfinger, Werther’s, and a dash of maraschino cherries. This is delicate and nuanced. Very enjoyable.

PA001 from 2016. Aromas of apple cider vinegar, blue cheese, and sour green apples. Palate is peppery with sweet bell peppers. Notes of candied coated apples, sweet cream, and jalapeño cheddar. Highly viscous and genuinely approachable.

This is pure magic. I’m a huge fan of the regular Rey Campero Jabali release. I’ve had several different batches of it. It’s highly consistent and one of my favorite Jabali available. This one has everything I love about the regular RC Jabali, but so much more. Clean nose with aromas of cinnamon, brown sugar, sea salt, and brine. The palate is big and round with notes of sweet potato, all spice, burnt caramel, chocolate cherries, and blueberries.

ROD-ESP-001. Solid Espadin. Citric aromas of lemon peel and lime. There’s a bit of unripe fruit, like banana, pear, and plum, on the nose as well. The palate is very nicely balanced with notes of orange creamsicle, granola, wheat, and white rice.

ROD-PEC-002. Herbal!! Aromas of spearmint, cilantro, and dried sage. Also some black pepper and vanilla on the nose. The palate also has lots of juniper and pepper. There’s almost a gin element to this with the botanical, medicinal flavoring. The meat doesn’t come through for me on this pechuga, neither the fatty viscosity that pulls through on many pechuga mezcales. Still enjoyable though.

Floral and mineral aromas. The palate is light, fruity, and flowery. Notes of sweet papaya, mango, flower pollen, and orange cream. Very mellow and well settled.

Lot 1118.Crazy nose! Very dark aromas of dates, dried figs, overripe mango, and dark chocolate dipped cherries. The palate has some high peaking treble points upfront and is generally much lighter and brighter than the nose. This tastes like Fruit Loops cereal. Notes of strawberries, orange soda, grape soda, and sugar. This tastes like every color in a bowl of Fruit Loops. Wild and entertaining ride.

0319VFR. Aromas of pine, rosemary, green peppers, and freshly ground coffee. Very sweet and syrupy palate with almost no bite. This has notes of vanilla ice cream, jalapeno peppers, and street corn. This is not your “typical” Tepextate. It’s very sweet and quite viscous. Really nice.

Batch: 0319ER. Lots of mineral and floral elements on the nose. Very pleasant aromas of spearmint, lime, lavender, rose pedals, and hot chalky soil. The palate is light and balanced. Notes of Doublemint gum, bay leaves, basil, vanilla beans, and raw sugar cane. This is really nice with a bit of heat on the back of the palate. Very enjoyable.

FEL-PUL-001. Subtle yet charming nose. Some aromas of brine, green olives, and vermouth. This smells like a gin martini. The palate has a bit of black pepper spice, sandalwood, and more green olives. I admittedly don’t normally like mezcal made with this agave, but this one is nice, very different from the others I’ve tasted.

Strong aromas of strawberries, red Starbursts, and candy apples. Very sweet and red on the nose. The palate is equally as robust. Notes of flaky croissants, glazed donuts, dates, brown sugar, wet clay, and wet leaves on a cold fall day in New England.

Lot: ARMM-01. Bottle 48/60 USA. An instant favorite. This is a top 3 of 2020 for me. Absolutely stellar in every aspect of the juice. It has that classic peanuts-and-wet-leaves that I get on a lot of Edgar’s mezcals, but then it really soars from there. Aromas of peanuts, wet leaves, fresh mint, cilantro, spring breeze, pollen in the morning, and dried basil. The palate is equally as rich. Notes of peanuts, new mud, celery salt, fresh moringa, spearmint bubble gum, aftershave with aloe, and overripe peaches. Coats the palate.

Batch:1019IRM. Look at the legs on this! Aromas of apple juice, blue airheads, new Legos, guava, and just a touch of soft cheese. Palate notes of leather, guava, cloves, strawberries, and apple cider. There’s this element of new clothing or new fabric that is nice and unexpected. This mezcal is almost sticky on the palate. It’s light, but the finish is long. I’m really enjoying this. The more I sip it, the more strawberry and berry notes open on the palate.