Batch DS001-PQR. Bottle 465/799. Aromas of fermented cabbage, Korean kimchi, black pepper, asparagus, and mustard greens. The palate largely matches the nose but with some upfront sweetness with notes of jalapeño cream, fermented veggies, sweet mint, toffee, coffee beans, and caramel. This is wild and robust.

Batch pick for Suerte restaurant in Austin. Tasted of fresh strawberries, orange marmalade, and dried papaya. Additional notes of slate, cold sea salt breeze, and crushed mint leaves. Aromas of chalky minerals and raw dry earth. Soft and velvety for the high abv.

Batch OFF04. Aromas of slightly soured orange juice that’s been sitting out on the counter for too long, papaya, mango, and pineapple. Also smells a bit like fresh baked goods, like pastries just out of the oven. The palate mostly matches the nose, but with additional hints of smoked red meats. The sweetness and citrus are a really nice backdrop to the meatier notes on the palate. Long finish.

Batch from 05/2022. Bottle 06/50. This one smells like a dark, stormy night. Aromas of fallen rain, wet leaves, cloves, tobacco, bay leaves, and some light salinity. The palate has a very masculine musk, like Old Spice aftershave mixing with Bay Rum and Cuban cigars. This has a long finish and syrupy mouthfeel. The rawhide fermentation is an acquired taste, and I’ve had it for many years now. This is a beautiful mezcal.

Don Beni at his finest. Aromas of new tennis balls, freshly cut grass, dry hay, watermelon, dates, figs, and serrano peppers. The palate is bursting with flavor. Tasting notes of cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberry cream, dates, and cucumber. This is so soft and delicate in mouthfeel, yet intense, flavorful, and aromatic. I’m absolutely loving this.

There’s not much mezcal available out of Estado de Mexico, so this was a treat to taste. The nose is clean and has aromas of sugar cane, fresh flowers, and molasses. The floral element is similar to some tequilas that I’ve tasted, with a touch of freshly cut flowers mixing with vanilla and cooked agave. The palate has some nice minerality and notes of brown sugar and roasted malts. This is fine and I’ll enjoy the Melate bottle, but probably wouldn’t seek out a 2nd.

Lot BSG001 from April 2016. Is there anything better than a mezcal from Don Beni? The answer is no. This mezcal is perfect. Aromas of dark fruits like prunes, blackberries, and cherries. This also has this grape/wine type undertone on the nose mixing with additional aromas of lime and Old Spice aftershave. The palate has notes of watermelon, cantaloupe, orange vanilla, toffee, and green coffee beans. This is phenomenal.

Series 7. Berta’s mezcal is very hit-or-miss for me, and this one…. is a hit. This has aromas of dry herbs, like spearmint, thyme, and bay leaves. There’s also a slight hint of wood on the nose, but not like burning wood, more like living giant cane or bamboo. The palate has notes of toasted nuts, flaxseed, and rolled oats. There’s some faint smokiness, like a nice hand-rolled Peter Stokkebye Amsterdam Shag cigarette. A note of brand new basketballs also sit on the tongue through the finish. This is really nice.

Lot FAU-CUP-001. Smells impeccably clean. Some soft aromas of orange cream, mango, and papaya. The nose is rich with fruit and light creamy notes. The palate is slightly nutty, like roasted peanuts. Additional notes of caramel, cream soda, figs, raisins, and apricot. There’s a warm and medium finish. This is really delicate and beautiful.

This one just keeps getting better the longer it sits on my shelf. When I first opened this bottle it was quite sharp and dense, almost tasting like it was straight off the still and needed some time to rest. I’ve had the bottle for a month now, sipping on it two or three times, and the profile has dramatically changed. I get these aromas of the sweet hard candies you can buy at a movie theater with the hints of fruit, but mostly raw sugar like a Pixie Stick or Runts. The palate still seems like it has some evolution ahead of it, being a bit tightly wound, but it’s progressed substantially since opening. The palate is woody with notes of mesquite, pine, and frankincense. It’s also a bit perfumed with some nice lilac flavor. More notes of toffee, caramel, and sponge cake. I’m going to put this one on the back of the shelf as it keeps getting better with age, maybe grab a second bottle if I can.

Very subtle aromas white wine, olive oil, and a mix of berries… raspberries, strawberries, and blackberry. The palate is wild. The palate has a big wave of bright fruity sweetness on the front of the palate. That initial wave gives way to additional notes of grilled meats, teriyaki seasoning, burnt sage, and cherries. This is a wild one.

Aromas of brown sugar cookies, sourdough bread, wet fallen leaves, green moss, and old musty books. The palate has notes of apple crisp, cinnamon, clove, vanilla cake frosting, honeydew, and pumpkin. This is so soft and delicate. Long sweet finish. Lot DRMTCA-01.

Lot DLF2302E. Aromas of sea salt and crisp minerality. Notes of iron, lead, and limestone. A little sweetness on the nose as well with slight hints of confectionary sugar and burnt spearmint. The is soft with notes of caramel, molasses, cherry, plum, and lime. The finish is balanced with a little apple sweetness. This is a nice espadin.

Wow. What a treat to taste this incredible Tobala. Major shoutout to Mezcaleria Tobalá for making this release happen. Aromas of apple cider, fresh dates, figs, caramel, black pepper, and cognac. The palate is very soft and delicate. Notes of cinnamon apple slices, apple cider, clove, wet hemp, rawhide, and salty shellfish. Phenomenal small batch release.

Batch JAEC1122. Aromas of pixie sticks, cotton candy, drier sheets, hickory, and cherry. The palate is soft with notes of peanuts, bonfire, wet clay, oatmeal, and grilled asparagus. This is a fantastic Espadin. It’s deep and complex, and it really opens up in the glass.

Batch TICUAMA10-22. Bottle 42/247. This one is tricky, really hard to wrap your head around as there’s a lot going on. The nose has that classic animalistic scent that Amando has on most of his mezcals. That raw animal aroma blends with notes of oak, walnut, clove, mushrooms, and something like a wet cellar. The palate is slightly meaty with some high acidic qualities. Additional notes of eucalyptus, asparagus, and green olives. Those vegetative notes give way to notes of some soft tree fruits like apricot and plum. This one is a wild ride and really evolves in the glass. Let it rest and enjoy!

Lot RL-ETJ-01. Aromas of toasted oats, melty caramel, butterscotch, white chocolate, and burnt butter. The palate is creamy with more caramelized sugar notes of honey, glazed donut, and brown sugar. Additional notes on the palate include guava, honeydew melon, and plums. This is really enjoyable. Soft and approachable.

Lot RL-JAB-01. Slightly lactic with earthy elements and aromas. On the nose, I find notes of soft cheeses, bread yeast, peat, hemp rope, chipotle, and dried fish. The palate is soft and delicate. Notes of salami and hard deli meats, cheddar cheese, seaweed, fried soy, and raw oats. This is a clean view of the agave with a touch of clay/earth from the clay pot distillation.

Lot RL-SRN-06. Clean nose, especially for a mezcal distilled in clay. Slight aromas of parmesan cheese, soft cream, old shoe polish, and a bit vanilla malt. The palate is also very clean and clear with agave flavors. Sometimes clay distillation can take over the profile, and that’s not happening here. The palate has more notes of malt, pepper, cloves, caramel, vanilla, sandalwood, and cork.

Lot OO-TPX-14. Aromas of green pepper, serrano, baker’s yeast, and some sharp industrial cleaning product type notes. The palate is sweet and warm with notes of smoked jalapeno cheese, leather, artificial cherry flavoring, and dried mint leaves. I really wanted to love this as I’m a big fan of Onofre’s mezcal. On paper, this seems like it should be a great Tep, but it just doesn’t quite do it for me. It’s not bad by any means, and maybe others will like it. It just falls a bit flat for me.