Lot RA-TOP-01. Aromas of orange soda, grapefruit, and Hawaiian Punch. The palate is also quite fruity. Notes of orange soda, Pepto-Bismol, pineapple, and a bit of smoke. This is just a total fruit bomb. I get very little of the Pechuga meatiness, so if you like non-meaty pechuga mezcals, this is the one for you.

Lot RA-FITZ-06. Deep and earthy aromas of dark chocolate, coffee beans, peanut oil, moringa leaves, and sea salt. The palate mostly matches the nose with that same rich nutty and chocolatey character. The peanut butter chocolate elements of this are particularly strong on the palate. Additional notes of caramel and toffee. This evolves in the glass and is worth several pours. I’m really enjoying this.

Lot RA-ETM-01. Smells AMAZING. Aromas of fresh pineapple-orange juice, mango, and melon. The palate is also very fruity with notes of grilled pineapple, green mango, cantaloupe, brown sugar, and smoldering tobacco. This is full and immediately approachable. It’s something I’d reach for often.

Lot JL-TOB-01. Bright, floral, and fruity nose. Aromas of geraniums, coconut oil, hempseed, pine, raspberry, blackberry, and orange. The palate is soft with notes of mineral rock salt, raw honey, oak, coconut, and fresh flowers. Medium body. A little heat on the finish. Overall this is delicate and enjoyable.

Super buttery aromas. Notes of buttered popcorn, pepper Jack cheese, jalapeño, and freshly cracked black pepper. The palate is light. Notes of smoke, leather, fresh tobacco, spearmint, and anise. Strong and full finish. Lot L3/22

All barrel. No agave flavor nor aroma present. Not complex. Two notes: smoke and leather. The regular anejo is far more complex and interesting.

Lot 22. Bottle 57/60. Slightly lactic aromas with a bit of black pepper and orange peel. The palate is very soft for 50% abv. Notes of orange vanilla, strawberry, and sweet cream. This is really nice with a soft and delicate character.

This is a really interesting spirit. It’s much mustier and wetter than many of the other destilados that I’ve had from this region. Fruity aromas of pomegranate, papaya, and guava mixing with wild fresh mushrooms and wet hemp. The palate is also very fruity with some additional notes of burning sage, honey, stewed apples, and plum. Lot IGN-AMA-001

Phenomenal Espadin! Aromas of sea salt, ocean breeze, green olives, iodine, carnations, and coconut. The palate is green and vegetal upfront with notes of green peppers, snow peas, parsley, and dry salted potatoes. There’s a bit of heat on the back of palate that is accompanied by a very dry cigar-like smoke and leather. This is really nice and opens up the longer it sits in the glass. Lot MGG-8E from Enero 2020.

Very bright and green aromas: Green peppers, fresh asparagus, jalapeno, under-ripe habanero, and a slight touch of cheddar cheese. The palate is also extremely green, a little watery, but not overwhelmingly so. The palate mostly matches the nose with notes of jalapeno cheddar cheese, green bell peppers, cream of asparagus soup, and chalky minerals. This is really enjoyable but not something I’d reach for regularly. It’s 100% worth a taste. Lote MMDN 004? It could be 001 at the end of lote number, but tough to tell. Bottle 3329.

This is interesting and complex. Aromas of fresh day lilies, root vegetables freshly pulled form the ground (like freshly picked carrots that still have the dirt on them). The palate has good minerality with notes of caramel, chocolate, smoky campfire, and cooking brown sugar.

My favorite of the 4 ensambles. Aromas of sour fruit, artificial sour cherries, cantaloupe, melons, and sugary Sour Patch Kids. The palate is slightly buttery and more viscous than the other ensambles. Notes of caramel, parmesan cheese, jasmine, and Mexican vanilla bean.

Aromas on this are much less lactic than Ensamble 1. This has aromas of fresh flowers, confectionary sugar, baby powder, and freshly squeezed lemons. The palate mostly matches the nose with additional hints of cucumber, black pepper, and dry maple leaves.

Aromas of light soft cheeses, vinegar, pickled vegetables, and fresh cucumber. The palate has notes of anis, candied apples, sweet cream, parmesan cheese, and cracked pepper. It’s interesting that so many others loved this. While I didn’t dislike it per se, this was my least favorite of the 4 ensambles.

Aromas of dried cranberry, dates, and figs, also sweeter notes of brown sugar, raw sugar cane, and caramel. The palate has notes of peanuts, apricot, raw oysters, dried peat, and Chipotle. Smoky finish. This is one of the few mezcals I’ve had from Nombre de Dios that has almost no lactic elements whatsoever (which I think is a good thing). LUI-CEN-001

Chalky minerals on the nose with notes of flint and slate. Also some sweeter aromas of vanilla and candied orange. The palate is very sweet and a little burnt, with notes of white chocolate, cloves, all spice, cinnamon, stewed apple sauce, carnations, hibiscus, and burning mesquite. The fruitiness of this is a nice balance with the dried spice and charred elements of this. No batch number on sample dram.

Aromas of pumpkin pie crust, sweet honey, rolled oats, cold iron, and a bit of aftershave. The palate also has some good minerality. I get some of the Cream Soda note that Zack mentioned. There’s also some butter cookie and Werther’s Original type caramel sweetness. This is full bodied with a firm and consistent finish. No batch number on sample dram.

SNL-001/22. This doesn’t exactly make me want to “get away” or “fly away” but it’s a solid spirit. At 43%, it is soft on the palate. I prefer this maestro’s sotols at a slightly higher ABV, but this is still nice as is. Aromas of fresh eucalyptus, spearmint, parsley, green olives, sandalwood, and ginger root. The palate has notes of bog, soy, wet fallen leaves, a little clove, and rose water as well.

Lot J-10-ME-22. Brutal. Aromas of paint thinner, kerosene, lead, and iodine. This smells like a burning chemical factory. The palate is hot, even for 51%. Notes of sulfur and kerosene. There’s a burn upfront and a hot burning finish. The whole experience is terribly disjointed. I opened this bottle and let it sit for a few weeks before writing this. Sadly, the spirit has not changed in that time. I’ve been a huge Vago fan for years but this one is rough. I’m frankly surprised that they bottled this and put it in the market. This is a major miss for them.

Lot YJ24-20. Bottle 0370/3000. Good minerality on the nose. Additional aromas of spearmint, powdered sugar, guava, and a bit of honey. The palate is soft with notes of bubblegum, watermelon, burnt marshmallow, and wet Camel cigarette ash. There’s a slight flash of heat on the back on the palate. This is very enjoyable and a great value for the price.