Lot 000216 from November 2016. Overall, this mezcal is tasty. It’s very sweet on the nose with notes of Mexican vanilla, sweet potatoes, and gala apples. The mouthfeel is light and slippery. Tasting notes of burnt orange, cinnamon, and vanilla beans.

Good but not great. This has some nice notes of varied spices, but it’s a bit thin in texture. I tasted this side by side with the Bozal Borrego and this was the weaker of the two. This is a decent Pechuga, but if both options are available, I’d recommend the Borrego over this.

Lot 000117 from Dec 2016. There is a lot of soft spice on this! Cinnamon, vanilla, and lavender notes are bright. It has strong flavor of ground nuts and smoked meat. Very smooth for 52% ABV. There aren’t many Borrego Mezcals on the US market and this one is worth trying.

Lot 000117 from Jan 2017. The bartender at Palenque Mezcaleria in Denver recommended this over any other Bozal bottles, and I found it very enjoyable. I’d never seen a straight agave Castilla before, so I figured I’d give it a try. It has some sweet agave notes that blend nicely with hints of mint leaf, rosemary, and freshly cut herbs.

Batch YJ18-16. Bottle 495/1440. Lots of spices on the nose. Strong aromas of anise and coriander. This is also spicy with high herbal notes on the palate. This is a nice pechuga. I’m a fan.

Lot C-73/O 315-D2-01. Buttered popcorn! It smells like I’m at the movie theatre. Thick and rich on the palate with notes of freshly cracked black peppercorns and butter. This stuff is awesome! If this is any representation of what Durango has to offer, then there are very good things on the horizon.

Edition 06 from 2015. Bottle 293/420. Very clean on the nose with slight hints of vanilla and lavender. It’s thick on the palate and a bit hot with a short finish. It has notes of orange peel and lemon. I like this one, but I prefer some of the other releases from Nuestra Soledad.

Lot E-06-MC-16. 181 total liters in batch. From Emigdio Jarquin. Copper w/Refrescador still. Lots of candied fruit and mineral aromas. The palate is more floral than vegetal, which was a bit of a surprise. Notes of lavender, candied orange, fresh mango, and light pollen. The finish is hot with a deep burn that lingers after the sip.

Insanely sweet aromas that seem artificial. This is more like a bad whiskey than anything agave-related. Not recommended at all.

This mezcal surprised me. I had very low expectations before tasting it given it’s relation to Jose Cuervo. Sipped neat, it’s relatively fruit-forward and very oily with notes of black pepper, nail polish, and sweet agave. I honestly expected this to be a lot worse. I still wouldn’t recommend it neat, as it was better when used in a cocktail.

I tried this at SXSW 2017. Kimo Sabe was everywhere at the event and they were throwing their mezcal at anyone who was willing to give it a try. Given how much money the company is putting into marketing, I expected a much better product. I’m not sure how much they’re paying to be the “Official Mezcal of SXSW,” but it’s clear that they’re spending far more on marketing than they are on the quality of their spirits. This tasted like really, really bad industrial tequila. I’ve been drinking mezcal since 2011, and there have only been 2 or 3 straight mezcal pours that I have ever been unable to finish because or pour quality. This was one of them! I realize that this mezcal is meant to be used as a mixer in cocktails, but it should at least be palatable neat, and unfortunately this one was not at all. Even at the low price point, this is not a good option.

Lote SABIO15/15. Bottle 375/800. Notes of fresh flowers and pollen on the nose. Very soft and clean aromas. Tasting notes include more fresh flowers, mountain breeze, tangerine, grapefruit, and lime. This bottle is very Don Valente, with his Mezcals’ signature velvety texture on the palate.

Batch 003-PEC. 2014. Bottle 195/550. Slightly yellow in color, as if it has a touch of chicken broth. A bit of turkey and juniper on the nose. Profile has strong smoked turkey flavor. My grandfather always grilled our Thanksgiving turkey when I was younger and this taste exactly like that turkey! Not as viscous as other Pechugas, but it’s not so light that it doesn’t hang on the palate for awhile after the sip. A touch of dried fruit accompanies the turkey notes.

Lot RML-05. Bottle 204/616. Absolutely incredible. Dangerously soft and balanced. Aromas of dried dates, straw, and lilac. The palate matches the aromas with strong vegetal notes and hints of fresh tropical fruit that finish softly and hang in mouth.

Lot DJME/0116. Tried this at Expedio Tradicion as it was highly recommended by the staff. It’s very fruity on the nose with notes of orange, lime peel, and lemon. It’s smooth and even across the palate with flavor notes of orange and ripe papaya. It’s easy and light without too much heat. Very well balanced.

Lot TAV-131. Super clean on the nose with light hints of cumin and green peppers. The taste is robust with notes of burnt orange peel, ground nuts, pineapple rind, and plantains. This is a little hot, but it’s still VERY good.

2013. Batch 003-Mex. Bottle 167/360. This is spicy and very vegetal on the nose. On the palate, this is super grassy, like a fresh summer morning with notes of pollen and wet flowers. This is really, really good. There’s nothing too overpowering and it settles well after the sip is finished.

Lot ARQ04/15. Bottle 29/168. Very tasty. Slightly sour on the nose with hints of wild apple and wet grains. The flavor has a lot of clay, but it doesn’t overpower the Arroqueno like it does with other clay pot distilled mezcals. This is really nice with subtle notes of apples, brown rice, and wild yeasts. I’ve enjoyed several Siete Misterios bottles and this one is at the top of the list. At 50% ABV, this is very soft and enjoyable.

If you see this, I highly recommend that you try it. Most of this release is long gone by now, so you’re lucky if you can find some. It’s full and round in the mouth and it has strong tasting notes of orange, papaya, green grape, and pineapple. This stuff is hand to find, but absolutely amazing.

Batch YJ05-16. Bottle 531/5040. Considering the price, this is a really good Espadin. There are a lot of Espadin mezcals out there that cost a lot more and don’t taste this good. The nose is clean with notes of fresh pollen, flowers, and spring breeze. The body is balanced. Tasting notes of candied yams, dried papaya, and orange peel. I’m sipping this neat and it’s really enjoyable.