Batch JABA0422. February 2021. Aromas of new sneakers and freshly produced rubber. Additional aromas of lime, tart lemonade, grilled onions, and grilled pineapple. The palate is a bit yeasty with notes of fermenting beer, sourdough bread, and wet clay.

Batch JAME0422. Jan 2021. Aromas charred tropical fruits, over-chewed bubble gum, strawberry water, cucumber, and honey. The palate is full of honey and sweet breads. Additional notes of oats and fresh flowers. This is very sweet and floral.

Batch JAEN0422. May 2020. Yellowish rusty coloration to the mezcal. Aromas of lavender drier sheets, opium incense, new tennis balls, fresh rubber, and burnt sage. Incredibly soft palate. Notes of charred vegetables, cherry cough drops, and grilled corn. There’s a deep root-like element to this with some additional notes of smoked oak and charred meats.

Batch JAES0422. March 2020. Aromas of fresh lime, aloe, eucalyptus, red potatoes, and unripe pear. The palate is soft with notes of fermented fruit and those old root beer candies that don’t really taste like root beer, but are more sweet and herbal. More notes of Ricola cough drops. Almost sticky in mouthfeel. A bit of heat

Bottle 265/811. Aromas of green apples, fresh cherries, cranberries, mint, bubblegum, and sweet cooked agave. The palate has notes of peanuts, wet leaves, roasted chicken, grilled corn, and black pepper. There’s a bit of heat on the finish that lingers for some time but not in an unpleasant way.

Batch JALU0422. Bottle 155/200. Light aromas of apple cider vinegar and spearmint, but mostly clean on the nose. The palate is leathery on the first sip. Notes of freshly rolled cigars, dried dates, and tanned hides. There’s a splash of a little peppermint and some burnt sage on the palate of this as well. Very soft and delicate. Highly enjoyable and excited to try more from this brand.

Lot GIL-LAM-001. Spectacular spirit!! Aromas of cognac, vanilla, custard, clove, all spice, and a touch of pepper jack cheese. The palate is big a full with bright black pepper, water chestnuts, ginger root, pecans, and cooked collard greens. I’ve had a few other releases from Gilberto and this one is stellar.

Clean nose. Some light aromas of flowers and live oak pollen, but nothing super strong. The palate is fruity with notes of papaya, mango, and pineapple. This is very light but enjoyable.

Lot VL001. Good minerality on the nose. Aromas of slate, hot limestone, and lime (the material, not the fruit). The palate has some smoke elements, similar to the lingering taste in your mouth after smoking a few Camels. There a bit of creaminess as well, like a light sour cream or salted cream cheese. Overall this is fine, just fine.

Fresh fruity aromas. The nose has notes of McIntosh apples, strawberries, and charred wood. The palate has a medicinal quality to it, with notes of anise, red cough medicine, lemongrass, and cinnamon. This is an interesting Tobala.

Batch AMA-01. Bottle 46/266. Classic Amando rawhide spirit, and great to see his own brand finally in the US. Slightly minty on the nose. Aromas of spearmint, chocolate, coffee, and menthol. The palate is viscous but not too sticky or heavy. It’s balanced, more so than some other mezcals I’ve had from him. The palate has notes of barbequed brisket, vanilla bean, and jalapeno cream. Very enjoyable and a bit lighter than his mezcals that I’ve had when bottled under 5Sentidos in the past.

Lot Batch: MIG-INA-001. Aromas of stewed green beans, wet leaves, McIntosh apples, and peanut oil. The palate has notes of peanut brittle, anise, decomposing wet leaves, and cantaloupe. This is not what I was expecting given the location of production, but a very nice surprise.

Lot Batch: MIG-INA-001. Enchanting mezcal. Inaequidens is one of my favorite agaves and this expression of it is phenomenal. Aromas of pink lemonade, green apples, bubblegum, and confectionary sugar. The palate has a hint of parmesan cheese, but not overly lactic. More notes of charred peppers, spearmint, and cherries. There’s a bit of heat, but delicious all around.

Batch 202108. Bottle 233/480. Aromas of fresh aloe, corn husks, dry dill, and uncut cabbage. The palate is soft for 51% ABV. The notes are subtle yet complex. Hints of celery, mustard greens, vanilla bean, and serrano peppers. This is really nice and it opens up in the glass the longer it sits.

Batch 202110. Bottle 336/480. Aromas of freshly ground pepper, jalapeno cream, and sweet peppermint. The palate is dry with notes of freshly dried herbs, Oaxacan hot chocolate (with water, not milk), jalapeno muenster cheese, and dry Spanish moss. Very soft and delicate.

Lot I3-1. Sweet aromas of root vegetables: sweet potatoes, sweet yellow onion, and carrots. You can smell the soil on this one, like these root vegetables straight from the garden, before they’re washed. Additional aromas of brown sugar and lime. The palate is light but viscous. Notes of sweet peppers, papaya, grilled pineapple, and spearmint. There’s a bit more heat on the palate in comparison to the Herbal and Seco, but not in an unpleasant way.

*note: tasted the Frutal, Herbal, and Seco from this brand as a flight for comparison

Lot I1-1. Aromas of horseradish, raw sugarcane, sage, black pepper, and fresh flower blossoms. A bit stronger aromas, but less complex on the nose than the Frutal from this brand. Light on the palate. Soft and delicate. Notes of green tea, cilantro, sweet lemonade, and dried sage.

*note: tasted the Frutal, Herbal, and Seco from this brand as a flight for comparison

Lot HDA008. Chalky aromas. Smells like the Mali desert on a hot day with it’s subtle notes of dry leaves, brush, and sandy breeze. The palate has notes of anise, canella, sweet lemongrass and dried strawberries.

*note: tasted the Frutal, Herbal, and Seco from this brand as a flight for comparison

Lot AT1221E. Bottle 306/360. Aromas of chalky minerals and fresh pollen and flowers. The palate has notes of dark chocolate, freshly chopped cilantro, icy cold Dr Pepper, and Sprite on a hot day. I’ve had Tobala from this producer in the past, and they’ve all been really good. This one is no exception. This is very nice Tobala.

Lot MGG-12T. Bottle 146/267. Aromas of green pepper, black pepper, and jalapeño. The palate is also very peppery with additional notes of anise, peppermint, and dark tropical fruits. This has the surface layer Tepextate notes I’d look for but also lots of added complexity with the anise and fruit notes. Very pleasant.