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Mezonte Tepe

Jul 31, 2021

Lote 04:
Buttery, luscious, and ethereal with loads of complexity and layers of flavor. Hard to pinpoint the specific flavors, but that’s what I love about it.

I’ve had the Cenizo batches 01, 02, and 04. Though they are all different in subtle ways, they are all of a similar caliber.

I’ve tasted batch 04 Masparillo as well, and it had some similarities but with a totally bewildering addition of a stark soapy enigmatic quality that erupted suddenly and faded into oblivion. 4 stars for that one.

Sotoleros Tavi Lechuguilla

Jul 31, 2021

Lote 05 :
Synthetic rubber/plastic factory concentrated into liquid. Doesn’t sound like a selling point, but something about the finish rounds out the flavors and makes it quite enjoyable to me. I’m a fan of the unique, pungent robustness.

La Luna Cupreata

Jul 31, 2021

Lote P1-05:
Absolutely the best deliciousness to price ratio I’ve ever experienced in a mezcal available for purchase in the US. Bursting with tropical fruity, funky and slightly cheesy flavors. Assuming that batches stay in a similar league as this, I’ll always have a bottle on my shelf.

Cuentacuentos Espadin Artesanal

Jul 31, 2021

Lote 837 – Enero 2020:
Soft. Not unpleasant. Very basic, middle of the road profile. Roasted flavors with slight sweetness. Ok, but certainly not special. Wouldn’t buy again.

Del Maguey Madrecuixe

Sep 14, 2019

The palate is bright, citrusy, and sweet with some minerality and a tiny bit of acetone. It also has that faint fruity funk that several of the Del Magueys tend to have. A solid and enjoyable mezcal with some subtle and unique flavors. In terms of value, there are other madrecuixes/karwinskiis in this price range and lower that I would purchase over this one.

Farolito Penca Verde

Sep 14, 2019

I’m a huge fan of Valentin Celis’ mezcals. I get aromas/flavors of tobacco, barnyard, clay, earth must, fermented/roasted agave, smoke, & honey. It is remarkably distinct, and the flavor just hangs around on your palate for quite some time.

Farolito Papalometl

Sep 14, 2019

I had a small pour of this at a mezcal bar and really enjoyed it. Quite flavorful. A nice balance of flavors between the clay, leather, and sweet fruitiness of the Papalometl. Gentle yet complex.

Cuish Cuish – Francisco Garcia León

Sep 14, 2019

I had a pour of this and enjoyed it thoroughly. Classic Karwinskii mineral-earthy flavors along with some sweet spice, clove, and a hint of bubblegum. I also enjoyed this particular US release batch more than the ones I’ve tried at the Cuish Mezcaleria.

Vago Ensamble – Emigdio Jarquin Ramirez

Feb 16, 2019

55% Tobala, 45% Madrecuixe – This is my personal favorite of Emigdio’s releases that I’ve tried. Very distinctive flavor profile that is quite similar to his other batches; but with a certain creamy sweetness which I imagine comes from the Tobala. Emigdio’s mezcals are tough to describe, but I tend to think earthy, vegetal, cucumber, bubblegum, and mineral flavors. 4.5 stars

Mezcalosfera Espadin/​Jabali – Victor Ramos

Feb 16, 2019

A somewhat mild flavor profile that is vegetal, spicy, floral, and bright. It has some of the wild flavors often found in Jabali but balanced out with the Espadin. I will say that this is my least favorite of the Mezcalosfera releases so far, though it is still a very good mezcal and is at a lower price point than their other offerings. 3.5 stars

Marca Negra Dobadan

Feb 16, 2019

Batch 17J03-15: 4.5 stars – Beautiful. Clean, complex, ethereal flavors. Delicate floral, honeysuckle, and mild citrus notes. Definitely a ‘perfumed’ quality, but not overwhelming. Batch XA012-17: 2.5 stars – smells like watered down rubbing alcohol and a tiny bit of vanilla in the distance. A shell of its former self. The palette has some very faint similarities to that of the previous batch, but as if diluted with neutral grain spirits.

Vago Cuixe – Emigdio Jarquin Ramirez

Jul 26, 2018

Emigdio: April 2016 – Bright & fragrant. Green and herbaceous. Cucumber, earth, and some sweet roasted agave at the finish. The few varieties of Emigdio’s mezcal I’ve tried all share a very similar flavor profile, but it’s one that I keep coming back to. The flavor is robust, complex, and carries through the entire palate.

Marca Negra Arroqueno

Jul 26, 2018

Batch MJ20-15 – 48.6%
Fragrant, floral, fruity, spicy, citrus, banana, very faint/distant smoke. A soft, tropical quality that is similar to other of Ortiz’s mezcals. Very balanced flavors. A lightly silky mouthfeel with a slight sweetness. Finishes dry with a mild spice and a bit of heat. This is a delicious mezcal with a lot of complexity.

Mala Idea Ensamble

Jul 26, 2018

Batch #1 – Very little aroma. The initial flavor is really nice. There’s some subtle caramel, sweet spice, and mild floral notes on the palate. Though the flavors are lovely, they are a bit muted and seem to disappear quickly. I was initially disappointed when I purchased this bottle because the flavors were distant and lacking in character, yet the alcohol was very present. A week later, the flavor to heat ratio is much better and it’s more enjoyable overall, though the finish still seems lacking and alcohol forward. Still, it’s certainly a good bottle for the price point.

Nuestra Soledad Sta. Ma. Zoquitlan

Jul 17, 2018

2014: Edition 2 – Minerals, grass, and a little smoke on the palate with some sweetness. Now that this has been sitting on my shelf for awhile, the heat has mellowed significantly and it is more enjoyable. Though it hasn’t been one that regularly begs my attention, for $50 it’s a solid sipper with an interesting flavor profile.

Real Minero Barril

Jul 17, 2018

This is one of my favorite Real Minero mezcals. Super rich and viscous with lots of earth, clay, tobacco, and chocolate, rounded out with loads of roasted agave sweetness. This one keeps me coming back. RMB-05 – 2016 – 50.3%

Pierde Almas Tepextate

Jul 17, 2018

Bright, green, and fruity. Though it has some vegetal & herbal qualities, the sweetness seems to bring some other flavors into the foreground that are less typically associated with Tepextate. I’m getting some raisins, bananas and a hint of caramel. It has the viscosity and sweetness of a 55% mezcal, but it tastes much softer than that to me. Quite good!

Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas

Jun 17, 2017

Lot 122 – 2011: This one has a sharp, dry, almost powdery spiciness – as in spices in your pantry. I think chili powder and a hint of cumin. The spice note for me was very distinct and made the flavor profile seem somewhat one-dimensional. As the bottle aerated over the weeks, the spice note mellowed a bit and I began noticing more sweetness, leather, and some fruitiness. I wasn’t particularly fond of this one for awhile, but as of lately I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit. I’m very curious to try a newer batch of this stuff.

Vago Elote – Aquilino García López

Jun 17, 2017

Nose: Lots of roasted/cooked agave sweetness. Some vanilla notes. A bit of fruitiness and a slight minerality. Palate: Nice viscosity, thick and silky. All of the elements from the nose are confirmed in the taste with a bit of alcohol punch. After the bottle is opened awhile, the alcohol punch mellows out a bit and you get more of the flavor. Quite good – excellent choice for bottles in the $50-ish range.

Mezcalosfera Tobala/​Verde/​Madrecuixe/​Cuixe/​Espadin – Felipe Cortés

Jun 17, 2017

Otherworldly flavor profile. The nose and palate are bursting with an array of hard-to-pinpoint flavors. Truly complex. Nice soft, almost velvety mouthfeel. To attempt to describe the flavor, there’s some earthiness, minerality, and floral notes – but really, its an incredibly unique flavor experience that seems almost ineffable. Worth the price tag in my opinion.

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