Judging by the prior reviews, this was a polarizing mezcal. Sadly for me, my palate was on the downside for it. I just couldn’t get past the funky richness and, to me, off-putting flavor. I set it aside after two tastings and let it sit for a while, hoping my tastes would expand or the bottle change a bit, but no go.This one was not for me.

Steamed pinas instead of roasted, a sugar/honey derived from the steam process used to bolster the fermentation, a single distillation…unique in so many ways.

While it has the volatility I expected from a 60abv Puntas, it delivers it in an elegant fashion; heated but not burning. Flavor notes of cherry, a bit of menthol, some minerality and brown sugar. Long lingering flavor finishes that justify taking your time as you experience a veladora of this one. Really enjoyable.

One of my 3 favorites of 2022. Love the aroma, the botanicals that almost remind me of a gin/mezcal hybrid. Fresh bright flavors with so many layers. Great stuff.

ILD-JAB-001

The nose smells like my boots after a walk in the chaparral; sage and lemon verbena with an undertone of earth and leather. Soft initial flavors of sandalwood, incense, and very perfumey. Those then dissipate as a more assertive lingering finish comes on. Much sterner flavors to my tongue; menthol, woody, and a metallic note that made me think of drinking water out of a metal canteen when I was younger.

Very complex; it’s hard to pin this one down because there’s so much going on…in a good way.

Jai-Bar-001

First tasting:
Sweet and sour, malt vinegar and eucalyptus bark on the nose and sugar/caramel on the tongue.. Then the next wave of flavors came on; the syrupy sauce of a good apple pie, with a bit of salinity. Impressively smooth considering the abv%.

Looking forwards to the second tasting to see what else comes to mind.