Jan 2022 Batch

10/20/22: This is a well rounded, nice, and approachable arroqueño. For me, it hits all of the key notes, and does so very well. It is nice and rich, coating the mouth with stone fruit flavors, and with a deep roasty quality, balanced with a hint of bitterness. The finish is bright and earthy, and quite long, building in intensity and depth with each sip. Delicious.

MIG-INA-001, Bottle #37

10/20/22: The nose is absolutely crazy. Very intense aroma. Bubblegum, mango, blue cheese, honeydew.

This mezcal is balanced, rich, and complex. More of the honeydew up front, with ripe tropical fruits. There’s an almost fermenty quality that reminds me both of a tonburi dish I once had, and passion fruit at the same time. The finish carries more of the bubblegum and blue cheese notes, along with an almost faintly woody mineral finish.

Like nothing else I’ve ever tasted. Delicious.

Tio Pedro, Edition 1 (2015), Bottle 475/612

5/9/22: The nose is rich with serrano, bubblegum, aloe, and a hint of smoke. This is a big expression with great body and strength, while still remaining very balanced. Banana pops out on the palate. Very creamy. The finish explodes, it is really quite bold, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

This is an absolutely exceptional arroqueno.

Aureliano Hernandez, Series 4 (2019)

5/9/22: The aroma of this mezcal is very strong, I could smell it immediately when placed down on the table, and it smells wonderful. Lots of timber on the nose, supported by some darker berry notes. Decent body on the palate but not too big, with almost a salty limestone quality. Just like on the nose, the flavor is very roasty, with the fruits coming through alongside the fairly spicy base. The finish is a touch hot, carrying the roasty wood notes through, along with a more vegetal profile that is less sweet than the fruits on the palate.

Overall very tasty.

Notes from a pour on 1/20/20: Nose: dry stone. Touch of heat, chili. Faint chocolate. Rich and a little sweet. Ripe stone fruits. Cinnamon, clove. Mellow deep charred wood through the finish.

Ignacia Parada, Edition 05, Harvest 2019, Bottle 152/185

1/26/22: Wow, this is a treat. Grassy and vegetal, poblano, wet stone. Lots of minerality, some ripe fruit as well (almost overripe pears). The finish is long, rich, and coating, with plenty of sweetness.

Overall a wonderfully balanced and nuanced expression, all of the notes are hit together in symphony. This mezcal brings forth bold flavor, yet is delicate at the same time. Very very tasty.

Lot TOB-141, 2015?

1/25/22: The nose is fairly light, fruity, with ripe peaches and some cinnamon. Mango, plums, apples, lots of fruit here. The palette is a touch hot, but the finish is smooth and leathery with some smokiness.

While this is not as much of a floral fruit bomb as some other tobalas, I am really drawn to the balance of the fruit with some of the more earthy, smoky qualities.

Aquilino Garcia, Lot A-04-C-20, March 2020

1/25/22: Strong acetone note on the nose, with some carmelized tropical fruit notes. This is a big, bold mezcal. There’s some earthiness to it, the predominant profile though is blend of strong vegetal notes and ripe, funky fruit (almost like the hogo present in some high-ester rums, the aggressive fruit funk of Jamaica combined with some of the more chemical notes present in some Martinique rums). The finish is big and sustained, with some of the sweeter fruit staying more than the acetone-y notes.

Overall, it took me a little while to take in this mezcal fully, but once I did, it was quite delicious.

Emigdio Jarquin, Lot E-20-TOB-19, April 2019

1/24/22: A rich, hot, and complex expression. The key tobala notes are front and center, with rich fruit (almost a hint of banana and cantoloupe), supported by some more vegetal tones (jalapeno) and a strong ashy and mineral base.

Definitely a little hot, I’m looking forward to seeing if it mellows out and opens up as time goes on. Overall, very nice!