PAPA04-20: it was hot today, the first day it really felt like summer, and a decadent (hardly decent) girl’s thoughts turn to agave spirits. This is the first agave spirit/mezcal I’m drinking in months, so I may be a little rusty in naming names of aromas/tastes.

This bottle does not disappoint. It’s prismatic, complex, there’s a lot to think about and untangle. Nose: purple grapes, very ripe plantain, wet rocks, kiwi brand shoe polish? but also something almost vinegary/briny. Another reviewer mentioned pickled carrots, and I agree! Taste: there’s something like a fermented hi-c Hawaiian Punch up front, but I also get cacao nibs and maybe even black licorice? This resolves into a vivid coffee flavor on the finish, specifically cafe bustelo (in the yellow can), which I used to drink unceasingly in grad school. Yeah, I love it!