DEE-JUL-001. 44%ABV. I’m a big fan of this producer, especially the expressions made in his ancestral wood still. This has a lot of really delicious flavors. I got a lot of dark brown sugar, fig newtons, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and something that reminds me of an attic in an old wooden house. The only thing I don’t like about this one is that it comes off as kind of watery and thin. 44% ABV isn’t necessarily low for a Raicilla, I’ve had many lower proof Raicilla’s that didn’t come off as this watery. I don’t get any of the guava that they added to the third distillation, maybe some gaminess from the deer? If I tasted this blind I wouldn’t have guessed it was a Pechuga.

Lot 0521AS. Antonio Sonido is an incredible Mezcalero. Every single spirit I’ve tried from him I’ve loved and this is no exception. Chocolate milk, almond butter, cinnamon, ground ginger, ginger ale, and maple syrup candy. This is absolutely bursting with flavor!!!

2oz sample no batch number. This is damn good. Don Eduardo Arrieta makes fantastic Sotol. The 43% ABV is a bit low but it doesn’t taste watery at all. It’s dusty, earthy, herbal and aromatic. I taste eucalyptus, anise, fennel seed, and sandalwood with a lingering sweet finish that reminds me of Dr. Pepper. Very tasty.

Update: after a month of this bottle being open it’s gotten more and more leathery which I really like a lot. So I’m upping my score.

I visited Fortunato’s Palenque back in 2019 and out of all the expressions that I tried his Mexicano was my favorite. This is a solid Mexicano. The first thing I thought of when I took my first sip was leather. Like walking into a saddle shop, or a library full of old books. Also 100% dark chocolate, a little bitter. The wood section of a hardware store, hay, paper, cinnamon, and some juicy fruit gum on the finish. I like it, but the Maguey Melate Mexicano from Berta Vasquez (also in Chichicapam) was better in my opinion. 3.5 stars.

This is delicious! A Tahona Mercado sample from over a year ago. Fresh jalapeño, black pepper, bacon, green apples, and old wood furniture. Damn this is really good!

I would have guessed it was clay pot distilled because it tastes so earthy. Like raw clay! It’s also musty and fruity like an old pack of starburst candy that you found in the attic. It’s really soft and nice. Some musty vanilla on the finish too with drying tobacco leaf. Nice.

I had a one ounce bottle of this that I forgot about for over a year and I just tried it and it’s tasty!! Definitely get the banana that the other reviewer mentioned. A little nail polish remover on the finish but all in all pretty good!

Lot: 1
Very tropical. Guava, mango, passion fruit. It’s really floral too like plumeria flowers. There’s a faint sour lactic note that I’m really digging. I’m not noticing the lower ABV at all, it’s got a ton of flavor. It’s got a really nice oily mouthfeel too. I love Raicilla and this is a good example of the Sierra region.

Lote: 67. I like this brand a lot, so I’ve been looking forward to trying this new addition to their core lineup. I think it’s delicious, it’s pretty reasonably priced as well so I’m definitely going to pick up a bottle for myself. It reminded me of the Chino expression because I got some deep sweet caramel flavor like caramelized agave hearts, also vanilla frosting, cinnamon churros, white Tic Tac’s, and fresh pears. It’s a winner for sure.

L-00401 2008 Made by the legendary Don Lorenzo Angeles Mendoza. This is a perfectly balanced, sweet, floral, and just plain beautiful Mezcal. The clay is very light and integrated with the Agave flavors. Fantastic!

Lot: CM-T-0821
Vanilla extract, banana bread, caramel, graham crackers, and the finish is definitely Zack’s Dr. Pepper. This is tasty for the price.

Lot: CM-ME-1
A lot of metallic and chemical flavors. Copper pipes, bitter tea, nail polish remover, strawberry jam, shoe polish, vanilla, and sandalwood. After some air it got better in the glass. The harsher chemical flavors went away and the vanilla became more prominent.

1oz sample no batch number. Lamata does it again! Another beautiful unique spirit. Subtle, soft, fruity, and floral. This is delicious!!! A hint of expensive perfume in an empty elevator. Lotus flower tea. After a few seconds all the floral elements coalesce into a deep fruity citrus flavor like Tang or Sunny D. This is fantastic.

Lamata is easily one of my favorite brands. Most of their expressions are completely unique which is something I always look for in a Mezcal. This is definitely unique. To me it tastes like someone took half a can of creamed corn and made a dirty martini in it. Whoa this is a trip! Canned corn and olive brine are the main flavors I’m getting from this, there’s also a sweet and savory flavor like an oatmeal cookie. Another rare piece of art from Lamata.

CM-M-0821
Kind of watery and metallic tasting. The same vanilla and caramel flavor that the other Casa Manglar expressions I’ve tasted have. Some cinnamon as well. Not terrible but not my favorite.

JAI-BAR-001. This is my third time tasting this Barril and I love it more and more!! It reminds me of all things sweet, dark, and sticky. It’s decadent. Brown sugar, nutmeg, peat, brûléed sugar, hot dark chocolate fudge, table salt, dark chocolate mousse, and a Peppermint Altoids finish. Damn this is tasty!

ILD-JAB-001. Even after all these years I never cease to be amazed by the seemingly infinite range of flavors that can come out of Agave. This is an incredibly complex Mezcal and tastes nothing like any other Jabali I’ve tasted before. This Mezcal is intensely aromatic, both in smell and in taste. I taste a ton of wood flavors. Somehow this tastes like an Armagnac that had rested in new oak for decades until it became sharply tannic and then reduced until it was highly concentrated. Wow!! These aren’t actually my favorite flavors and I doubt I’ll finish this one quickly but it’s so complex and interesting that I’m glad I have it. Also I can totally see myself growing to love this. Besides the Armagnac notes I get pine cleaner, sandalwood, menthol, new car smell, oak tannins, vinyl upholstery, fabric softener, and dried oregano. I freaking love the Maguey Melate Mezcal Club, keep these unique Mezcals coming!!!

Lot: CM-ET-0821
Caramel, vanilla, allspice, clove, oak, brown sugar, roasted almonds, bitter ashy finish. I have mixed feelings about this one because some sips are great but others have a bitter/smoky/ashy finish that I don’t like. The Tobala adds complexity to the Espadin but honestly I prefer the Espadin.

Lot: CM-E-0821
Big caramel and vanilla notes, powdered sugar, banana pudding, chocolate malt balls. Initially I got a slightly vegetal and metallic finish but it completely went away after 10 minutes of air. For $38 a bottle this is very good. Not a lot of complexity but plenty of flavor.

This is tasty! You can definitely still taste the Agave. I would like to try it after 4 months instead of eight but the wood is not overwhelming. Light brown sugar, peanut brittle, vanilla extract, apple juice, a drag on an unlit cigarette, wood varnish, nutmeg, particle board, and Heath toffee. As far as wood aged Mezcals go, this one is pretty good. The small Añejo bottle that came with it had lost all traces of Agave flavor, I would have preferred to taste the same Espadin unaged but that probably wasn’t possible. I’m glad I have this in my collection for friends to taste what a wood aged Mezcal is like.