Mezcal Review #6 – Maguey Melate Club Pick December 2023 – Criollo

Criollo, 42.5% ABV.

Notes: From El Plantanar Manlinaleo, Estado de Mexico. Distilled 2x is copper stills by Carmelo Perdoza Alvarez. 375 L.

Nose: A bit “new-make”-y – kind of like musty hot dog water. It smelled like this the first time I tried to distill something – and IPA that never got pleasant. Orange peel, smoked meat, flowers, and grass. This was distilled in March 2023 so it’s still a bit young, might improve with more rest. That or they just went too deep into the tails.

Palate: Better. The usual suspects – cream cheese frosting, mint, milk chocolate. Medium sweetness. Texture is a bit thin, likely a result of the low ABV. Not very complex but good enough.

Finish: Smoky, some distant burnt plastic and clay.

Comments: I’d heard that the December/January box was not well received, and I can see why. This is fine, but there are definite flaws here. I’ll hang onto this sample for a while and see if it’s doing better in ~6 months.

Score: 4/10 (t8ke scale)

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Mezcal Review #4 – Maguey Melate November 2023 Club Pick – Cupreata

Cupreata, 49.8% ABV.

Notes: From Oxtotitlan, Guerrero. Distilled in a copper pot by Erasto Celerino Moreno. 120 L outrun, March 2023.

Nose: Not super aromatic, but very pleasant. Fruity – cantaloupe, touch of sake, spearmint, and acetone.

Palate: Medium viscosity, sweet and very clean. White sweet tarts, a bit lactic but not in a cheesy way. Touch of sawdust. All very well balanced.

Finish: Slightly tannic and minty. Minerality becomes apparent – clay.

Comments: Much more my speed, I like this way better than the October Raicilla.

Mezcal Review #3 – Maguey Melate October 2023 Club Pick – Ensemble
An Ensemble of Ixtero Amarillo, Cenizo, and Mezcal Negro. 47.4 % ABV
Notes: From Chancuellar, Jalisco – distilled in a Filipino copper pot by Lorenzo and Tomas Virgen in Dec. 2022. 460 L outrun.
Nose: Pineapple and baiju. Minty and cheesy, white wine vinegar.
Palate: Thin texture. Very lactic – the cheesy note continues and gets louder, as does the mint. Apple juice, caramel, cream. The peppermint filling they put in chocolates.
Finish: Wood smoke, toothpaste, blood, and chamomile tea. There’s an odd textural thing that happens as well where it starts to feel almost gritty, which doesn’t help with the tooth paste impression.
Comments: Oof – I don’t completely hate it, but this is odd. I think Raicilla is maybe not my cup of tea. Difficult to love and the flavors are not well balanced.

Mezcal Review #2 – Rey Campero JabaliJabali – 48.8 % ABV
Notes: Distilled in wood-fired copper in Candeleria Yegole by Romulo Sanchez Parada in April 2019
Nose: Acetone, lactic, tomatillo, a bit of barnyard funk (hay/manure). Anise, mint, and a little vanilla.
Palate: Sweet pineapple and cream cheese at first, turning more herbal and woodsy. Gets a bit drying and grassy, clay and anise. Bay leaf, lemon grass.
Finish: Pineapple and other tropical fruits make a return. Almost a pre-bottled painkiller. Really nice stuff.
Comments: Really dig this bottle, especially now that the tropical fruits are coming out with some air. On first opening it was all on the bitter/herbal notes but now that it’s had some time to breathe the balance is much better.
Score: 7/10 (t8ke scale)
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect

Mezcal Review #1 – Palenqueros Omar Nolasco
Espadin – 55 % ABV
Notes: Distilled in wood-fired copper in San Luis del Rio, Batch ANES01
Nose: Smokey and lactic, fairly classic mezcal nose. Some citrus.
Palate: Light candy sweetness (smarties), creamy texture. Pleasant but not hugely complex.
Finish: Orange peel and star anise. Faint butterscotch and returning wood smoke.
Comments: Clean, competently made spirit but too light on the nose and palate for my taste. Bordering on agave vodka at times.
Score: 5/10 (t8ke scale)
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect