Rich on the pepper. Quite a lot of pepper, soap stone, cream. Peppery, honey, green bean and almost a cherry fruit. Papaya, ash and crisp jalapeno. Quite the complexity, and extraordinarily fresh and “tep-like”.

Whew – so much going on in this expression. The Tepextate character is undeniable and it runs free and unbridled here. So much complexity, vegetation and “freshness”. Nice work.

*The importer sent me this.

A bit hot, but rich and full of pepper, sweet cream, a crisp rainwater note. Light vegetation, some more of that chemical glue note, though it’s not offputting. Bright and crisp.

Honestly, Yuu Baal is the definition of a hit or miss bottler given the state of their pechuga, but this is a bright, fun, crisp fruity adventure that manages to also remain quite unique.

Oily mouth feel, rich and bursting with pepper, sweet blueberry and blackberry, faint cedar. It’s sweet and fruity for the most part, with an underlying minerality that keeps things in check, with that oily texture that pechugas tend to present.

Overall, pechugas are a hot topic, and the additional body that this expression demonstrates in the palate is impressive, fun and out there. Sweet cream, berries, minerality and ash all come together to produce a savory expression that is easy to pour when celebrating something special.

Sweet and rich on the palate. Cream and honey, cocoa and vanilla bean, faint ash, lovely clove note. Hint of garlic, fresh green bell pepper but only faintly. Complex.

Really great overall, demonstrating some interesting character thats really enticing. This is my first Don Mateo and almost assuredly not my last.

Sweet on the palate, lots of celery salt, mango, honey. Side of roasted potato, beef bouillon and celery. Weird and fun, meaty, savory and a hint of fruits like kiwi.

Weird, interesting, certainly unique. This has a bit of everything in a really fun way.

Light tobacco note, faint wood ash. Tons going on, great balance. Rich mouth feel, bit of sweetness. Proof feels really well placed, warm on the palate but just right.

Really complex, well done. Big fan of this expression, and its a really great companion to sit with for a while to take it all in.

Rich and roasty once more. Sweet pineapple, mango, pepper, faint brine, hint of clay. Powerful on the palate with some clay essence and a growing smoke character.

This is really great, showing La Medida has the staying power to maintain an already great track record. Powerful, complex, enticing, Its got it all.

Thin on the palate once more, but far from disappointing. Lots of chalk, lemon, pepper and this chemical essence. So light and crisp, but with so much flavor. Heat grows with time.

Strange, I cant say Ive had anything like it. The nose is just wild, beyond this world. but the palate and finish sort of lend themselves to the mundane. Its the most unique thing Ive drank in some time, but its not blowing my socks off the more I sit with it.

Rich and powerful, brine forward and lightly acidic. Faint hit of cocktail onion, clay, minerality. Bright, savory, enticing.

Wow, this is really great. Not something Id peg for an Espadin blind, its loaded with so much complexity and flavor, with a really fascinating nose. Im a big fan here, and Rezpiral continues to demonstrate their ability to bring some of the very best to market.

Straightforward and inviting on the palate. Sweet cream, rich clay and earthiness. Faint ash smoke and beef. Vinegar note is there. Hint of guava on the back palate. Rich and complex, savory but not too pungent.

Sweet, meaty, spicy and rich, Blend cream cheese frosting, beef bouillon, garlic shoots and honey. Faintly acidic, some nice ash on the back palate. Rich, and a hair hot on but not excessive.

Sweet on the palate before a hint of vinegar creeps in. Sweet cream, light pepper, faint rising bread, some cocktail onion and a hint of minerality. Neither too sweet, nor too funky, a shred of earth hangs out and sits on the back palate.

Impressive depth on the nose and palate – a really lovely bicuixe. The terroir is evident here, driving those savory notes to grapple with the sweet nose. Really well done, certainly very good.

Wow – this is all over the place but manages to hold my attention from start to finish. Savory but not too savory. Funky but not excessive. That onion note is delightful but not grating. Pepper and minerality, but never more than just enough. If you want a unique and savory mezcal, this is it.

Beef, salt, pepper, big garlic notes. Soapstone, honey, this is perhaps the most savory mezcal I’ve yet had. Mouth feel is rich and chewy, lots to work through. No real heat.

This is some pretty crazy stuff. It’s well made, but not my preferred profile. The clay is evident and everything is savory over drive. Wild stuff.

Powerful vegetal quality, some smoke and minerality. Sweet candy, fruits, a hint of cream, and confectioners sugar. Lovely in all the right ways.

Really great offering here, showing the sweet, complex, creamy side of Tep that drives me wild. Yum.

TBCUERO01-19

This is interesting – a smoky, mineral forward Tobala that engages the savory side of things without going overboard. Impressive distillate for sure.

Batch XAO014-17

Thick, rich, mouth feel. Lots of honey, pepper, pineapple, melon and jalapeño pepper. Really complex, lots going on.

Whew, this is downright lovely. I could drink this all day. This shows off so much great Mexicano character, in a way that just jives with my palate.

Batch XJM27-17 and bottle 1297 / 1330

Medium viscosity on the palate but lots of flavor. Pepper and fresh baked bread are very prominent initially, along with some clay, some ash smoke and a hint of pineapple.

Overall, I like this but the complexity fades after you trek past the nose. Thats not the end of the world, but I really prefer more complexity, especially in the finish. That said, this is drinking quite well, and I think its quite alright.

Batch XBP0617, Bottle 1479/2200

Rich and flavorful on the palate. Coats really nicely, sort of drips across the tongue slowly. Peppery and fruity, with the tropical notes giving way to orange peel, lime peel and some melon. Faint clay, bit of ash. Complex and delicious.

This pour changes from pour to finish and in a good way. The fruity and lactic nose is intensely enticing, but the palate and finish have big body and sustain with flavors that stave away boredom. Im a big fan of this release, and this batch in particular.