The aroma is livelier than #1 with good heat and spices, still sweet but earthier.
The taste is not pleasant. There is some strong pucker-causing sweet-tartness.
The finish is ok but the tart pucker is still there.

My order of these ensambles: 4, 3, 1, 2

The aroma is sensational with fruit, over-ripe cantaloupe, earth and purple skittles.
The taste is good and sweet with candy fruit and great warmth in the mouth.
The finish is good and continues the “sweet fruit” party.
This would be an excellent sprit for newcomers.

My order of these ensambles: 4, 3, 1, 2

Tasted at Baja Betty’s (San Diego) Agave club for July. Strong smoke and spice in the aroma, with an undercurrent of lavender and berries.
The taste is better than the regular Espadin but rather light and watery. There is also some bitterness on the back end.
The finish focuses on the bitterness and even moves a bit toward the astringent.
I did not get the batch info. But the brand rep says this will be the last batch of this style.

Mole Pechuga–great idea! Right away the aroma hits you with the chocolate mole. Surprisingly the 46% tastes hotter than the 51%. The finish is the best part–long and creamy with a good amount of heat. This mole pechuga really helps to round out the flavors. It is long and bursting with good aromas/flavors and there’s a whole other layer with the pechuga.

A good budget high proof. Not much aroma, very light smoke. A good explosion of flavor on the taste–a big burst of heat and cane sweetness to start it off. It goes down with plenty of pepper and sweet agave. The finish is fairly quick, and not overly alcoholy for 51%…but does give a nice belly warmth.

This is a really good agave spirit with good heat and a fantastic finish.
The aroma has rock candy, mild salinity, some tropical fruit and green grapes.
The taste is “darker” than the aroma with minerals, soil, some pepper and a hint of clove.
The finish is where this one shines…it’s crazy long with good heat and more good flavors!

This comes with a bonus bottle by Noel. It is also really good but so different than the Pichomel.
Aroma has salt-water taffy and peaches.
The taste is thin but good with river rock, pepper and light vegetal.
The finish is good with medium heat. Also 3.5 stars

Really Good and balanced Cenizo from Durango. The aroma is very light overall. There is some minerality with light sweetness.
The taste is really balanced with a blend of earthiness and sweetness.
The finish is good, with even heat lasting quite a while.
Just overall really good!

I get excited for the high proof stuff and this one is great! The aroma is bright, warm with topical fruit, mango and over sweetened orang juice. A bit hot on the nose and in the mouth.
The taste is outstanding–like extra spicy Christmas peppermint sticks! There is no smoke at all due to the steam cooking. But I am not missing it. There is no mistaking that this is a strong flavored mezcal and not tequila.
The finish is my favorite part. REALLY long! Sweet heat that lingers with just pure agave as you breathe. Wonderful.
While there is a bit of alcohol heat, this one is complex and fun! I am still trying to find “old hot dog water”. My search continues!

Sampled at Baja Betty’s agave club in San Diego. Strong aroma and taste but finish is the best part. Sweet berrry cream on the aroma. Taste is peppery and fun with more slight sweetness and yumminess . Finish is sensational!

Exceptionally balanced and drinkable! The aroma is good, clean with floral, minerality, river rocks, a hint of clay and light citrus.
The taste is solid with more minerals, mild bitterness, almost no smoke nor sweetness and good heat.
The finish is balanced, very long, great! Way to end 2022 Maguey Melate!

Ugghh! If I am being optimistic I could say “an interesting experience”. I don’t think it is the Deer/Guama pechuga that is throwing me off. The sample of the straight Maximiliana is the same for me. Just not fun or good.
In the aroma there is some big “lechuguilla funk”, and something like burnt syrup or molasses. The taste is really funky with some sweetness. The finish is ungood with even more funkadelic funk. Sorry MM, I love that you find cool and unique mezcal but this one is not for me.

Just by Fortunato’s picture on the MM trading card with his big smile, I really wanted to like this one more. Now seeing all the exceptional reviews I feel like a party-pooper. For me this one was ok to good. The aroma is good and dusty with a hint of fruit. Taste is ok. I’m getting the leather and cedar wood and also a hint of chocolate and cinnamon. The finish is good with lots more cedar wood and some good heat.

Aroma is ok with heavy smoke and a hint of berry sweetness. Taste is thick and coats the mouth with a very sweet profile. Heavy smoke and a lot of heat for 40%. Not a sipper. Mix this one.
Tasted at Baja Betty’s in San Diego for the Agave club in January.

One of my favorites from MM so far. The body and finish of this one makes a near perfect balanced mezcal. There’s pepper, a burst of agave with wonderful heat. Initial light floral. Finishes very nice and long. Great balance between earthy and sweet.

This is for two batches of Tío Rey´s excellent ancestral mezcal. One of the batches might be the best I have ever had! I definitely have been leaning toward the clay pot distillations lately.

Review 1: lot S02 ECM 20. From March 2020
60% Espadin, 36% coyote, 4% mexicano
ABV 50.4%. This rates at 4.75 stars and is one of my all time favorites!
The aroma is so deep and rich with earthy clay but also strawberry, citrus and blueberry.
The taste is like smooth fire—good heat from the abv and also nice smoke. Of course there’s some clay with light sweetness.
The finish is incredible and even and lingers with roasted chiles.

Review 2: lot S10 ECMAB 21
82% espadin, 9% coyote, 4% mexicano, 3% arroqueno, 2% barril
ABV 49.9%. This batch is good and rates 3 stars. New label.
The aroma is not as fruity or earthy as the other lot but still has some berry and citrus sweetness.
The taste has some clay but is bittersweet and more spicy than the previous.
The finish is ok.
This was the “new”bottle to replace the stellar batch from earlier. So i guess I am disappointed to not like it as much. Don’t get me wrong this batch is good, just not as great as the original.

I love the aroma and like the taste! Different than the 45% espadilla from the MM taster box 1. Not as smooth and not as interesting. Aroma is the best part with lots of floral and some fruit. I could smell it all day. The taste is a little hot with pepper and some good earth. Tyler is right when he mentions Angustifolia…very classic mezcal tastes. The finish is just ok for me. It is a little sour with some bitterness. Tough to give Don Fede less than 4 stars as he is one of my favorites. Got this from K and L wines in Hollywood.

Yes, this is really good like a dry desert. From aroma to finish this is wonderful. Aroma is dusty sawdust, cut with some berry sweetness. Taste is intense with some initial, puckering smoke but then smoothes out nicely. A little earthy and a little vegetal. The finish is my favorite part—it’s long and builds intensity with some earthy goodness. I could spend the evening with this half-bottle and be very contento.

The arroqueño is good and helps to subdue the cuixe sweetness. The aroma has a slight petrol thing happening. Overall ok to good.

Incredible mezcal! This one is more advanced, and for special occasions when you want to blow someone away with the increíble complexity. Sensational!
The aroma starts with light perfume/floral, some charred pine, rock and tart lime. One of the best aromas in an agave spirit.
Taste is magnificent with dark earth, mint, spicy pine needles and red hot candy sizzle.
The finish is good and long, although slightly bitter and finishes with light sweetness.
The 56.1 % abv is barely noticed behind all of the sensational aromas and flavors. Más por favor!

This one could be sipped all day at the beach. Subtle and complex all at once. All around great! The aroma is light with light fruit and wet stone minerals. The taste is wonderful with a citrusy punch some lite spice and goes down a little sweet. The finish is fantastic and long with some earthiness and lite spice. Overall Yum!