I am with Rakhal that this is my favorite. I would give 4.25 stars to this one. All of the PM expressions are great and I would welcome any bottle to be at my bar. This one was so subtle in aroma and flavor but so fun/good to drink.
The aroma has light sweetness, with fruit and is that strawberry? Really good.
The taste has a great balance between earthy and sweet. While no flavors jump out, it is just good and I enjoy the taste.
The finish is long, good and balanced. I would say that the balance of this one makes it stand out. From aroma to finish it is all-around great!

This one is incredible if you like earthy goodness from Mayahuel!
The aroma is all earth and soil.
The taste is sensational with more dark earth, mushrooms, and light floral aspect that keeps the forrest from dominating.
The finish is the best part with building heat combined with great balance and that earthy flavor. Long, and each flavor takes a bow as the curtain comes down.

Spicy and delicious! More like 3.75 out of 4 stars. I can’t get past the spiciness of the taste! YEOW! Everything else is sensational here.
The aroma has tropical fruit, salt water taffy and river rock. Really great!
The taste is SPICY. Not hot with alcohol (which is perfect) but red Chile peppers that build in intensity. There is also stone fruit, pine needles–an overall fruity tang that is wonderful.
Paul Atreides on the planet Arrakis would agree: The finish is long and keeps the spice flowing.

Review #100

“This one has got everything…”Remember Stefon, Bill Hader’s character on SNL? This Mexicano has so much going on I had to get a large notepad for all my thoughts.
This is amazing!
The aroma is really vibrant, a little funky, floral and some unusual things that I don’t have words for. Great!
The mouthfeel is very differetnt than the other Creador expressions–thick, oily and dark.
The taste is good and so different! It is complex and layered with grassy notes, a farmyard funk, leather, tobacco, dark molasses–but not sweet.
The finish is very nice with the flavors lingering and developing as you breathe.
This is an Advanced Placement mezcal. I could see some people not liking it as much as I do because of its uniqueness.
JAME1122

This is a wonderful ensamble. I like it far better than the straight espadín, and maybe a scotch less than the straight lumbre. The espadín does give it some more exciting flavors.
Aroma is great with creamy clay, berries and a whiff of baby powder.
The taste is very good and balanced, slight sweetness and good heat–but not as Red Hot spicy as the straight espadín.
Finish is ok/good with some pepper, light smoke and a slight bitterness as the finish cools.
JAEN1122

YES YES YES! There is the clay! Not overdone at all. Really great!
The aroma is wonderful with fruit, creaminess, clay, ripe berries and a light touch of floral–WOW!
Taste is fantastic with good heat, clay and fruit.
The finish is a terrific balance of aroma and taste with a wisp of smoke that lasts a long time.
This is sensational. Más lumbre pro favor! Batch JALU1122

This is a solid espadín. I was hoping for more clay influences.
The aroma is the best part: redwood shavings, salinity, creamy sweetness.
Taste is overpowered with spicy Red-Hots. I get some river rock too.
The finish has good smoke but more Red-Hot candy spiciness. Not bad.
Overall pretty good. If you are looking for clay influence (like I do) then you can skip this one.
Batch JAEC1122

This is really good! Another great Cenizo from Durango. I might like Daniella’s a pinch more…more sampling must be needed!
The aroma is great! Earth clay and passionfruit up front.
Taste is superbly balanced and fun. There’s a little heat that I appreciate with some earthy and floral notes.
The finish is long and delicious. Great balance with this one!

Good, not great for me. Nothing really stands out, but overall good.
Aroma was not pleasant at first. There was some funk that persisted and I did not like.
Taste is good with some heat and spice. It grew on me as I sipped.
The finish is short and ok. Score more like 2.75

Of the two Inaquidens for the last MM delivery, I liked this one more. I am liking the mezcal from Michoacan more and more. This was very balanced and nice to sip.
The aroma is ok with some good earth and fresh mint and thyme.
The taste is a little hot, slight brine and overall good.
The finish is medium in duration but good.

Tasted at Baja Betty’s (San Diego) Agave club for August.
I was pleasantly surprised how much “better” this was than the Joven. So much more good flavors with added Cuishe.
Aroma-good campfire smoke and plenty of fruit–plum, cherries, and is that hibiscus? It’s like a Jamaica drink with smoke.
Taste–fairly thick and definitely oily. Taste has much more flavor than the Joven.
Finish–really good and long with all the good flavors (that IS hibiscus!) from the taste and aroma.
No bottle info. But the rep was one of the coolest cowboys around. He knew his stuff.

Tasted at Baja Betty’s Agave Club (San Diego) for August.
My quick notes are:
Smokey aroma
Thin, with pepper
Back end bitterness
Good heat on the finish
Good for mixing
No bottle info.

Tasted at Baja Betty’s (San Diego) agave club for September. I didn’t get the batch info.
First taste was harsh and medicinal. Bad cherry cough syrup and ashy aftertaste. Once someone said the word “band aid” nobody could taste anything else. Of course I said “but is it band aid in a good or bad way?” Not good.
I let it sit for another 10 minutes and came back to retry. Still not good. On a positive note, the rep for the brand was knowledgeable and cool to talk to.

My favorite of the group of 4. The aroma has some juicy-fruit and lemon-lime taffy that is great.
The taste is not as subtle as the others and proudly announces its presence in your mouth. I like it.
The finish is wonderful and super long with rocky-fire char and light fruity sweetness.

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

The aroma has some wonderful honeydew melon and river rock. Off to a very good start!
The taste is really good with heat and some peppers.
The finish is my favorite part, long and keeps the light, fruity sweetness going…there is a hint of hay from the farm that I like too.

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

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.