I’ve been sipping mucho Tequilana lately (good tequila and blue weber mezcal); this is very expressive and leans sweet. Full agave flavors. Cotton candy, lemon zest, lavender, sweet tea, and minerals. Graceful for a ~49% mezcal. A lot going on and I will update this review after revisiting again.

My favorite of the 3 mezcals I’ve tried from Gilberto. Maybe it is this batch? Maybe it is the Lamparillo? It’s got an incredible confluence of sweet, sour, and bitter. It is like cooked oranges, with their sugars juices with charred bitter rinds. It is a “juicy” mezcal; at this point I’ve probably enjoyed every Lamparillo I’ve every tried. Lot GIL-LAM-001.

Bought on a whim because I really loved the ensamble from Juan Vásquez which was one of the first bottles released under the Gusto Histórico label. My barometer for Jabali mezcal is El Jolgorio (Ignacio Parada) and Rey Campero, the first ones I tried and releases early to the market. Everything after that is kind of ‘meh’ for me. This is just fine and has improved since opening it. However, it really does have tons of interesting notes which I think agave fans will enjoy. Dive bar seat leather, dried apricots, cigar box wood dry spice, and white pepper. I don’t regret the purchase and at the same time I think Jabali mezcals are getting a bit overhyped.. this is one of the better ones. Lot JV.03.21.JB

A strong mezcal full of flavor. Most of the heat sits in your mouth and doesn’t burn or anything. Red apple skins and brown sugar. Sipped during a Maguey Melate Zoom tasting and the note of chiles stuck – I’m getting some cooked sweet chile notes too. This is a savory Karwinskii mezcal with a bit of a dry finish but not dry flavor notes. JAI-BAR-001.

Sad story behind this batch. The mezcal itself is ok. I look for complexity when I reach for a Tepeztate mezcal and only a few are on my ‘Top Tep’ list. This has vegetal herbaceous notes with yogurt chips. Overall soft and sweet. I didn’t realize it was partly clay pot which makes sense given some of the softened flavors. I dig this but am into his Madrecuishe more than this release. Bottle is quite new so will update this review if there is a dramatic change. Lot 34MC.

Fresh bottle opened at Chapulín in Austin, TX. Lots of diesel. My friends agree. I think some air in the bottle will benefit this. To its credit, at 54% there is no bite. Bottle 144/672

Clean aromas of fresh clay and wet brown grass. Notes of clay mud, olive brine, cantaloupe water, and agave minerals. “Clay mezcals” from Minas and Sola de Vega present totally different profiles than this mezcal. The clay fermentation might be one of the biggest differentiators. Definitely unique in terms of what is currently (2022) on the US market. Looking forward to reviewing the rest of the lineup. #Firstbatch

A “juicy” Sotol. Slight alcohol kick. Clean spearmint, not a ton of organic grass or interesting wild notes. Overall clean profile and kind of meh. Well made but not memorable. Probably good in cocktails. Sipped at Terlingua in Portland, ME.. didn’t catch the batch info.

Pretty basic flavor profile. Alcohol and sour lime. Seems like I’m sipping the tails. Just had some cocktails and it still seems a bit hot. Didn’t catch the batch number. Sipped at The Eddy in Providence, Rhode Island.

Sipping this after Gilberto’s Cenzio and I’m more into this. There is similar frontier mustiness to the mezcal but the agave flavors are prominent with citrus notes. An approachable 51% mezcal for sure. Batch 202108. Bottle 233/480.

There is a weird funk to this mezcal but once it opens up it is pretty tasty. There is some vegetal sweetness like maple asparagus. Overall a quality spirit but I enjoy his agave-forward Lamparillo more than this. Batch 202110. Bottle 336/480.

Musty with notes of cherry Life Savers candy. A friend of mine loves this but it is not for me. It is not unique or wild for my taste. The labels says clay pot from Miahuatlan which raises red flags for me; I’ve never heard of clay pot distillation in that region. Of course, they don’t list the producer. This is a very expensive bottle at around $180 for 750ml but it seems they may have lowered the price. My bar was set high early on for Jabali mezcals after tasting Rey Campero and El Jolgorio (batch 1 and 2). Batch YJ15-18, bottle 329/720.

I’m not a big beer drinker, and never drink IPAs.. but this is a fun release. Celso makes a solid Espadin and the hops give it botanical notes. There are some notes of cinnamon and orange here along with some classic Espadin notes. If the price is right, this could be a good one to convert craft beer drinkers to sipping more agave.

As others have noted, this is one tasty Espadin. Big fruit notes. The orange label color is influencing my brain a bit – makes me think of a tropical forest with citrus trees. Once it opens up, there is quite a bit of vanilla. I think I grabbed this at K&L in 2019 for $40 which is a steal. Lot LDMEX-19, bottle 1080/2520.

Easy to see why this is one of the most popular Chacolo release. Azul Telcruz is the oldest and has the highest sugar content of the agaves the Partida family works with. A crowd pleaser with lots of sugar with sour candy like Jolly Rancher as Jonny noted with a dry finish. I don’t have a ton of notes but wanted to leave a review before the bottle is empty. March 2022, lot 1, bottle 58/212, 159 liters, 50% ABV.

The flavors of Tobala seem to vary widely and I find them hit-or-miss. I enjoy this one. It is fruit-forward and rich.. “juicy fruit”. Papaya, under ripe bananas, and dried red apples. Some sourness on the finish. Overall worth a sip but don’t need a full bottle. Sample, no batch number.

Wild batch. Full disclosure: I’m not a pechuga guy but I am a HUGE fan of Tosba. The regular pechuga was one of the first I’d ever tasted back in 2016. I remember it being a bit strong and meaty. This has an array of subtle flavors of herbs, spices, and meat. It is quite good.. the umami note from one of the previous reviews is spot on. It is savory, not overpowering, and serves as a unique and exciting example of pechuga mezcal. Nice work Edgar and team! Bottle 31/126, lot 1.

Sipping the same night as razorbackmike – nice! Definitely dig this one. Bold espadin vibes with some more vegetal flavors like an Alto from Michoacán. Very well distilled with ABV in control. Overall rustic nature like it’s from an ancient copper still. Solid pick for the 2nd Mixteca series. Tried at Destino in DC. Bottle 39/166.

Classic Don Beto. Similar to his Mezcalero 11 or Papadiablo Ensamble. There is a perfumed aspect to it along with these complex notes of dried dates, wet stone minerals, slight brine, grape soda, and white Tic Tacs. My palate might be off tonight but it is a bit dry and not quite blowing my mind like some of this other releases. I will update this next time I taste it.

Light, basic, watery mezcal. Sipped at La Holly in Austin. More of a mixer but also super light. Didn’t get the batch info.