Lot: 01/19
Nose: Slight tinge of grape Kool-Aid. Light smoke. Pretty light nose.

Palate: Sneaky little burst of cherry jellybean. On the hot side for a 47% ABV. The saline finish is just OK, has an artificial taste to it.

Nose: Green apple slices. Smooth smoke. Icing sugar and a hint of light cream.

Palate: Seems to melt in your mouth. Chocolate mousse. Viscosity is nice. Smooth, earthy finish and the warmth builds and builds. The texture is the most interesting thing about this mezcal. Flavors are solid as well.

Lot No. 012019
Nose: Funky, like a side of moldy, 60-day aged prime beef. Vanilla. Root vegetable.

Palate: Slighty burnt sharp cheese. Meaty – like chunky, marbled salt pork. Creamy vanilla sweetness. Great stuff. This is about a 3.75 rating but I’m really partial to cenizo mezcal… so I’ll round up.

Nose: Massive orange! Reminds me of tang. Also, orange Starburst candy.

Palate: Like biting into a navel orange slice and chasing it with a single chocolate chip. There’s nothing complex about this orange heavy elixir but it works. Only knock is the alcohol finish is a tad bit rough. Overall it’s solid and I dig how unique it is. I reckon this would be an insane mezcal margarita mixer.

Nose: Hint of lemon. Cinnamon. Banana. Medium smoke.

Palate: Viscous mouth feel but nice. Crayon wax. Chocolate orange. Hot but not overly stiff – it works really well and potentially dangerous. A good, salty and smoky finish that sizzles and lasts.

This was a 1 oz sample (shout out to Tahona Mercado) but for the price point I’d definitely pony up for a bottle of this stuff.

Nose: Proper cream soda. Sweet pepper. A hint of ginger.

Palate: Creamier sweetness vs the other Gusto ensambles. A great viscosity to it. Can really taste that tobala on the finish. Super long and very warm. Lingering birthday cake flavor.

Nose: Wet leather. 7up sweet citrus. Bit of black licorice.

Palate: Bubble gum sugariness. Nice mouth feel. Peppermint heat. Great finish, slightly bitter.

Nose: Sweet lime. Yummy, refined smoke. Touch of leather.

Palate: Alpha dominant flavors! Honey roasted cereal. The smoke is very subtle from start to finish but incredible. A sprinkle of salt in the finish.

Another great Gusto Historico ensamble.

LOT J-10-E-19
Nose: Sugary sweet and a hint of sea salt. Red nail polish.

Palate: Chocolate mint. Cigar ash. Great peppermint heat for a near 51% ABV – nailed it. Finish is salty, earthy and warm in the tummy. Only knock is a somewhat of too medicinal aftertaste.

An absolute steal at under $45.

Nose: Big time cherry. Wet soil. Leather. Smooth, subtle smoke.

Palate: Incredible minerality. Bubble gum. Cherry again and a hint of chocolate. Great minty heat on the finish.

This stuff is awesome!

Batch: TPTO-01
Nose: A hint of mint. A touch of funky, cream cheese.

Palate: Dark chocolate / mint ice cream. Heat in the middle with a smoke and leather punch. Still hot on the finish – clay, salty with a strawberry jolly rancher sweetness.

A solid, middle-of-the-pack tobala.

Batch: TPAR-01 (Bottle: 183/250, 2018)
Nose: Chocolate covered cherries. Leather.

Palate: First sip was amazing. The taste went gradually but distinctly from sweet to smoky to salty – smooth on the way down, warm and comforting in the belly. Picking the notes – I get chocolate covered pretzel. Cojita cheese. Nice bit of clay notes on the finish but love the sweet/smoke/saline balance. Great stuff!

LOTE: ISIL0118
Nose: Sweet, jarred mini onions. Anaheim peppers. Dryer sheets.

Palate: Subtle sweetness then the detergent notes kick in. Vegetal aspect is like the seedy, white placenta part of a green pepper. Soapy, cigarette aftertaste.

Batch: TPMX-01 (Bottle: 38/200, 2018)
Nose: Vegetal sweetness. Light cheese.

Palate: Tobacco. Salted butter. Medium viscosity on the mouth feel. Dark chocolate sweetness in the background. Good heat. Solid mineral finish but aftertaste is a bit too salty.

LOTE: 0119E
Nose: Dried apricot. Mossy. Sugary goodness.

Palate: Sweet cream. Red bell pepper. Flavors are great but a bit light with the 40% ABV. But super smooth. Virtually no heat in the finish but has a spec of white pepper. Aftertaste of sweet cornbread and light smoke.

Nose: Wet soil. Sweet berries. Raw asparagus.

Palate: Earthy! Icing sugar. Peppermint ice cream. Hint of cheesy funk. Cigar tobacco finish with a nice, warm heat. Salty, mineral aftertaste along with the quality smoke.

I love this 200 mL – it’s super unique! I would definitely pony up for a full bottle for the repertoire!

LOTE: 814315
Nose: Floral sweetness. Very light vanilla.

Palate: Initially bitter. Black licorice. Vanilla. Tad bit of a soapy taste. Thin mouth-feel. Floral finish but more from the stems or leaves. Earthy wet soil detected in the aftertaste with lingering vanilla.

The French oak barrels do add value to this brand – versus their platinum sotol. Still, it’s a bit rough.

Lot No: BCXJVS2005
Nose: Mint. Honeydew. Oatmeal.

Palate: Caramelized apple. Hint of dark chocolate. Celery. Thin mouth-feel but flavorful. A punchy, peppermint heat in the middle but then it subsides to a dry, warm finish. Slight numbing effect on the aftertaste.

Killer destilado, nice work NETA!

LOTE: XICARU-50 (Bottle: 120/12,553)
Nose: Metallic, sour apple, exhaust smoke.

Palate: Charred wood. Artificial vanilla flavor. Burned rubber. Smoke all the way through and not the good variety. This stuff is pretty rough.

LOTE: 0133211
Nose: Black licorice. Nail polisher remover.

Palate: Dandelion (yes, I ate one as a kid, that taste memory never fades). A very medicinal sweetness to it. Thin mouth feel. The 38% ABV is extremely watery at first but becomes more honest in the middle to the finish. Aftertaste is bitter chocolate, anise and a touch of black pepper.

Big miss for me – this is like a cough medicine infused spirit.