Don Amado Rustico is a strong Espadin mezcal that is made in Santa Catarina Minas. It has notes of fruit, minerals, and clay.
About this mezcal
Don Amado Rustico is made in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca by mezcalero Germán Bonifacio Arellanes. The same distillery also produces Mina Real Mezcal. This mezcal carries a bit of smoke, but it doesn’t overwhelm the fruit and floral notes that mix nicely with notes of minerals and clay. It is silky on the palate with a vibrant finish. At 47% ABV, this Espadin mezcal is meant to be sipped neat, not mixed in a cocktail. The ABV of this mezcal may vary slightly by batch.
Don Amado Mezcal
Don Amado’s mezcaleros carefully handcraft all of their mezcals from 100% mature highland agave plants. After roasting the hearts of these premium agaves in wood-burning earthen pits, the plants’ treasured juices are distilled in traditional Oaxacan ceramic-and-bamboo pot stills. This unique distillation method gives Don Amado mezcals their distinctive smoky flavor and herbal bouquet, while proudly honoring a sixteenth-century production tradition native to the state of Oaxaca.
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GMAD
97 reviewsLOTE 98, 47%, 375ml
Nose – Cheesy and sweet; vegetal with some funk. Produce-section, cilantro, oranges, almond, vanilla, then comes some funk in the form of cream cheese, yogurt, and a bit of permanent marker.
Palate – Tangy and fruity; very agave forward. Ginger ale, agave syrup, sweet and sour sauce, ripe oranges, some bubblegum, and a touch of Mcdonald’s barbecue sauce. Also there was a bit of heat to this one on the initial sips!
Finish – A bit spicy but subdued with a touch of bittersweetness. Chili tamarind candy, sugar cane, ginger, and ripe banana peels to soften the backend.
Good! So much blanco tequila vibes from this. Supposedly the piñas were oven-roasted rather than smoked in a fire pit, and it shows. The typical earthiness and smokiness that is unique to Mezcal is a bit lost on this one. Though it’s still very smooth and enjoyable nonetheless.
LOTE 98, 47%, 375ml
Nose – Cheesy and sweet; vegetal with some funk. Produce-section, cilantro, oranges, almond, vanilla, then comes some funk in the form of cream cheese, yogurt, and a bit of permanent marker.
Palate – Tangy and fruity; very agave forward. Ginger ale, agave syrup, sweet and sour sauce, ripe oranges, some bubblegum, and a touch of Mcdonald’s barbecue sauce. Also there was a bit of heat to this one on the initial sips!
Finish – A bit spicy but subdued with
Zack Klamn
542 reviewsNose – Vanilla extract. Mandarin orange. A nice bit of banana.
Palate – Light viscosity. Dialed back heat for 47% abv. Pink salt. Rose petal. Banana cream pie. Cocoa.
Enjoyed this!
El Dawg
237 reviewsNo real Lot number that I could find.
Pleasantly surprised on this one! Sweet and very minty smell. Taste has the clay tanginess I always associate to it. Some harshness/oversmoke at the finish, but all-in-all the taste really had some good mint sweetness that made this enjoyable.
Review #189
little agave
72 reviewsBatch: 116. 47%abv
Good by me. I’ll drink it.
tecolotesweet
14 reviewsClay on the nose was a nice start to the sip. Velvety is a spot on description of the mouthfeel. Smoke was predominant, but not overpowering enough to mitigate the zesty finish. Solid sipper, would definitely order again.
SoloAgave
86 reviewsA very reasonable price for a clay pot distillation expression from Santa Catarina Minas. Just not enough going on here to get excited about although this is easy to drink. I get smoke up front a tequila profile to go along with that mint/clay/smoke.
Gerry Suazo
7 reviewsClay nose. Herbal and stone fruit, light smoke. Very good for sipping. Distillation method makes for a very unique taste. I’ll buy this one again. Lot: 80, Batch size 751.5 L, bottle 611
Rakhal
430 reviewsDidn’t get the lot number. Very smoky with some caramel and clove. A long smoky finish. A bit one dimensional. Probably a decent mixer.
Tyler
668 reviewsUpdated March 2020 –
Something has changed at the Don Amado palenque because this more recent batch (Lot 81 – 401 liters) of Rustico has some solid Santa Catarina Minas vibes happening. The nose is fresh clay and charred maguey. On the palate, there is some nice clay funk along with spearmint, zucchini, and peach preserves. Like the previously reviewed batch (nearly 50 batches ago!) I still get some of that underlying funk but it is much more composed and enjoyable here. After trying recent batches of their whole lineup I’m definitely more of a fan than previously. Check out the Don Amado ensambles.
Original review –
Smells a bit like spoiled fruit on the nose. At an ABV of 47% there is not much bite. It’s quite smooth booze-wise but it’s also smooth flavor-wise. Overall I’m getting a lot of spoiled funkiness with notes of mild peat and cheap toothpaste. Bought a bottle without much knowledge of the brand and will be using for Bloody Marys instead of sipping neat. Lot 34
Updated March 2020 –
Something has changed at the Don Amado palenque because this more recent batch (Lot 81 – 401 liters) of Rustico has some solid Santa Catarina Minas vibes happening. The nose is fresh clay and charred maguey. On the palate, there is some nice clay funk along with spearmint, zucchini, and peach preserves. Like the previously reviewed batch (nearly 50 batches ago!) I still get some of that underlying funk but it is much more composed and enjoyable here. After trying