Alipus Santa Ana

persimmon, apple, cedar, lime, cantaloupe, spearmint, vanilla, pine, green chile, lemon peel
SAR001/23, 47.5%

Charred green chiles (Bell Pepper, Pablano) spicy Jalapeño, earth and fire, Juicy Fruit bubblegum some tropical fruit and a hint of Dulce de Leche. Another great mezcal from Alipus!

SAR101/20. Very green and sweet on the nose; slightly mineral with grass, juniper, vanilla, with some undertones of a typical mezcal smoke. Definitely sweet yet understated on the front, with a very balanced combination of smoke and pepper on the finish. And some nice heat thanks to that 47.5% ABV. As the sips go on, distinctly semi-sweet dark chocolate notes are growing and pairing up with the vanilla sweetness. Interesting, and worth the price.

Solid cheap mezcal.

I was expecting much more grass but instead… on opening, very noticeable vanilla flavor. First sip — incredibly sweet, might be the sweetest mezcal I’ve had. Still feeling vanilla, pretty drinkable, not too harsh. Very pronounced hemp flavor in an after taste. Overall this feels akin to drinking a dessert wine like Sauternes, almost mead-y. I think I quite like it, when you’re on a mood for something like this.

(Lot SAR002/19, Bot 1006 / 1094)

Lote: SAR103/19

Pine, vanilla, and wet stone on the nose. Round and sweet in the mouth. Medium finish with the pine and vanilla drifting a touch to the chemical side but not so much to be unpleasant.

Really different from the nose. Confectioners sugar, pepper, sulfur, ammonia, brine, and light rubber. Powerful and savory in a very chemical forward manner.

Delicious and savory. Not too overpowering, but a really powerful set of notes.

Great sweetness with light earthy smoke. Amazing for the price.
(Lot SAR103/19, bottle 335/1300)

Lovely mineral and green mezcal with pine notes. Gentle final heat.
Terroir at its best!

Alipus Joven Mezcal Santa Ana / 95 proof
Tahona milled, copper still. Lighter body. Nice mix of agave and smoke, pepper. Compared to the Alipus San Juan, this has more agave and less smoke, and for me reaches a great balance. Of the “single village” Alipus mezcals this is my favorite. (And I’m glad I did not see the “acetone scent” comment before I ordered a bottle of this – yikes!)
(Lot SAR010/16, bottle 328/1064)

The green bottle is fitting because this Alipus has a lot of piney notes. My bottle has sat half-full for quite a while so it has really opened up. There are other flavors of tobacco, wood, and charred fruit. A nice mezcal for the price point.

Like many of the other Alipus mezcals, this is a pure expression of terroir. There’s lot of vanilla and pine on the nose. The pine stays strong in the taste and meshes with mineral notes and little heat. Overall, this is good mezcal. Like other Alipus mezcals, the pricing makes this a great deal.