El Destilado Pichomel

Batch of May 2019. Very excited to try this bottle, as it is my first maguey pichomel ever. Marmorata is certainly amongst my top preferred agave, although Oaxacan tepextate and Pueblan pizorra offer two very distinct styles as well as flavours.
Nose: A whiff of new oilcloth, plum skin, summer savoury and rosemary. There is also a lactic hint, and with the herbal notes it is like cutting through a Corsican Brin d’amour cheese. It is amazing how it compares to La Venenosa Costa raicilla (of which I had a bottle at home and could compare side by side).
Palate: More lactic and mineral notes, like a gentle raicilla. I have a vague theory that mezcales haling from areas were Spain had strong economic interests in colonial times, were intentionally made with sour smells and flavours, in order to put off the interest of the Spanish king’s tax collectors, although I know next to nothing about the history of Reyes Mezontla. Anyway, here the lactic aspect is so mild that it won’t scare anyone familiar with, say, blue cheese or white mould cheese. Quickly, I get slightly unripe Conference pear, green peppercorns in brine, green jelly beans and a hint of bitter almond – like the core of peach pits perhaps. It is not until the finish that the familiar bell pepper and jalapeño flavours makes you think of a tepextate.
Thoughts: Very special, very very good. I believe it is quite the same juice you get if you try a 5 Sentidos Pichomel from the same palenquero couple. The alcohol is well integrated, and the flavours are so nice and balanced that there is only a slight lack in structure keeping this from being a full score.

Super unique. Buttered popcorn, toffee, bubblegum. A distinct, sweet, and delectable mezcal that I’m eager to share with friends. One of my favorites from about a dozen I tried from 5 Sentidos/El Destilado at their restaurant in Oaxaca City.

Batch MX-19-PICH.

My husband hates this by the way, so where I’m finding joy in the novelty, the funkiness of this might be polarizing in the end.

UPDATE: the butterscotch funkiness has progressed to a ‘used gym socks’ putrid flavor. I can taste the fermenting agave, and it’s still… novel… but I would say it’s tipped over into undrinkable territory about 6 months open and halfway full.