Ixcateco Papalome is produced using rawhide fermentation in the community of Santa Maria Ixcatlan, Oaxaca.
About this destilado de agave
Ixcateco Papalome is produced by Amando Alvarado Alvarez and others in the small community of Santa Maria Ixcatlan, Oaxaca. The cooked agaves are milled by hand with wooden mallets, fermented in old cow rawhides that are strung over wooden posts to create a hanging rawhide sack, and double distilled in small clay pot stills. This mezcal is as rustic and traditional as it gets.
Ixcateco
Ixcateco represents the local traditions, customs and ancestral techniques that have been preserved for centuries as part of the production of mezcal. Ixcateco seeks to become a medium for the development of social and cultural projects, to promote environmental responsibility for producers and consumers, and to dignify one of the most important economic activities in the village of Santa María Ixcatlán.
Read about our visit to Santa Maria Ixcatlan in our blog post Santa María Ixcatlán: Rawhide Fermentation with Amando Alvarez
Review this bottle
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little agave
72 reviewsHave had few bottles of this (and under other labels). It’s sort of a goto I gift people (dinner parties) if they dabble with mezcal but are not too familiar. to me this is round profile, warm, full, coffeeish, leather, its probably knowing the fermentation method but I think hide and soil. I get sweet hay like chocolate butterscotch notes. dare i say mild but something about it is balanced and resonates at a volume that is not too loud. approachable but a bit funky and different. solid and aways down to enjoy!
Have had few bottles of this (and under other labels). It’s sort of a goto I gift people (dinner parties) if they dabble with mezcal but are not too familiar. to me this is round profile, warm, full, coffeeish, leather, its probably knowing the fermentation method but I think hide and soil. I get sweet hay like chocolate butterscotch notes. dare i say mild but something about it is balanced and resonates at a volume that is not too loud. approachable but a bit funky and different. solid an
muchachomezcal
47 reviewsAMA-02. Bottle #105/240. 45.5%.
Nose – Cheese, slightly lactic on the more sour side
Palate – I get Parmesan cheese but more specifically, a good Caesar salad with parmesan and great dressing. One big, boozy, caesar salad.
Bryen
101 reviewsAMA-01
Bottle 165
Purchased this for a steal at $80! I haven’t had too many cupreatas so was definitely interested given the rawhide fermentation method. A very light mezcal in my opinion and not too bold, which makes sense given the lower abv in comparison to others. Light and floral on the beginning of the palate but follows with the funk and cheese flavor that others have alluded to. The rawhide/leather smell and taste is present throughout but not overpowering. I dig it and I’m happy to have the bottle!
AMA-01
Bottle 165
Purchased this for a steal at $80! I haven’t had too many cupreatas so was definitely interested given the rawhide fermentation method. A very light mezcal in my opinion and not too bold, which makes sense given the lower abv in comparison to others. Light and floral on the beginning of the palate but follows with the funk and cheese flavor that others have alluded to. The rawhide/leather smell and taste is present throughout but not overpowering. I dig it and I’m h
Ben P
149 reviewsNose: funky cheese, like old Parmesan, nice earthiness, tootsie roll, funky hot chocolate
Palate: more savory and earthy, hay, pork carnitas, BBQ peppers, very burnt pineapple, maybe some grapefruit, mustard seeds, moving into finish is tons of cocoa, chili pepper, coffee grounds
This is really interesting and one of the least fruity Cupreatas I’ve had. It more resembles an Americana profile for me. Earthy, minerals, and dark chocolate notes. Complex and balanced. Really nice stuff
Nose: funky cheese, like old Parmesan, nice earthiness, tootsie roll, funky hot chocolate
Palate: more savory and earthy, hay, pork carnitas, BBQ peppers, very burnt pineapple, maybe some grapefruit, mustard seeds, moving into finish is tons of cocoa, chili pepper, coffee grounds
This is really interesting and one of the least fruity Cupreatas I’ve had. It more resembles an Americana profile for me. Earthy, minerals, and dark chocolate notes. Complex and balanced. Really nice stuff
Arlo
7 reviewsFunky, cheesy, earthy. Fermented in cow hide, can definitely smell and taste it. A little white pepper. Delicious and slightly sweet.
Rorschach
43 reviewsI bought two bottles of this mezcalero in a mercado in Oaxaca. The other bottle was my favorite, a Ticunchi that was more balanced. Both are very nice and “cuero de res” is just about my favorite so far. I let this one sit in the glass for a bit and it is delicious. Comes off stingy and harsh at first, but it is super thick and rich.
Fecha de destilacion: Mayo 2022
Cortes: Corazon
Litros producidos: 75
46%
GMAD
97 reviewsBATCH: AMA-01, 41.1%, BOTTLE 217/266
Nose – Sweet, grassy butterscotch and some earthy funk – clay, terra cotta, cream cheese.
Palate – Subtle sweetness with a funky tinge – ginger, sugar cane, grapefruit, cucumber. A lot of notes on fermentation; soy sauce, red wine.
Finish – Bitter nuts; walnuts, chestnuts.
Good, it’s subtle. Lacks ‘pop’ but still plenty of depth to explore; mellow.
JDB
190 reviewsBatch: AMA-02 Bottle: 144/240 (180 liter batch) 45.5% abv
Power of suggestion carries a lot of weight, and when you get your first whiff, you think you smell leather and cow hide….when you can put that out of your mind, there is some fruit sweetness and basil notes. The flavors on the palate remind me of Kirsch, a cherry liquor. There is also a strong taste in the palate that evokes beef jerky or cured sausage notes (along the lines of Spanish chorizo). There is some background herbal quality as well, not sure if it is the mint or licorice others mention or something closer to oregano and rosemary. Enjoyable and worth the price at around $110 a bottle, which is what I paid at El Cerrito Liquor for this bottle. Check out Zack Klamm’s video on YouTube about his trip to the Santa María Ixcatlán: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX7VFtprDb4
Batch: AMA-02 Bottle: 144/240 (180 liter batch) 45.5% abv
Power of suggestion carries a lot of weight, and when you get your first whiff, you think you smell leather and cow hide….when you can put that out of your mind, there is some fruit sweetness and basil notes. The flavors on the palate remind me of Kirsch, a cherry liquor. There is also a strong taste in the palate that evokes beef jerky or cured sausage notes (along the lines of Spanish chorizo). There is some background herbal
bluImbibe
40 reviews(AMA-02) UPDATE:
Finally got the bottle so now I get to add more notes:
Nose: All the ingredients for a ham and cheese sandwich: whole wheat pita, cheese, white pepper, yeast, bologna. Slight vanilla bean sweetness but mostly floral with the faintest hint of wet leather.
Palate: Butter, salt, soil, loads of grain (wheat, rye), caramel; profoundly soft body, semi long finish.
Ronco Sips
11 reviewsThis is my third bottle of Mezcal and this one is a winner. This is from Batch AMA -04 Bottle 31/293. Mezcalero – Amando Alvarado Alvarez.
NOSE: Light, almost no smoke, clean, a light good vegetable agave aroma
PALATE: Citrus, Fruit, Honey, Peach, a hint of a light licorice after taste. Second glass a light taste freshly cut grass. A few days later I’m as I’m writing this I’m having a glass all of the previous plus a very pleasant earthy taste, really awesome.
MOUTHFEEL: Very smooth, well rounded, light, goes down super easy.
FINISH: light licorice after taste, earth taste (sweet agave?)
This was a hit for me, the best Mezcal I’ve had so far, totally enjoyable. Perfect to sit down with at the in the evening to sip and relax with. I’m going with 4.5, my wife gives this one 5 starts. I made a video of opening this bottle and a review at https://youtu.be/KEC7C6EYd1g If you watch it then say hello in the comments. cheers, Ronco
This is my third bottle of Mezcal and this one is a winner. This is from Batch AMA -04 Bottle 31/293. Mezcalero – Amando Alvarado Alvarez.
NOSE: Light, almost no smoke, clean, a light good vegetable agave aroma
PALATE: Citrus, Fruit, Honey, Peach, a hint of a light licorice after taste. Second glass a light taste freshly cut grass. A few days later I’m as I’m writing this I’m having a glass all of the previous plus a very pleasant earthy taste, really awesome.
MOUTH
James Christian
46 reviewsBatch AMA-02 – Compared to Jonny’s review of AMA-01…..
Nose: Chocolate coffee and funk. Not getting too much spearmint for me.
Palate: Palome funk (which for me is a combo of BBQ and Jalapeño and Cheese ) – so agree there!
Sintedos comparison: Yeah… kinda for this one? #02 is pretty beefy and viscous and does remind me of his Sintedos… but it kind of has “more to say” now. If that makes sense. Its delicious stuff.
Jonny
736 reviewsBatch AMA-01. Bottle 46/266. Classic Amando rawhide spirit, and great to see his own brand finally in the US. Slightly minty on the nose. Aromas of spearmint, chocolate, coffee, and menthol. The palate is viscous but not too sticky or heavy. It’s balanced, more so than some other mezcals I’ve had from him. The palate has notes of barbequed brisket, vanilla bean, and jalapeno cream. Very enjoyable and a bit lighter than his mezcals that I’ve had when bottled under 5Sentidos in the past.
Batch AMA-01. Bottle 46/266. Classic Amando rawhide spirit, and great to see his own brand finally in the US. Slightly minty on the nose. Aromas of spearmint, chocolate, coffee, and menthol. The palate is viscous but not too sticky or heavy. It’s balanced, more so than some other mezcals I’ve had from him. The palate has notes of barbequed brisket, vanilla bean, and jalapeno cream. Very enjoyable and a bit lighter than his mezcals that I’ve had when bottled under 5Sentidos in t