Nose: New car smell, bright citrus, bananas.
Taste: Orange julius, vanilla, leather, grass, green pepper, mint.
Big, thick mouthfeel and a finish that goes on for minutes.
Overall this is a great mezcal, and my first Jabali. I really dig the complex sweet, savory, earthy flavors in this. As I keep coming back for more sips, I pick up more and more notes in this flavor. It’s perfectly balanced and doesn’t lean too sweet, too savory, or too earthy/grassy. It’s just a really great mezcal. 9/10

I wasn’t sure what to think about this one at first, as it has a weird smoked cheese note at first. However, after a few sips, I get this great strawberry cream cheese flavor mixed with green bell pepper and cinnamon. The sweet, creamy, and savory combination really works here, and I have been enjoying it more and more as it opens up. I’ve never had anything like this, as it’s such a unique taste, but I love it. 8.5/10

Lot S-19-EBCSNM-20; Espadin, Barril, Coyote, Sierra Negra, Mexicano blend at 52.3% abv.
Has a muted aroma, mostly of clay pots and alcohol with a hint of grass. Taste is very heavy on the clay pots and earth. There is also a nice blackberry and blueberry note, but it’s hard to get past the clay pot flavor. Harsh finish with a significant alchohol burn with licorice in the finish. As I continue through the dram, the taste does improve a bit and the clay turns into an earthiness with some tropical fruits in the finish. Overall 5/10 and not my favorite of the recent Vago releases.

This was my first bottle of mezcal, and it’s an excellent way to start. It’s got a nice citrus taste with a hint of basil and mint and a slight peppery kick at the end. It’s sweet, but not overly sweet – more like a kiss of honey on the finish. I also get a bit of tropical fruit, but mostly lime and grapefruit. Very good oily mouthfeel and only a hint of smoke – slightly charred pineapple with bacon. Goes down way too easy, and I keep going back for more. Overall 8/10.