Lot AR470619, bottle 38/144.

Sweet nose. Taste is soft, mellow, refined and elegant. Sweet like medjool dates and toffee. Maybe a hint of Lay’s BBQ chips. No obvious alcohol burn. Negligible smokiness.

I like more punch and complexity most of the time but for something different this is excellent.

Hot and sweet and very tasty. Not sure I could manage too much in one sitting due to the sweetness — maybe that’s a good thing 😊

Lot 4, April 2018, bottle 117 of 800.

This one is different. Before tasting I’d read there was mint. But I didn’t imagine it would be too pronounced; mint is there in Del Maguey’s Chichicapa but I always found that subtle. But here, there is definitely mint, especially when the bottle is first opened.

It wasn’t until the third or fourth tasting that I got my brain dialed in to the mint and started to enjoy this one. But once there, it’s really rather excellent. Previously I’d had it alongside other agave spirits but I think it needs to be drunk solo to really get properly acclimated. And it’s not just mint — there’s a lot more going on. Herbal, sweet, a lovely rich mouthfeel. Definitely a cool agave spirit to have in the collection.

Lot 60, bottle 454.

Tropical fruits and vanilla for me on the nose and palate, some sweetness. I don’t get a lot of smoke or spice. Nice mouthfeel, viscous and soft. An elegant and very drinkable mezcal. I like it a lot. Would buy again.

One of my favorites. More assertive than Del Maguey’s Wild Jabali which I also love. This seems more complex and in my opinion is all the better for that.

Bought this after having my mind blown by the Masparillo. This is not as complex and interesting for me, but still something rather special. Given a choice between the two the Masparillo would win for me, but I’d never turn this down. Discovered by chance that it pairs shockingly well with Gorgonzola; sounds odd maybe, but highly recommend.

Batch M7.

It actually took me three or four occasions with this before I liked it. Initially it was so packed with intense and complex flavors that it seemed almost like a perfume. There’s fruit, berries, essential oils, floral aromas, sweetness and a lot more besides. Once I had “adapted” it was fantastic, something really special. It’s almost a dessert. Cannot recommend too highly. It’s now easily in my top 5 favorites.

Batch 03.19.ER.MBT

Subtle nose for me; I didn’t initially get the cherry mentioned by others. Not particularly sweet, somewhat thin. Some pleasant heat, mint and pepper. Well balanced but not especially exciting.

**UPDATE** Subsequent tastings…this has really grown on me. Not sure if that’s the bottle being open longer or my palate getting updated. But I like it. Would buy again.

Batch 04.20.JV.TX

Initially I was not too sure about this one. Upon opening the bottle I definitely picked up the mustiness mentioned by another reviewer — like a damp cellar or mineshaft entrance. Then there was the ashy or chalky dryness. Didn’t especially get the promised grassiness but there was some blue cheese dank in there. Overall quite savory and different from what I have been drinking previously. On the second time I tried it things seemed improved, so possibly it needed a little time to air.