Nose has some banana runts candy sweetness notes followed by some sweet lactic on the taste. The ‘dustiness’ that I associated with a cenizo is present with light floral notes. Overall a sweet and approachable cenizo.

Wow! Creamy lactic smell with some green notes beneath it. Aromatic and you can tell this one is going to be big. The green on the taste turns to sweet jalapeño peppers and earthiness. Finish comes with some olives and saltiness. As others have said this is a wild ride but in all the best ways. I love the 60% ABV and I could sip this all night.

Didn’t get the LOT unfortunately.
Lighter overall, which is awesome for almost 49%. More light on the green notes yet with nuances that made it a fun one to sip. This was only a 1oz or so sampler, so while I can’t get into details, it’s still a solid 4 (if not higher) rating.

Love this smell – banana runt candy, and soft cream. I actually get some reminiscent notes of a tep (not your green fresh vegetables or jalapeños, but something reminds me about it’s “cousin” agave). There’s an ‘artificial taste’ like others have mentioned ‘new tennis balls, or new car, or new something…’. This one is really delicious though, and can be sipped on all day. 4.25 Stars.

Very round with more general sweeter notes. An all day sipper for sure! I also get the black licorice notes others have mentioned, along with some altoids mintiness. I don’t normally like the lower ABVs, but even at 46.5% this one feels more like a low 42% or so. Really good!

SJR104/21
This one was a cool 47.5% ABV, which seems to be different then other reviews. The taste was a bit hot no doubt, but pleasantly complex with sharper notes. Tropical fruit, and banana. Surprised of the negative reviews here, but seems like they changed something for the better on this one (or maybe this bottle is super old).

Review #172

Batch: GLE-004
Wow – this one is amazing. Strong smells of spicy green peppers, like jalapeños, olives. Not a tep. but equally fragrant. Reminds me of a salmiana. Tase is complex – brown sugar, pepper, root beer soda. Wow – this bottle is going too quick.
Review #171

Trying this one from the 100ml Melate bottle, which seems to be a different batch than the earlier reviews here (RAI-JUL-001).
The raicilla funkiness shines through here, and while not as good as the companion deer pechuga, this one isn’t bad at all. Lots of ‘mintyness’, sweetness, and right amount of funk. Also, some great heat at 50%.

Get some sweeter dates on the nose like Zack mentioned. Taste is more savory than sweet, but overall very delicious. I don’t get really any of the deer or guava that make this a pechuga, but there is a lot of complexities to enjoy. Also not as ‘funky’ as other raicilllas I’ve had, which makes this more approachable. I know this one was very polarizing, but I think it’s a really solid pechuga. I prefer this to the pure Maximilliana as well from this producer.

Solid Mexicano…I visited Fortunato’s palenque and brought back a Mexicano back in 2021…glad to see that Melate thought that was the best one as well. Rock candy, green sweet tarts…long finish with some dark chocolate notes. Well balanced and sweet. I really like it!

This one is a monster. The nose is super fragrant (like an A. Inaequidens or a Lamparillo or like a funky Tepeztate), and with a full mouth-feel. Super creamy with sweet and funky fruity, intoxicating notes. I wish I had better adjectives, but for my first a.Montana, I’ll definitely be searching out more of these expressions! This was a 2oz taster I found at an amazing speakeasy in Queretaro…and for 150 pesos this seemed like the deal of a lifetime, especially considering that a bottle sells in the States for $450+ USD. No batch number, as I was too busy throughly enjoying my copita.
Review #167

Lote: 05013-MC
Soft, floral, sweet notes that I come to associate with a mc. However, there is a bit of a funkier or sour finish that brings the overall quality down on this batch for me. On this small flask I picked up in Oaxaca, it says Vicente Sanchez Parada. Solid sipper, but nothing outstanding on this one.
Revisit: Much better as I finish the bottle. Peanuts, brown sugar, and very balanced. Def improved with some air time.
Review #166

This bottle is almost gone….how is this thing almost 59%?!? Delicious karwinskii notes…creamy, woody, vanilla, frosting cake. Sweet and savory. And all around banger of a mezcal.

Delicious smell and first taste. Love the 56%…a good jabali is a great jabali. I always get some notes of butterscotch and sweet vanilla cookies. Vegetal and nutty. Solid Melate offering, and probably only gets docked as it’s companion bottle (barril) was even better. 4.25 stars.

Lote: CM-T-0821
This is a tobala alright…definitely has the typical notes for me. Creamy, some tropical fruit at the end. I wish this one was a higher ABV (only complaint). My favorite so far from the Manglar line.
Review #163

Lote: CM-ET-0821
Light smell. Get some green, caramel on the taste. Some ethanol too, which I don’t like. It’s just OK…most of this brand seems to be right around 3-stars for me. Some better, some worse than others. The pure Tobala could be my favorite from what I’ve tried so far.
Review #162

Hate to say it, but anytime I taste an aged mezcal it reminds me of a tequila…albeit a bit smokier of course. Not a bad thing at all, but the barrel aging loses some of the nuances I love about joven mezcal. With that said, I do get the classic oaky and vanilla notes. Agave is still in there though which is nice. Tastes hotter than the 42.3% as well.
Unlike everyone else I actually prefer the anejo version to this repo.

CM-M-0821
I actually get the madrecuishe notes, which are always welcomed (creamy, ‘soft/cottony’ with some woodiness as well). I also get some peanut brittle as well. This one is good..nothing wrong with it (end is slightly too harsh), but overall just seems a little too light and watery. To me this is probably one of the best from this brand though. 3.25 stars.
Review #160

CM-ME-1
Smell has some lactic notes along with some fruit sweetness. Taste is OK here. I do get the notes of the MC agave, which are pleasant – creaminess and some piney notes. The finish is a bit rough and seems hotter than the 45%. Overall though a light and refreshing mezcal (trying the other options under this brand, I believe this ensamble to be not as good as the single varietals…esp the espadin).
Review #159

Lote CM-E-0821
Enticing smell of sweet sugar water and flowers. Taste comes in a bit smoky and hot for only 45%. Orange citrus notes though, and a pleasant sweetness overall.
Good entry level espadin, and price for a bottle seems great. 3.25
Review #158