LOT: A22, DATE: 03/22, BOTTLE 900T, 45.4%, 200ml

Nose – Woody and musty – tobacco, wet cigarettes, wet earth, hay, grass, charcoal, and damp wood.

Palate – Heavy, dark and woody. A lot of lingering smoke. Campfire, mesquite, tobacco, rubber bands, papaya, guava, and bitter fruit like banana pith and grapefruit.

Finish – Becomes a bit earthy – peanuts, charred bbq crust, green bananas, coconut meat, and some dried-out oranges.

Very rugged. It’s tasty, but not my thing. A little too bitter and heavy on the smoke. However I also tried this separately after having something sweet, and the heavy-bitter flavors offset nicely within the palate.

BATCH: MIA-M200US 2020, 47.12%, 200ml

Nose – Mellow and tropical, like a musty room with a fresh breeze; mangoes, coconut, sawdust, and wet asphalt.

Palate – Grassy and vegetal, but very light and subdued, like drinking a salad; greens, celery sticks, melon, brussel sprouts, and some pickled ginger for some tanginess.

Finish – Still light, but now woody; peanuts, raw ginger, wet toothpick, agree on the cantaloupe, and even getting some salted egg for a bit of a savory/minerality component.

This is delicious and La Medida always delivers. However in terms of preference, I’m liking a few of their other expressions vs this one… which are more bright and fruity vs the vegetal-ness of this Madrecuishe. Although still complex, it just lacks the punchiness that I like.

BATCH NUMBER MIG-INA-003, 50.2%, BOTTLE: 104

Nose – Funky and cheesy wood; jalapeño poppers, musty attic, yogurt, cream cheese, latex paint, orange oil, and some wet wood.

Palate – Very zesty and fresh, such a contrast from the nose; green bell peppers, mild jalapeños, ripe oranges, carrots, sweet ginger, and some funky heat like black pepper with licorice.

Finish – Sour vegetables; root beer, cucumbers soaked in vinegar, and some savory funkiness like hoisin sauce.

Really good! Such a bright, fresh and interesting flavor. The sips keep you coming back for more! Outside of Oaxaca, mezcales from Michoacan (and also Guerrero), have been some of my favorites thus far! Always a lot of zest and tang.

LOT: DS013-YC December 2023, 48.5%, BOTTLE No. 215/661

Nose – Funky, spicy, but also muted and sweet; piña colada, miso, coconuts, cloves, lumber, jalapeños, ginger, soy sauce, and craft glue.

Palate – Hot, spicy, tangy, and just so much flavor; passion fruit, fennel, cinnamon, ripe oranges, basil, grapefruit, some meaty oiliness like ham and mortadella, and some subtle nuttiness like pistachios and almonds.

Finish – Very saucy; bbq sauce, marinara sauce, raisins, mesquite, and some nuttiness like coconut cream.

Really good, I’m liking this a lot! So intense and flavorful. A fresh bottle offers a lot of punchiness. Cracked this open for a special occasion, but definitely gonna savor it for a while.

Nose – Clean but briny, earthy, and somewhat medicinal; warm and baked like banana bread, dark chocolate, and fresh coffee, with an overarching clean aroma that reminds me of a hospital waiting room, with some vinyl, iodine, office furniture, and some clean-nature, like river water, wet rocks, and houseplants.

Palate – Surprisingly light, but a vey funky and tart opening sip; cilantro, pool water, pico de gallo, mixed berries, with some vegetal notes of mint, tomato, and celery, with some sweet punchiness like caramel, honey, yogurt, with an overarching dry-unripe banana, plantain, and dark chocolate flavor.

Finish – Very light and thin, almost dry with a faint, tart sweetness; cranberries, carrots, tonic water, fruit rind, caramel popcorn, cacao nibs, and some light and smoky bbq sauce.

The glass aging has probably mellowed this out too much. A funky and bittersweet profile with a very light mouthfeel. It’s enjoyable to sip on and it’s fun to appreciate the craft that went into this batch, but unfortunately it lacks any punch which imo prevents it from being truly noteworthy.
Edit: After a revisit, the flavors in this are muted but highly complex and unique; really liking it. Upgrading original score from 3.5 to a 4.

LOT: B0059EB4220, 42%, 375ml

Nose – Rich and earthy; wet dirt, fresh cut grass, fresh laundry, pine, and some funky sweetnesses like mango, cream cheese, orange cream, and a typical sharpness like permanent marker to round it out.

Palate – Creamy, earthy, and a little fatty; unsalted butter, peanuts, a bittersweetness like fruit rind, and a tanginess like raw honey.

Finish – A little savory and vegetal in an abrupt finish; parsley, some bittersweet orange rind, and something smoky and tangy like a bbq sauce.

Great value and a good low-to-mid pick as a sipper. Worthy if it’s all that is available. Can appreciate the messaging behind the brand.

BATCH: XBP04-17, 49.4%, BOTTLE: 1597/1600

Nose – Crisp and refreshing; laundry detergent, fresh linens, coconut, fresh-cut grass, and some smokiness, like tobacco and second-hand smoke. This reminds me of cigarette smoke trying to be masked with air freshener; casino interior vibes.

Palate – A light and mellow tanginess; watered-down Snapple fruit punch, mangoes, pineapples, passion fruit, tropical chewing gum, heavy on the nuts like peanuts, some vegetation like parsley and green bell pepper, and a little savoriness like some Oscar Meyer bologna.

Finish – Mellow sweetness; honey, jasmine tea, orange rind, soy sauce, and some simple syrup. A little short and abrupt for me…

Good. Initially hard to pull flavors and it lacks some punchiness, but this serves as a decent ‘daily’ sipper overall.

Series #7 March 2022, 45.5%, 250 liters

Nose – Fresh, funky and sweet; fresh-cut grass, coconut, cake, icing, bakery spice, and some woody musk, like lumber and glue.

Palate – Ripe, tart and funky; sweet oranges, mango, cilantro, sweet and sour sauce, and some heat like white pepper.

Finish – The tart and funkiness continues with some light smoke; mango skins, passion fruit, buttermilk, and bbq sauce – fantastic!

A very bright and punchy expression! Absolutely phenomenal, one of my favorites. Very tropical, like a Piña Colada. This left me speechless. Very memorable; instant “wow.”

Batch NAE05-21, 40%, Bottle 582/720

Nose – Woody and sweet; caramel, butterscotch, pine, and maple syrup.

Palate – Very mellow with subtle sweetness and hints of wood; banana bread, brown sugar, and some earthy baked sweetness, like brown bread and oatmeal.

Finish – Subtle earthy bittersweetness; raw honey, fruit pith, maraschino cherries, and granola.

Alright overall, mid-level flavor, got some legs. I can dig it. Decent daily sipper, probably stellar in a Oaxacan Old Fashioned and other cocktails.

LOT NO. AM 22-2, 40%, 200ml

Nose – Sour, sweet and punchy; green apple, lemon, some earthy sweetness like tamarind, and something synthetic to round it out, like vinyl or the typical permanent-marker.

Palate – Thin, weak, and artificially sweet; grape drink, grocery store fruit punch, sugar water, raisins, some wood, and a mild earthy sweetness, like ginger.

Finish – The heavy artificial sweetness continues but abruptly ends and becomes easily forgotten; bottled agave syrup, and honey condiment packets, like the ones from Popeyes.

Yikes! It’s thin and hot with its cheap alcohol burn, and ultimately ends up underwhelming. This would not be my first choice, and would only consider this if options are limited. Find something better to sip on. However, I can see this being decent in cocktails if that’s what you’re going for, but keep in mind there’s no smoke so there’s some flavor loss there as well. Cool bottle and branding though.

BATCH: CERRITO 1, 46.7%, BOTTLE: 107/150

Nose: Cheesy and funky; vinyl, rubber, baby powder, and some creamy funk, like cream cheese and sour cream.

Palate: Woody with subdued citrus; grapefruit, a mouthful of orange rinds, some honey and sugar cane for sweetness, ginger, tamarind, some darkness like grapes and plums, and a lot more bitterness, like raw nuts.

Finish: This is bitter and dry, a lot of woody bbq notes and barely leaning towards bittersweet; some vanilla, a lot of bitterness, like chewing on mango peel, but I get a lot of savoriness too, like beef brisket.

Cool, but ‘meh’ for the price. I’m always down for a store exclusive, but this just fell flat for me. I mean it’s good and I’m committed to the bottle: relegated to ‘daily’ status. However I expected a little more pizazz, especially coming from a high-caliber brand, with a store-pick, at a high-end price… Let’s have this sit for a few months and come back for a revisit…

DS012-C, 48.5%, 200ml

Nose – A soft, refined woody nose with a funky twist; coconut, piña colada, mango, banana, grass, with a little bit of a funky punch like cream cheese. I love this. Reminiscent of RC’s Jabali. There’s this intoxicating ‘gluestick’ note that takes me back to arts & crafts in grade school.

Palate – The first sips were bright, punchy, and HOT! However after a few more it opens up to a tanginess that is mellow and refined; jackfruit, vanilla, caramel, flan, dried mangoes, and a nutty sweetness, like maple syrup.

Finish – Medium tangy finish that mellows out; dehydrated pineapples, apple skins, and some low-level heat, like Shishito peppers. This has a nice sweetness with just the right amount of punch, but it fizzles out a little too soon because it runs thin towards the end.

This is good! It’s probably because this is a freshly cracked bottle, but the flavors are so vibrant and intense! Though of course I’d expect no less from Rey Campero. Very tasty, and although thin at times, I was sipping for more!

Series 6, March 2021, 46.8 or 48.8%(?), K&L Exclusive

Nose – So fresh, earthy, and natural, but still having a lot of punch; fresh cut grass, lemon trees, wet dirt, fresh produce, and river water with some driftwood mixed in.

Palate – Tangy; but think vegetal with the slightest touch of citrus. Like a green-juice sweetened with honey, plus some individual notes of cabbage, lettuce, green peppers, carrots, sugar cane, and the sweet citruses, like a few slices of ripe oranges or some mandarin tangerines. This is like that Japanese side salad that comes dressed in a sweet orange-based vinaigrette. Absolutely sublime in Mezcal form.

Finish – A very long, mellow, bittersweet and tangy finish; fresh ginger, grapefruit, and some orange rind.

So good. Absolutely delicious. Had to get this one uploaded to sing its praises! This was an old batch from K&L that came and went. Sadly it seems this release never got much attention, but for me it instantly became one of my all-time faves! Rare 5-star from me. It’s how I was introduced to Maestra Berta Vasquez and I’ve been in love ever since. Try it if you can… hopefully there’s a case of these lost somewhere in K&L’s backrooms because I would like another!

Lot No: ESPCLA2105 May 2021, 29%, 077/264

Nose – A mellow sweetness. Butterscotch, baking spices, pencil shavings, some rubber, and a bit of nuttiness like vanilla extract.

Palate – A lot of savoriness to it; salinity with some bittersweetness. Seawater, charcoal, dark chocolate with sea salt sprinkled on top, salted mixed nuts, buttermilk, and some fresh mint and basil.

Finish – Briny and somewhat seafoody. Mussels and oysters, with an earthy minerality like wild mushrooms, and a salty herb, like oregano.

Good! Very savory with some smoke and the smallest bit of initial sweetness. However the overly savoriness surprises me considering this is a Capón. I expected there to be a more riper and sweeter body. Regardless, still fun to sip on!

Lot: RAMB202301, 49.3%, Bottle number 164
Destillation date: October 2022

Nose – Musty, rustic and moldy; earthy with a little bit of rot. Wet wood, bananas, cheese, a little funkiness like feet and dried fish, with an over-arching briny sweetness, like ginger.

Palate – A subdued but funky, earthy and vegetal sweetness. Canela, raw sugar, cilantro, mango, and orange marmalade, especially the little bitter pieces of rind.

Finish – The funky sweetness continues; lots of agave present. Dark chocolate-covered raisins, plums, bananas, almonds, and some wood, like when you chew on a toothpick too long.

Really good and interesting flavor! One can appreciate the craft that went into making such a tasty final product. However, after sampling many claypots thus far, I’ve come to the conclusion that the funk and earthiness isn’t my palate. I just wish the flavors and intensity of the Tep would’ve shined a bit more in this.

Lote: DE 01/22, 46%

Nose: Punchy and lactic, a strong alcoholic aroma; glue, permanent marker, cherries, mint, pine, lemon, cleaning liquid, and some acetone to round out the intensity.

Palate: A deep, dark body; a little bittersweet. This is like a red wine all the way, with some ripe plums, grapes, mangoes, and the unwashed dirt from all the fruits. A bit of a subtle, meaty oiliness as well, kind of like a ham, bologna, or mortadella.

Finish: Woody with some bittersweetness; raw honey, dark chocolate, cough syrup, raisins, mango peel, and some orange rind.

Good; a very interesting Espadin! Reminds me so much of the Derrumbes Oaxaca expression: dark and woody. However I like my Espadins more on the bright and citrusy side, so this took some getting used to. Always fun to try a different take on these agaves to appreciate the styles of all the different Maestros.

BATCH: MIA-MX2001US 2020, 46.50%

Nose – A little fresh, but damp and a bit dirty and musty; celery, produce-section vibes, grass, fresh dirt, and the slightest eek of some sweetness in some faint piña colada.

Palate – Boom! Always a punchy opening! Very tropical and vibrant; pineapple, ripe oranges, passion fruit, mangoes, with some sweet funk like sugar cane and raw honey.

Finish – Funky, hot and long; banana, ginger, licorice, and tangy spices like cinnamon and anise… and a grassy burp on the backend.

Love this! One of my favorite bottles to have ever sampled in my lifetime. There is a funky sweetness I can’t quite put my finger on but it is absolutely compelling! This put La Medida on the map for me.

BATCH: TP2021-2, 42%, 50ml

Nose – Clean, fresh and sweet; grass, honey, lemon, cilantro, with a slight whiff of some permanent marker. Like a tropical hand soap.

Palate – A sharp opening (a little hot), but a noticeably bitter body; red wine, super dark chocolate, and some unripened plums.

Finish – Bittersweet; orange rind, cacao, raw almonds.

It’s alright. Rich in texture, but not my thing flavor-wise. Too bitter and one dimensional. Cool to try but I can’t see myself ever wanting to reach for this again. It just feels a little “rough around the edges.”

Batch No.: BV-ENS-IX-22, 46%, Bottle No.: 98/163

Nose – An earthy, musty sweetness; tree bark, fresh cut grass, and some sweet/funky spices, like cloves, cinnamon, tobacco, and honey.

Palate – Woody and rustic but also very tangy. A citrusy and floral opening that subdues an overall earthy body. Smoky but not offensive. Mcdonald’s bbq sauce, sugar cane, dark ripe grapes, overly ripe mangoes, and something tropical, like the tiniest bit of ginger and some coconuts.

Finish – Tanginess fades out into a bittersweetness with lingering smoke; fruit piths, orange rind, mango peel, and some bbq pulled pork.

Very tasty and easy to drink! There is such a woody and rustic component in here that you’d think this was an añejo. Good, but definitely not Berta’s best. It’s missing some nuance to truly send this over the edge. However, it’s an Ensamble with a fairly low bottle count with a combo of a great brand with a master Mezcalera, this release flies under the radar and is fun to try if you have the chance!

LOT: Tobasiche 2022-02, 47.02%, BOTTLE NUMBER: 149/533

Nose – Sharp and funky; ginger, spices, tamarind, grass, lemon, damp leaves, with some fresh laundry and wood-shop notes.

Palate – A bright and punchy opening; citrus, white pepper. Then turns earthy and vegetal, with a light smoke; vanilla, raisins, tobacco, leather.

Finish – Mellow and musty, very subdued and rustic; fruit peels, rubber, grape flavor, bbq sauce and charred bbq bits.

Great Mezcal. This tobasiche is savory, not typically my thing but this is really good!