Ancestral bottling from Sola de Vega, different than pictured.

Eerily similar to this producer’s arroqueno, that makes me very happy. Super clay driven, meaty, vanilla buttercream, ginger, clove. Chicarones, white chocolates, piloncillo, a savory herb, just so dark. Old stone building, lots of leather.

Palate: A little hot which gives a sweet spice character, but once acclimated it’s a denser texture with a pretty long finish that almost has a floral soap aspect. Agave sweetness is huge, complexity isn’t super high but its so unique anyways that my attention is well captivated.

Massively dark and rich, wow. I’m really amazed at how much the “hand of the maker” is showing, this is very similar to the amazing arroqueno he produces as well. Hard to rate.

Chicken, cinnamon wax candle, almond, maguey. Burnt clove, cranberry, peppermint, cherries, touch of mixed berries, orange flesh, decent amount of smoke and minerality. Some nutmeg, light dairy (bleu goats cheese), more cherry and whatever a nice way to say “Red Hots” is.

Palate: Savory finish, a little thin, a bit acidic. Finish also has that burnt clove. Main sweetness is complex, with overall good balance and more orange oils coming through with white pepper.

Just so expensive for what it is, it’s a good middle of the road pechuga though.

Will try and update with batch info later, Ignacio Parada.

Big chocolates and some mint, with aspects of mole. Took a while to open up, but it has a great balanced finish with a good development upon entry. Proof is very in control with a complex nose and midpalate.

Sharp tobasiche, lots of yam-like starches, but with brown sugars and more sweet potato on the finish. The palate is very in control, mild florality – dried rose, ancho, dried poblano, fresher leather, spent coffee grounds, tobacco leaf, clove, a pinch of star anise, cooked lemon. Rosemary or juniper style vegetal heat. Proof is in control on entry though the warmth shows on a quite long finish. I really like this agave, and this is a fun example.

Acrid, acidic, suprisingly funky. Big blackberry flavor and dried sage, peppercorn, spearmint, ‘cheese’, poblano, tint of brazil nut. Retronasal has plum skin, vanillas, gentle allspice, agave. Smoke is present but subdued, good minerality. Entry is funky but the finish is really nice.

46.8% lot 5
Slowly beads fall. Stanky cenizo, a little smoke, white pepper, flowers, over a mango and papaya style fruit body. Lots of cara cara orange notes. Fennel touches, white cherry, good amount of vanilla, some cinnamon. Decent complexity and mostly huge pure agave. Clay, sunflower, ginger.

Such great sweetness, cara cara and vanilla and more gingery palate with papaya showing more than mango. Retronasal has cinnamon and orange blossom. Very approachable with just enough minerality for depth, very little smoke though some trickles on the finish.

I really like this region’s mezcal. Approachable fruit, clay, not too smokey. A clean and fun profile that’s versatile and engaging. This lot is a winner. More complexity and maybe less heat on the finish would bring it up. It’s a little dense on the palate too with regards to mouthfeel.

Tried this in Tequila, MX. Don’t remember too many notes other than it wasn’t super cheesy funy, had an apple sweetness with touches of tobacco or some dry herbal note. It was approachable and the proof was very much in control, with complexity. Waiting for it to be in Texas so I can buy a bottle. Was very impressed.

Lot 5, 49.3%

Aromatic, a gentle swirl and I can smell the cupreata, lemon, sour yuzu. Lots of cirtus and papaya, other tropical fruits in there like passionfruit – high toned, some banana. Eucalyptus, some gentle vanilla, clove. Mandarin, touch of smoke and meat, coffee bean, rose water.

Good viscosity, not super acidic like the nose suggested. Some flinty minerality, just a trickle of light pleasant ash and pepper on the finish. All the fruit hits the entry and swells to more white pepper and minerality. Some gentle herbaceousness like juniper or fir into the finish which is pretty long and even.

I haven’t had much from this area. The nose is so tart but the palate so nice, but what minerality and ashyness appear I do love. A complex development and unique profile. Solid pour, bright nose and dark palate.

Rey Campero Cuishe 48.3%
Lote DS008B-C?

Appearance: Clear, decent legs with slow beads.

Nose: Grilled [green] banana. Ashy, peppery, starchy. Good aromatics with some hazelnut, more banana, slight orange bitters, lemon pith, lime, minerals. Chamomile, light vanilla, cardamom, slight dried pepper (green, maybe some ancho). Maybe that vanilla is actually coffee. Air is helping a bit.

Palate: Yea, karwinskii, dry but this does have some good sweetness. Not “wowing” me, really, slightly hot finish. Sides of my mouth are a little refreshed, retronasal is sweeter banana and white pepper. Slight caramelization. Finish could be longer. Off a suspicion, a splash of water was added, it helped a touch to bring out the lemon and make the banana less “Runtz” and more “grocery store”, both are acceptable to me.

Thoughts: Meh? I’ll be sure to revisit but I’m glad I didn’t get a whole bottle. Karwinskiis are hard to do right, and this just bores me. Still a good brand always worth supporting, but this batch is a pass.

Great price, wild is interesting, would like to know about sustainability.

Lots of pineapple and banana style fruit, ripe. Great for a casual sip, fine for mixing but I think it’s better off alone as it’s a little cleaner. Great value!

Tempted to go the 4.5*.

This is a benchmark espadin for me. Great typicity and balance of smoke, minerality, agave, and flavors. At 49% it’s surprsingly gentle (and gets similarly somehow lost in cocktails). Reminding me of a highlands tequila, there’s just great agave flavor with accents of citrus and pepper. Good complexity, good finish, touches of flowers on the backend. A great “daily drinker”.

Seems to have quite a bit of heads in the cut which lends a dirty salt and pepper profile with decent sweetness and cocktail-friendly levels of smoke. For the price, this makes great palomas and negronis.

Flor Del Desierto Cascabel 48%
AA013

Hay color. Medium thinnish legs, scattered beads.

Lots of mint and [star] anise. Savory. Raisin, cedar, cinnamon, sour lemon, tangerine, vanilla, honeyed chamomile. Light smoke, cardamom, thyme/oregano, pecan. 8 drops of water: more funk coming out, meat for sure. More on the nutty spices, less bright. More what I would’ve expected.
Everything I like about the desierto offering is here – that trio of minerality, smoke, and sweetness. Finish is cedar, black pepper / spice, thyme, and a touch of nutmeg and vanilla.

Worth trying if you like sotols or the idea of a pechuga esp. with rattlesnake.

Bought it for the price point, $38. Lime [peel], minerals, fig, heat, green walnut. Reserved, smells like the maker though. On the palate it’s classic enough, I’m guessing this brand is using wider cuts on the still or something to cut costs, there’s a decent heat to it for 45%. I’ll have fun using it in cocktails, just a little sharp for sipping.

Very “arroqueno”. Earthy, meaty, buttercream, spices. Massive hit of vanilla, some clove and allspice, peppercorn melange. Beef jerky touches (dry TX black pepper kind), some date or fig, Angostura bitters, and such a great sweetness. The smoke has a slightly menthol (cooling) aspect to it. Light lemon oil with some time.

More acidic than expected, wish it was a bit richer. Feels a touch hot. Disappointed, a bit. Finish has decent minerality and length with spices and some date juice. Getting a little better with oxygen, will of course revisit.

Great typicity, but a let down on the palette.

Tasted this at his home, surprisingly smoky. Complex palette, a little rustic but the agave remained the core to hold it together. Balance of fruit, earth, smoke, and some floral components. Some tea components came through which I think are expressed through the native yeasts.

Only had a short tasting, but good sweetness up front, control of proof, and a grassy herbaceous finish. The development is nice, though it lacks some balance.

This sotol has the typicity needed to be serious, but finally brings along sweetness, complex smoke, and enough minerality to keep the rich mouthfeel from being cloying. This is serious juice.

46.7%ABV

Slow legs. Aged cheddar cheese, flowers, orange [peel]. Some juniper, papaya, tickle of ash, lilac, lily, chrysanthemum, wild cherries, coriander. Slight charcuterie, kukicha.

Electric and floral. So high toned but with that proteiny thing underlying it all. More herbs like rosemary on the finish with ripe cara cara orange and flowers.

Amazing product, but it lacks balance of flavors. I don’t mind eccentric if it’s done well, and this is missing the balance although just a very impressive style to produce.

Edition 08: harvest 2006, Rafael Méndez Cruz

Nose is espadin and lilac/ bluebonnet, some warm vanilla, pimento, flamed orange peel, soil, papaya, guava, pomegranate or raspberry, cured meats.

Palette shows glass resting and a mineral texture, sweet and allspice with a good finish. Touches of wintergreen and pie crust.

Could use a touch more balance but this is a great characterful espadin.