I’m really liking this one! I’m not getting the ivory soap notes that one of the reviewers mentioned thankfully. I agree that this is very gin like! Fortunately I love gin! Definitely juniper flavors in there as well as other aromatics like cinnamon and allspice. There’s also a woody element on the finish that is like a really restrained sandalwood that I really like. This is fantastic.

Bubble gum. Juicy fruit. It’s a good Mezcal but I’m personally just not that crazy about Mezcal that gives me this juicy fruit bubblegum flavor. After reading the other reviews I’m totally getting the cheesecake flavor that Johnny mentioned. I like it a lot more now!

I’m a big fan of Lupe Lopez. He’s a true master. Some of his old Clande bottles and newer Sotoleros bottles are some of my all-time favorites. This offering, while not one of his very best, still tastes delicious. It has his magic. Banana bread, baking spices, an aged port wine. This is beautiful, I’ve never had a bad expression from him.

This Sotol tastes exactly like root beer to me. Like exactly! I’ve never had a spirit taste this much like root beer. I’m not a big root beer fan but I’m really digging this one. It’s also got a lot of earth and incense flavors in it. It’s like drinking a root beer with a hippy in the middle of a dust storm at Burning Man. Hell yeah.

March 2023. This tastes to me more like what I expect Salmiana agave to taste like. It’s green and herbal and floral and tropical and absolutely delicious! Lemon verbena, lychee, jasmine, fennel seed, bay leaves, rambutan, fresh jalapeño. Every expression I tried from this brand was absolutely top shelf!

April 2023. It blows my mind that no one else found this one chocolatey. To my palate this is a chocolate bomb! Chocolate malt balls, chocolate ice cream, fig newtons, chocolate cake, and some really cool mushroomy flavor note that I dig a lot. This brand rocks!

It’s really interesting to taste this one next to her other release with Verde added. They are quite a bit different. This one is also very complex but it’s a lot more on the sweet side and you can definitely taste the alcohol. If I had to choose just one I would pick her other ensamble but this is also very delicious. Panela, Kingsize Snickers, sandalwood, applesauce, toasted Parmesan cheese, caramelized banana, banana pudding, banana fritters with vanilla ice cream. This is sweet and decadent and delicious!

I have never had a Mezcal from Maria de la Luz that wasn’t fantastic. This is no exception. In my opinion she is one of the top producers of Mezcal in Mexico. This Mezcal is so perfectly made that it’s in a league of its own. It’s 53% Alcohol but it almost tastes like there’s no alcohol at all. It’s got a mouthfeel that is ethereal, it’s almost like you’re drinking perfumed air. Absolutely magic. The complexity here is insane! This is one of those Mezcals that just keeps changing and changing the longer you sip on it. Right now I’m getting fresh spearmint, cinnamon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, anise, and salted caramel. Perfection.

I’ve been wanting to do a side-by-side of Mezcals where the only variable was the water source for a very long time. I was very excited to try these two! I am not disappointed. To my palate they are vastly different.

Tierra Blanca: This Mezcal has a tropical vibe. I get notes of mango, pineapple, bitter dark chocolate, crushed bricks, Spearmint Altoids, Red Hot candy, Brazil nuts, and sea salt. This one is quite a ride! Tropical, mineral, slightly bitter, minty, spicy, nutty, and salty. I like it. 4 stars.

Rio Chico: This one really speaks to me. Somehow airy, clean, and light but also concentrated, deep, and sweet. This one definitely takes me somewhere. I feel like I’m sitting by a river in Santa Catarina Minas on a beautiful breezy day sipping Mezcal and looking at the clouds. I get notes of brown sugar, maple syrup, wet clay, orange peel, and vanilla ice cream. This one is sublime. 5 stars.

Bottle Barn batch. I tried the whole Tr3s Tiempos line in a tasting and this was my favorite expression. It’s very delicious. I didn’t write down any tasting notes at the time but I remember liking it very much.

14-Enero-2018. Lote 1. 24/33. 56% ABV. I bought this bottle years ago at Ericks legendary tasting room in Mexico City. At first glance the idea of an Al Pastor Pechuga seems gimmicky but this bottle is an absolute miracle!! Somehow the entire flavor of a perfect Pastor taco is in this Mezcal, even the corn tortillas!! You have to try this at least once, it’s mind blowing.

Wow this is so unique!!! Very green and herbal. Tarragon, mint, 7up, and fresh squeezed limes. I love this one!! My favorite of their expressions!

Totally different than the single Agave expressions! Big Mango flavor! Also sandalwood, Tang, Spearmint Altoids, and orange creamsicle. Yum.

Sweet concentrated flavors. Brown sugar, oak, dark chocolate, medjool dates, black licorice, and roasted plantains.

Mmmm. I sure do love Michoacán Alto! Taste reminds me of how a new can of tennis balls smells. Also green onion, and celery salt with a spicy cayenne pepper finish.

JMM-ESP-1. Delicious Mezcal. Caramel, nutmeg, allspice, orange peel, raspberry preserves, and vanilla whipped cream. All of his Mezcals that I’ve tried under this label have been sweet and creamy and delicious!

JMM-TOB-1. Soft and luscious mouthfeel. Coconut cream, banana pudding, cherimoya, khanom krok, cinnamon, and vanilla milkshake. Very tasty.

JMM-TEP-1. Sweet, creamy, and delicious! Vanilla cupcake with cream cheese frosting, peaches in syrup, spearmint, fresh jalapeño, rosewater, and carrot juice. This is damn good!

Tepextate is probably my favorite Agave used for making Mezcal. When it’s done right the flavors can be extraordinary. There are a lot of great Tepextate Mezcals in Oaxaca, so when I heard that Maguey Melate was releasing a Oaxacan Tepextate I couldn’t wait to taste it. I was surprised that they picked one from Mezcaleros that had only made 5 batches in their life when you have so many seasoned Mezcaleros from families with generations of experience to choose from, but I assumed they had their reasons. I am really disappointed by this one. It’s unbalanced and is missing the classic Tepextate flavors that I love so much. It’s floral and fruity but also has some chemical flavors and it’s a bit hot. Mint, vanilla frosting, nail polish remover, rubbing alcohol, and dryer sheets. Obviously a lot of people tasted this and liked it so maybe it’s just my personal taste, but this is not at all what I hope for in a Tepextate.

Big sugarcane notes, like an Aguardiente and Mezcal had a baby. Also leather, vanilla extract, rock salt, and chocolate malt balls. A bit hot considering the low ABV. Surprisingly mediocre considering how amazing the Maguey Melate expressions have been for the last couple of years, but still better than average.