Next up in this week of mezcal reviews is one of two releases I’ll be reviewing from Derrumbes. The company bottles mezcals made by producers from a number of different regions. This is from the state of San Luis Potosi and is made from a wild agave from the region: Salmiana. This agave apparently has a very low yield and the spirit made from it is said to exhibit some unique characteristics. I’m excited to give it a try and also a little bit apprehensive. Oh yes, the agave is cooked in above ground ovens prior to mashing and distillation, which results in non-smoky mezcal. As to whether that’s traditional for the region or this agave or just for this producer, I don’t know. If you know more, please write in below. Okay, let’s get to it.

Derrumbes, San Luis Potosi (44.3%; Lot 68; from my own bottle)

Nose: Comes in with a big bright burst of green chillies and vinegar. Under that are first earthier notes (dried mushrooms) and then a hit of blue cheese (or are those gym socks?). Some naugahyde in there too. The “green” notes become more vegetal with time and dominate. A few drops of water bring the gym socks back up to the top and then the blue cheese expands dramatically.

Palate: Comes in with vegetal notes leading the way; some lime below that. Good drinking strength; decent texture. Continues in that general vein with the lime coming up to the top (some bitter zest in there now). Not getting much of the cheese on the palate. The texture gets more watery as it goes. I’ll add water anyway. Yes, yet again, the texture improves with a few drops of water and then the cheese emerges: but here it’s not blue cheese so much as parmesan rind.

Finish: Medium. Nothing new here. As on the palate with water.

Comments: A very fun mezcal. You’ve gotta like the funk and the cheese. I don’t much care for cheese or other lactic/butyric notes in whisky but it really works here. And interesting to drink a mezcal without any discernible smoke in it.

Rating: 86 points.