It’s been a while since my last mezcal review. That review was of an añejo or aged mezcal (from Rancho Vale Madre in Oaxaca). Let’s get back now to joven or unaged mezcal, which is what I mostly drink. Technically, what I am reviewing today is not a mezcal. But only technically. Chacolo, you see, are located in Jalisco outside the Denomination of Origen for mezcal and so cannot use that name on their labels. But in every non-bureaucratic way this is mezcal, made in an exacting manner. Chacolo use the capon method of “castrating” the agave plant as it begins to send up a flowering stalk. But where most producers who use this method, leave the plants in the fields to concentrate their sugars for a few months, Chacolo let them rest for 3-4 years. Indeed, the mezcal I am reviewing today is made from Ixtero Amarillo maguey to which the capon process was applied for 4 years. Ixtero Amarillo is a variety of agave rhodacantha, and is an outlier in their fields: all the other agave they use are varieties of agave angustifolia, from which come most of the well-known types of mezcal. Another feature of interest is that the family’s fields are on volcanic soil, which is said to confer a greater mineral quality than usual to their mezcals. They are an interesting operation—you can read more about them on Mezcalistas.

Chacolo, Ixtero Amarillo (48.87%; Lote 2D; from my own bottle)

Nose: A mix of lime, passionfruit and orange off the top; some creamier sweetness below. As it sits, some grassy, vegetal notes emerge and the salty, savoury notes from the palate emerge as well. Not much change after that. A few drops of water merge the vegetal notes with the fruit and brighten it up on the whole.

Palate: Lime peel and cracked black pepper make the first impression; turns quite salty as I swallow. Oily texture and a good drinking strength. Continues in this vein for a bit and then a savoury quality emerges with the salt (parmesan, olive oil). With time there’s just a bit of ash, mixed in with some chalk. Sweeter with water and more herbal (dill, sage, oregano).

Finish: Long. Turns slightly astringent with a faintly soapy note but it somehow works with the lime peel and pepper. Mostly as on the palate with water, but the bitterness remains.

Comments: This is very good and quite different from most of the mezcals I currently have open. A very good way to be introduced to Chacolo.

Rating: 88 points.