Have I really not reviewed a mezcal since last November? Well, I guess I’ve barely reviewed any booze since last November. Anyway, I have today another release from Chacolo, whose spirit cannot legally be called mezcal (or tequila). See my previous (and so far only other) review of one of their mezcals to see why that is. As I noted there, Chacolo use the capon method of of “castrating” the agave plant as it begins to send up a flowering stalk but leave the plants in the field to concentrate the flavours for far longer than most producers. The ixtero amarillo I reviewed last October spent four years in capon before being mashed and distilled. This release of lineño is from agave that spent 3 years in capon (I’m not sure if “in capon” is the correct way to put it). Unlike the ixtero amarillo, lineño is a variety of agave angustifolia, as are the rest of the agave varieties the family grows. (Again, I recommend that you read more about them on Mezcalistas.) I liked that ixterro amarillo a lot and am looking forward to this one.

Chacolo Lineño (47.43%; Lote 007; from my own bottle)

Nose: Wet earth, wet stones and a lot of fruit—lime at top but sweeter things below. More salt on the second sniff and also more vegetal/farmy notes below. As it sits the citrus moves in the direction of hard candy, and there’s more sweet orange now than lime. With more time still there’s something fermented and yogurty/cheesy. With water there’s some cherry and plum.

Palate: Comes in with the fruit leading the way and the salt just behind. Perfect drinking strength and texture. Some of the smoke from the finish pops out here as well, just a lick. Mostly it’s about the fruit and the salt. With time it gets creamier and basically turns into a slightly smoky mixed-citrus custard. A couple of drops of water push the cream back and bring out the stone fruit and some citronella.

Finish: Medium. The fruit and the salt fade together. A little bit of smoke here. As on the palate with water, which also extends the finish.

Comments: Just lovely. Is this the best mezcal I’ve yet had? Quite possibly.

Rating: 91 points.