Category Archives: Mezcal

Amaras, Cupreata

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Given the wild enthusiasm with which my mezcal reviews are greeted by the tens of people who read them, it’s only right that I offer you some more. So this week will be all-mezcal again. First up, an Amaras with a very attractive price tag—I think I paid less than $50. Amaras bottles mezcals distilled by mezcaleros in Oaxaca and Guerrero. In Mexico, by the way, the company’s name is Amores—not sure why it had to be changed to Amaras for the US market. The one I am reviewing today is distilled from the cupreata agave and bottled at 43%—a few ticks of abv down from most of the more celebrated boutique producers. Okay, let’s get to it.

Amaras, Cupreata (43%; lot no. 3; from my own bottle)

Nose: A big hit of cut green chillies in vinegar (and they’ve been in there 2-3 days). Under the bright notes is a layer of slightly bitter vegetal notes (bitter greens). On the second sniff there are sweet notes, a mix of floral and fruity (lime, charred pineapple). Just a hint of smoke in the distance. With time there’s some salt and some ham brine. A few drops of water brighten it up again. Continue reading →

Bonete, Raicilla Costa

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The third agave spirit of this week—and a shout out to the very few who read my reviews of the two Cinco Sentidos mezcals (here and here)—is not a mezcal per se but a raicilla. Raicilla is produced in Jalisco. As far as I can make out, it’s made in much the same way as mezcal but is outside the regions officially recognized for mezcal production. Well, it’s also the case that a lot of raicilla is single-distilled, whereas mezcal is typically double-distilled. But the one I have for you today, bottled by Bonete, was apparently double-distilled as well. So the distinction between it and mezcal may just be nominal. The major sub-regions for production are along the coast near Puerto Vallarta and in the Occidental Mountains. The former bear the appellation “Costa”, and the latter, the appellation “Sierra”. This one is Bonete’s Costa—I think they also bottle a Sierra. Anyway, I am curious to see what it’s like and if I can make out much of a difference from mezcal.  Continue reading →

Cinco Sentidos, Tobala-Cuixe (for Tricks of the Trade)

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Mezcal week rolls on. Here is another release from Cinco Sentidos for Tricks of the Trade in Fort Worth. Unlike Monday’s bottle, which was just distilled from the Tobala agave, this one is a blend of distillate from Tobala and Cuixe. I liked the Tobala a lot—let’s see what this one is like.

Cinco Sentidos, Tobala-Cuixe (48.7%; for Tricks of the Trade; from a bottle split)

Nose: Wet dog, pleather, a bit of salt, mineral smoke. On the second sniff there’s some lime. As it sits it gets earthier even as some sweeter fruit swirls around underneath (plum?). A drop of water brings out more of the fruit and makes the smoke a bit drier. Continue reading →

Cinco Sentidos, Tobala (for Tricks of the Trade)

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One of the unexpected things that happened in 2023 is that I suddenly, randomly became very enamoured of mezcal. This happened in the second half of the year when I finally drank some samples I’d acquired and hoarded. It wasn’t long before I was buying bottles of my own to explore further. I’ll have reviews of those bottles in the coming months; here now is a review from one of the aforementioned samples. It is a Tobala released by Cinco Sentidos, a brand launched by El Distilado, an Oaxaca restaurant that is renowned for its collection and championing of mezcal produced by small distillers in the region. This particular Tobala was bottled for Tricks of the Trade, a store in Fort Worth. I’ve liked all the Tobalas I’ve tried so far—not that my exploration so far of the vast range of agaves and producers has been very wide or deep. Anyway let’s see what it’s like.
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Rey Campero, Pechuga de Codorniz

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Let’s close out this week of reviews of mezcals from Rey Campero (see here for Monday’s Jabali and here for Wednesday’s Mexicano+Madrecuishe; and here for last Friday’s Tobala) with a somewhat unusual pechuga. Pechuga, as you may know, is a category of mezcal in the traditional production of which a chicken or turkey breast is hung over the still during the final distillation of the spirit, and which also deploys fruits, vegetables and nuts in the distillation process. That’s the traditional version. In recent years, however, many twists on the savoury component used have emerged. None of the three pechugas I’ve previously reviewed have involved chicken or turkey breasts. I’ve reviewed a Del Maguey that used Iberico ham, a Quiquiriqui that used cacao beans, and a Cinco Sentidos that used mole poblano! This Rey Campero pechuga is relatively staid by comparison as it involves a bird, even if it is quail. Also used in the distillation were grilled pineapple, grilled banana and grilled corn cobs. The unusual part is that it is only double-distilled whereas most pechugas are triple-distilled. It was produced in February 2022 and rested in glass for three months. Oh yes, the maguey used was Espadin, which is apparently the norm with pechuga. Okay, let’s see what it’s like. Continue reading →

Rey Campero, Mexicano + Madrecuishe

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Here is my second Rey Campero review of the week and the third overall (see here for last Friday’s review of the Tobala, and here for Monday’s review of the Jabali). This mezcal is made from a 50-50 mix of two different kinds of maguey: the Mexicano and the Madrecuishe. Madrecuishe is not the same as the cuishe maguey, in case you’re wondering (as I was before I looked it up). This was distilled in February 2020 and rested in glass for 18 months. That’s quite a bit longer than the five months the Jabali spent in glass (the Tobala’s label did not include that information). I’m not sure how common it is for joven (or mezcal not aged in oak) to be rested in glass for extended periods or where 18 months of resting in glass falls on the range of times common in the industry. If you know more about this, please write in below (or point me to good sources of information on mezcal production processes). In the meantime, here are my notes. Continue reading →

Rey Campero, Jabali

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The seven or eight people who read my mezcal reviews last week will be thrilled to know that I’m doing another full week of mezcal. Last week I reviewed two releases from Mal Bien (the Alto and the Verde) and one from Rey Campero (the Tobala). This week will be all Rey Campero. First up, the Jabali. Yes, Jabali is the name of the maguey varietal used to make this mezcal. As per Mezcal Reviews, this variety is apparently seldom used in mezcal making as it is apt to foam during fermentation and distillation. As someone who has been known to foam at the mouth himself from time to time, I’m going to take that as a good sign. Let’s see what it’s like.

Oh yes, this is from lot DS029-J. It was distilled in August 2021 and rested for five months in glass vats. I could even tell you what type of yeast was used for fermentation, what the source of the water used was, the type of mill used etc. etc. This is not because I know so much but because artisanal mezcal producers seem to put all this information on their bottles. Viva transparency! Continue reading →

Rey Campero, Tobala

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The first two reviews of this week of mezcal were both of releases from Mal Bien (the Alto and the Verde). Mal Bien is an American company that works with small producers in Mexico. Today’s review is also of a mezcal from a company that works with small producers in Mexico but this time it’s a Mexican company: Rey Campero. They are based in a small village in Oaxaca and are a family-owned company led by a mezcalero, Romulo Sanchez Parada. So if you like the idea of the bulk of the profit from the sale of mezcal going to producers based in Mexico—and I have to admit I do— Rey Campero is the brand for you. They make mezcal from a range of maguey varieties and in a number of styles. I’ll review a few more of their releases next month but first up, I have for you a review of a Tobala (the name of the variety of maguey it is distilled from). This variety is apparently grown at high altitudes, which gives it a distinct character. As I’ve said before, I’m not knowledgeable enough about mezcal to confidently tease apart the characteristics of different varietals of maguey but I am willing to slowly learn. I do know I really liked the Del Maguey Tobala I’ve previously reviewed. Let’s see what I make of this one. Continue reading →

Mal Bien Verde

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This week of reviews of mezcal began with a Mal Bien release made from  maguey alto, a type of agave. That was a mezcal from a small producer in Michoacán. Today’s review is also of a Mal Bien. This time the mezcal is from Oaxaca and made from maguey verde by Victor Ramos. Unlike in the current world of Scottish whisky, where not very many different varieties of barley are used, there is a lot of variation in the types of agave used in making mezcal. As I said on Monday, I know next to nothing about any of this—I couldn’t tell you what the expected characteristics of different kinds of agave are or whether this one made from maguey verde is a good example of the type or an outlier due to other variables of the production process. If you are an aficionado, feel free to enlighten me. I can tell you that I very much liked the Mal Bien Alto and am hoping this Verde will be at least as good. Let’s see if that’s true. I am not sure, by the way, if there have been multiple releases of this but my sample is from Batch 032DER. Continue reading →

Mal Bien Alto

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After a week of reviews of brandies and then a week of reviews of single grain whiskies, let’s shift all the way over to the Americas, to Mexico, and do a week of mezcals. I’ve reviewed a few mezcals in recent years and every time I do I become more enamoured of the general profile. My exposure to the category is not very wide or deep, however, and I am the furthest thing from an expert on it. I can’t tell you very much about the producers or the companies that release mezcals in the US, or about the characteristics of particular types of agave grown in particular regions, or about the effects of particular distillation regimes. For that kind of information you should look elsewhere—perhaps on the Mezcal Reviews website. What I can tell you is what I make of the mezcals I drink; it should go without saying that my responses are those of someone who usually drinks single malt whisky in the Scottish style. Alright, disavowals out of the way, I can tell you that the first two mezcals I am reviewing this week are from Mal Bien who bottle mezcals from small producers around Mexico. This alto was made by Isidro Rodriguez Montoya from the town of Río de Parras in Michoacán. Okay, let’s see what it’s like. Continue reading →

Quiquiriqui, Cacao Pechuga

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Housekeeping note: I did not post the usual Thursday recipe yesterday. For a change, I didn’t have the post ready to go a week prior, and the days leading up to Thanksgiving got a bit too full for me to get around to it. I’ll post that recipe on Saturday instead. Here, on schedule, however, is this week’s third booze post: the final post in my mini-run of mezcal reviews.

The first two were both Del Maguey releases: the Tobala on Monday and the Wild Tepextate on Wednesday. I liked both but the Tobala more than the other. Today’s offering is not not from Del Maguey but from an outfit named Quiquiriqui. This is a brand based in the UK that apparently works directly with producers in Oaxaca—though looking at their website, it’s hard to tell if they work with separate producers or just one family. Their range includes a number of pechugas: one made with mole (a la the Cinco Sentidos I reviewed earlier this year), one made with coffee, and this one which deploys cacao. I’m not sure how exactly this is done: are cacao beans hung over the still during the third distillation a la the traditional chicken or turkey? Are the cacao beans in addition to chicken/turkey or a replacement? If you know one way or the other, please write in below. Anyway, let’s see what it’s like. Continue reading →

Del Maguey, Wild Tepextate

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I began this week of mezcal reviews with Del Maguey’s Tobala, which I rather liked. Here now is another of their releases: Wild Tepextate. As per the Mezcal Reviews site the producer is the same as that of the Tobala, which means it’s also from Santa Maria Albarradas. Tepextate is also a variety of agave found at high altitudes—you’ll never guess but it grows wild. That pretty much exhausts my knowledge about this mezcal. Well, I can tell you it also costs in the neighbourhood of $100 in most parts of the US and that it is currently available in Minnesota for a bit more than that. Okay, let’s get to it.

Del Maguey, Wild Tepextate (45%; Lot: TEP 181; from a bottle split)

Nose: More acidic than the Tobala, with more of a mineral note as well. Otherwise, similar notes of lime, green chiles and salt with mild passionfruit. Some charred pineapple in there too. More savoury as it sits with a bit of ham brine joining the party. With a couple of drops of water the “green” notes recede and the savoury notes expand. Continue reading →

Del Maguey, Tobala

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This month I’ve already done a week of reviews of a category I don’t know very much about: bourbon. I’m now pleased to do a week of reviews of a category I know even less about: mezcal. I’ll be reviewing two mezcals from Del Maguey, the brand that has in recent years raised the profile of mezcal among whisky drinkers, and another from Quiquiriqui, a brand I had not heard of until I acquired a sample of it. First up, Del Maguey’s Tobala. It is named for the variety of agave from which it is is distilled. The tobala agave is much smaller variety than most others used to make mezcal, grows at high elevations, takes a long time to reach maturity, and apparently its yields too are quite low. All of this means mezcals made from tobala are typically more expensive. This Del Maguey iteration—which is a single village/town expression from Santa Maria Albarradas—goes for over $100, if you can find it. I’ve never had a tobala mezcal before, and so will not be able to tell you if this is a representative example of the varietal, but I’m curious to try it. Continue reading →

Cinco Sentidos, Pechuga de Mole Poblano

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This has been a week not just of mezcal reviews but of reviews of unusual mezcals. Wednesday’s Weller cask-finished Chichicapa from Del Maguey followed on the heels of Monday’s Del Maguey release that saw the pechuga process tweaked with the use of Iberico ham. I liked that one a lot more than the bourbon finish. That might be good news for this one which is in the general style of the Iberico but ups the pechuga madness by featuring not ham or chicken or turkey breast in the final distillation but full on mole poblano. This is not a Del Maguey release but from an outfit named Cinco Sentidos. Their website indicates that they release mezcals made by small-scale producers. I have no idea if this mole poblano release is representative or a wild variation on their usual line-up. Well, I love a good mole poblano but I can’t say I’ve ever wished I could drink a mole poblano-flavoured spirit. But perhaps the mole won’t come through here as strongly as the Iberico did in the Del Maguey. Only one way to find out. But however it goes, for my next round of mezcal reviews—whenever those might end up being posted; I have no further mezcal samples on hand—I think I am going to go for more regulation releases. Recommendations for any such will be very welcome in the comments below. Continue reading →

Del Maguey Chichicapa, Weller Cask Finish

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Mezcal week rolls on with another Del Maguey release. Monday’s was an unusual take on pechuga maturation from Santa Catarina Minas and involved an Iberico ham. This one, which does not, as far as I know, involve any meat products in the distillation is from Chichicapa, the source of the first mezcal I reviewed and a very popular Del Maguey marque. Unlike the regular Chichicapa, however, this one is aged for a bit. As you might be able to tell from the tiny picture alongside, its colour is a pale urine yellow compared to the very well-hydrated clear of the other two mezcal samples behind it. This faint colour is due to a finish/brief maturation in bourbon casks. And not just any casks but casks that had previously held spirit that went into Old Rip Van Winkle 10. A cynical read of this situation is that it seems to have been designed precisely to separate bourbon drinkers with more money than sense—which these days appears to be a good description of almost all bourbon drinkers—from a good chunk of that money. Well, I don’t know how much this cost on release but it now goes for well above $200. But is it any good? Does anybody really want their mezcal to taste like bourbon? Let’s see. Continue reading →

Del Maguey Iberico, Mezcal

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Who better than someone who knows almost nothing about mezcals to do a week of reviews of mezcals? No one, that’s who. I’ve only reviewed one mezcal previously and have not tasted so very many more than that. The one I previously reviewed was bottled by Del Maguey, the brand that has probably more than any other raised the profile of mezcal in the US in the last decade, especially among whisky drinkers. They bottle single village mezcals made in traditional ways and have a sterling reputation. Well, this one—made  in the village of Santa Catarina Minas—is both traditional and not. Traditional in that it is generally in the pechuga style, which sees a final round of distillation with a chicken or turkey breast hanging over the clay still (plus various fruits etc.). Not traditional in that in this case the chicken/turkey breast was replaced by an Iberico ham. This was apparently suggested to the proprietors by a chef who also sent them the ham to use. Perhaps the fact that it was Iberico ham accounts for the nosebleed price of this mezcal. I’m not sure if it was a one-off or if it’s continued to be made in limited quantities but if you want to buy a bottle now you’ll have to be prepared to shell out $200 or more. I’m not going to be prepared to do this, no matter what, but I am curious to see what it’s like. Continue reading →

Del Maguey, Chichicapa

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ChichicapaI know nothing about mezcal but I’m not going to let a little detail like that stop me from reviewing one anyway. This particular mezcal is one that a lot of whisky geeks have been gushing about for some time now—it apparently has a smoky quality quite reminiscent of Islay whiskies. It also has going for it the fact that it’s a mezcal from a single village, Chichicapa. Indeed, the bottlers, Del Maguey, release a number of single village mezcals, some priced rather extravagantly. I’ve not quite been able to bring myself to pull the trigger on a bottle, as it runs north of $60 in most markets, but thanks to a sample swap I’m able to finally check it out.

Del Maguey, Chichicapa (46%; single village mezcal; from a sample received in a swap)

Nose: Nail polish remover at first and strong whiffs of gasoline. Then quite a lot of peppery fruit begins to appear: melon, grapefruit. Some floral notes too and then expanding lime (peel). After a bit it gets quite creamy and custardy. With more time the fruit gets quite intense. Not much change with water.

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