Tastes

Batch L-0011 2012 52.3%abv Espadin 10yrs Don Lorenzo Angeles Mendoza Lots of clay and acetone on the nose as well as hints of lavender and vanilla. More clay on the taste along with vanilla, light smoke, delicate mint, and strawberry rhubarb pie. Clay and smoked strawberries and mint linger on forever in the finish. Surprisingly smooth given the very high ABV. One thing is for sure: the folks at Real Minero are masters of their craft.

Lot: DS00 8A-C 48.3%abv Nose is very vegetal, charred zucchini, fruity with a touch of earthiness, citrus lime, banana, buttercream. Taste is more vegetal notes of roasted agave, banana, toffee, with mint on the back end along with an alcohol bite. Finish is dry and a bit chalky. This is really great but I do wish the finish was a bit longer. Still rock solid.

Lot: PAP-171 Smells of musty leather with a hint of fruitiness trying to poke through. Taste is dark, earthy, and smoky. Complete opposite of most of the mezcales I have been sipping on lately. Leather, forest floor, black olives, portabello mushroom, sticks/dried leaves, tobacco, with notes of blueberries trying to balance out all them dark earthy flavors. Finishes with a lingering smokiness. Big, creamy mouthfeel on this one as well. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one but I very much so dig it.

Batch No. RML-07, 48.9% abv Right off the bat there is roasted peanuts on the nose. Along with the peanuts, I picked up coconut, lime, slightly floral, slightly vegetal, and slightly minty. The aromas are very nuanced and delicate. Taste is equally nuanced and balanced to a tee. Vegetal like fresh lightly roasted greens, spearmint and wintergreen minty notes, there is a citrus element poking through, some tropical notes….there is lots going on here but it’s all so delicate and nuanced showing off the superb talents of the mezcalero. Very creamy mouthfeel and the minty and vegetal finish goes on for what feels like days on end. I can’t get enough of this finish! Also, if you happen to burp, it tastes like peanuts. This is a superbly crafted mezcal and is dangerously smooth. I can’t say enough about this mezcal and look forward to seeing how the spirit evolves during the lifespan of my bottle. 5/5 stars without reservation.

Lot: MAD-141 On the nose it's slightly smoky with a bit of earthiness, vegetal, juicy fruit gum, mango, and pineapple. Initially the taste is roasted agave/vegetal and peppery then morphs into delicious tropical fruit bomb with mangos, papaya, pineapple, lots of juicy fruit gum that slowly fades away to a chalky finish with a touch of cinnamon. I love this.

Subtle smoke on the nose along with earthy, dusty, and vegetal notes…nothing too big. The taste changes all that though. Fruity (lemon/lime), earthy, vegetal, minty (spearmint), and some smoke all in one balanced package. Peppery/piney finish with subtle notes of burnt rubber. It’s a classic for a reason.

Lot 02A/18, 52.4% ABV The nose is initially quite muted with notes of acetone but opens up wonderfully after a few minutes with truckloads of berries, white grapes, and vegetal roasted agave notes. The taste is slightly mineral with pez candy, roasted agave, mango, strawberries...loads of bright fruitiness. It finishes with a peppery kick and tropical fruitiness. This is a very bright, fruity, and zippy espadin with a full-bodied mouthfeel. I know that it goes against the entire philosophy behind this release (diluting the abv with the "puntas") but a couple drops of water opens everything up even more. Wonderful espadin.

Edition 5 from 2016. Batch: PV0ES081117NS Very faint whiff of smoke on the nose. Predominantly fruit forward (white grapes, honeydew melon) with some chalky element going on. Flavor is also very fruit forward, extremely mineral, wet cement, clay, a bit perfumy, and a touch harsh on the finish. More perfume on the finish which I think another reviewer nailed when he said it’s reminiscent of jasmine; which I’m not a fan of. I’d prefer some more vegetal notes and less perfume/floral but it’s got a good stuff going on too and it’s obviously quality…just not my preference.

The nose very “green” akin to jalapeno/poblano peppers with undertones of cheese…perhaps a touch of onions in there as well. Basically, it smells like jalapeno poppers in a glass. Taste is more of the same with a pepper spice kick. The green pepper flavors cling to your palate forever. I am literally still tasting it 30 minutes later. Overall, a solid and distinctive mezcal that pushes a lot of great buttons and is an absolute bargain. I just wish that it had a higher ABV which I venture would bring out more depth. I recently had a taste of a Mezonte Jalisco Raicilla that shared a lot of these flavors with tons of extra depth and complexity and blew my mind.