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Wahaka Mezcal Espadín
Distiller Score 91
The crisp, clean nose opens up with smoke and vegetal notes. The creamy palate starts with pepper and holiday spices, as well as leather, agave notes and hints of dried fruit, before giving way to a savory and smoky back-end. The warm and lingering finish offers notes of vanilla, pepper and more smoke.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Mezcal El Silencio Espadín
Distiller Score 87
There's definitely a little mustiness to this mezcal with some earthy clay notes, moderate smoke, and fresh green herbs. There's also a metallic tinge floating around. The palate is much like the aroma with no discernable fruit and little sweetness. If you fear the funk, best to use this mezcal in cocktails rather than for sipping, but if that is something you can embrace, by all means, sip away.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Mezcal Vago Espadin
Distiller Score 89
Explosive, expressive aromatics in very clean, bright, easy-drinking spirit, this Espadin leads with guava, tomato leaf, Thai basil and fresh turmeric root. The palate is sappy and fresh, full of sandalwood, lavender and mixed garden cuttings. Very well-balanced. The texture is easy-going and refined, but the finish does leave one with a subtle impression of alcohol and not much else.
Reviewed by Duncan McRoberts
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Mezcal Alipús San Andres
Distiller Score 91
The smoked notes hover over cooked vegetables, earthy mushroom, and sweet tobacco aromas. A sweet and fruity note is found among it all. The body isn't rich but there's a touch of an oily quality to the mouth-feel. The roasted smoke notes come through fairly strong while some cherry fruit greets you on the finish.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Fidencio Clásico Mezcal
Distiller Score 89
A simple and quaint mezcal. It does not roar, it does not whisper. It is pleasing to the palate but it does not aspire to steal the show. The nose is earthy and rustic with such notes as wet soil, lemon and black pepper. The taste is constant; bright with lime, cinnamon, moderate smoke and mild tropical fruit notes. A compelling entry-level mezcal, suitable for novices and connoisseurs alike.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Sombra Mezcal
Distiller Score 90
Very aromatic with notes of beeswax, set honey, black pepper, toffee, freshly snapped green beans and nuts. You’ll get a little more of that green, herbal agave character we all love on the palate, along with lemon curd, black pepper and a bit more toffee. This is a sweet, peppery, palate-coating powerhouse of a mezcal.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal
Distiller Score 87
The aroma is a combination of smoke, citrus, and sweet, roast agave. The mezcal has an herbal quality along with a velvety texture, but don't be fooled into thinking it is a dessert; the sweetness is subtle and the smoke is ever-present. It would be a great product to use in a margarita as there would be no need to add any sweetener.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Los Vecinos del Campo Espadin Mezcal
Distiller Score 95
Earthy, briny, with the added tang of menthol and grilled and charred peaches. Tastes lively, light, slightly smokey with a great sweet/acid balance and just a touch of rusticity. Appetizing, lip-smackingly so, with plenty of white pepper spiciness and an admirable bitter/sweet finish. Outstanding.
Reviewed by Jack Robertiello
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Koch el Mezcal Espadín
Distiller Score 88
This is textbook espadín on the nose with notes of wool, pecan shells, freshly-cut grass, campfire smoke, and slightly under-ripe pineapple. It becomes a bit punchier on the palate with peanut brittle, more assertive pine, and plantain (both fresh and fried). Other flavors such as caramel, lemon seed, concord grapes, and white pepper follow suit. This espadín has a good amount of smoke, but does not overwhelm and has just enough sweetness on the front and mid-palate, but finishes fairly dry. A great mezcal that can seamlessly transition from being mixed in cocktails to being sipped neat or on the rocks.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Mezcal Alipús San Baltazar
Distiller Score 90
The nose is not so much smoky, but ashy with the high elevation seeming to render a subtle style of mezcal here with other aromas like Meyer lemon, white flowers, and salt. The palate brings to mind a myriad of flavors including watermelon Jolly Rancher candies, rosemary, and cough medicine, but this all comes across clean and fresh with a slightly chewy texture. The exotic nature of this mezcal is alluring, but with its medicinal candied quality it can be confusing to enjoy.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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El Buho Mezcal
Distiller Score 85
Lots of metallic and minerals on the nose along with some overripe tropical fruit and a moderate amount of meaty smoke. Leather and green agave notes come in to play as well. The mezcal is soft and round on the palate with an umami quality to it. The smoke is there, but doesn't overwhelm the other flavors. The finish is more bitter than sweet and the spiced factor is on the low end. A solid value mezcal and one suited to work well in cocktails.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Alacrán Joven Mezcal
Distiller Score 87
The Scorpion announces its presence warily with some smoke, hints of cured meat and whiffs of tobacco, encouraging one to approach. On the palate, sensations become sharper: a bite of woody smoke, amplified by dried citrus peel and Mexican oregano. Having done its deed, the stinger withdraws to allow for a banked-heat finish that is unexpectedly (and deceptively) pretty.
Reviewed by Ron Bechtol