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El Jolgorio Arroqueño Mezcal
Distiller Score 97
This is a mezcal that commands your full attention with a rollercoaster of aromas and flavors, most of them on the fruity side, some natural and some artificial flavors. On the nose, cactus pear, aloe vera, durian, cotton candy, Runts fruit candy and lime zest to name a few. The journey continues on the palate with ash, watermelon, sweet apple, and blossom water. This is an extremely expressive mezcal that just leaps out of the glass.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Pechuga
Distiller Score 98
The mezcal starts off soft with fruity aromatic notes of papaya orange, and honeydew melon, as well as herbal aromas of hoja santa and mint with a touch of clove. The palate follows suit with the addition of pear, plantain and acacia honey making it even more complex. If you find one don't hesitate to pick up!
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Del Maguey Ibérico Mezcal
Distiller Score 90
This mezcal is stark and abrupt, spicy and savory. The nose is an array of fruit ranging from fresh peaches to grilled pineapples. It tastes of savory smoke, ash, baking spices, butterscotch and a bit of that grilled fruit that seduced us on the nose. This mezcal drinks like a meal in of itself, but why don’t you go ahead and pair this with some Ibérico ham for the ultimate pairing.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Koch el Mezcal Coyote
Distiller Score 96
This Mezcal elicits more than a little bit of excitement even before removing the cork. The nose greets you with ash, cedar, lime zest, gummy bears, and the fresh woody aromas of a broken sapling. It is subtle but it lingers on the palate. Pineapple, lemongrass, juniper and candied-orange-peel titillate the senses. Without a doubt, this is a mezcal deserving of your contemplation.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Scorpion Mezcal Anejo Tobalá
Distiller Score 92
The nose reveals big vanilla and oak components, with an undertone of fresh dill, saddle-leather, wood smoke, and flan. As it opens, cooked mango and peaches, jasmine, and clove are apparent. On the palate, cooked agave, oak, and smoke provide a trinity of flavors that the secondary notes play off of. Hints of dill carry through, along with white pepper, roasted pumpkin seed, and mamey sapote (a type of tropical-tree fruit). The finish is more smoke, sandalwood, with a slight minerality and a noticeable earthiness. More baking spices carry through and it finally finishes off with a nice marzipan note.
Reviewed by Distiller Staff
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Del Maguey Pechuga Mezcal
Distiller Score 95
An intriguing and appealing aroma of anise, almond, licorice, fig jam and cinnamon candle with prunes, pine needles and dates just beneath the surface. Velvety soft but not laid back on the tongue. A lot of good stuff going on here--peppery cinnamon in the form of red hots, along with cloves, star anise and cedar. A most elegant and complex mezcal with the smoke taking a back seat. Lots of sweetness to balance out the 49% alcohol makes it almost easy to drink. Don't miss a chance to sip this.
Reviewed by Kelley Slagle
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Mezcal Pierde Almas Pechuga
Distiller Score 91
Clocking in between 49-51% ABV, the Pechuga offers a complex nose with the infused ingredients coming through in notes of grilled pineapple and baked apples, almond and anise. More of that wild fruit on the sweet and floral palate, along with agave and a subtle umami that - while it’s nothing like turkey - hints at something gamey with a bit of smoke. The finish is long and extends the savory, salty notes as well as light smoke.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Mezcal Pierde Almas Conejo
Distiller Score 90
The rarest of the Pierde Almas mezcals starts with tropical fruit and agave on the floral nose. The rich, buttery palate offers more agave and fruit, with herbal and almond notes, and a smoky, gamey quality in the background that is more pronounced than the Pechuga. The warm, medium finish offers more agave, herbs and hints of smoky meat.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Real Minero Barril Mezcal
Distiller Score 96
The natural characteristics of the agave play brilliantly with the flavors of the clay. It is lush with aromas of grass, cucumber, celery, and fresh pear. The palate offers another dimension with smoked meat, ripe plantain, dried papaya, and a deep clay note in the mid-palate. The intensity of this mezcal might catch you off guard but it quickly lulls you with stellar complexity and balance.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Dos Hombres Tobalá
Distiller Score 91
There's a floral flourish on the nose with lavender and clover honey, followed by raspberries, and phenolics in the form of black pepper and asphalt. On the palate, find cedar, dandelion greens, and grassy notes, along with fresh sugar cane and dark chocolate brownies. The finish is clean with macerated strawberries, grilled pineapples, and burnt caramel.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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The Lost Explorer Mezcal Salmiana
Distiller Score 86
The nose is zesty and herbal, with clover honey and wildflowers alongside grapefruits and tangerines. The palate is grassy and green, with arugula, cilantro and dandelions. The finish then takes a surprising turn, bursting with violets and bunches of red grapes dusted with sugar, as well as molasses, wintergreen, jalapeno, and sassafras.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Real Minero Arroqueño Mezcal
Distiller Score 90
For better or worse, one of the the things about distilling in clay is that you can taste it. With arroqueño agave spirits typically having such a bright and delicate profile, the flavors can be overwhelmed if not properly modulated. The taste and aromas of terra cotta underlie everything in this mezcal. On the nose it bolsters notes of celery, dried chilies, smoke and aloe vera. The palate is savory with notes of cured meat, mushrooms, preserved lemon peel, and ash. The mezcal is quite dense, chewy and a little bit of a wrestling match. All-in-all a pretty interesting tug of war.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat