Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal

This does not have a gross, briny, medicinal taste. It's dry and refreshing with smoke and a hint of sweetness. The best Del Maguey I've tried. Woody and a bit peaty. A bit like a dry Islay scotch. It could be really good if had more depth. Smokey and notably minty in a very agave way. It's rich with chocolate and tobacco flavors present. Some apple, roses, and bits of lime are there too. The magnificent element is that all of this fits together in a way that is assertive but keeps the rich presence despite the general dearth of sweetness and cream. The finish is nice and there are no unsettling flavors in here. Definitely an edgy drink, but for fans of Blanco tequila and Islay scotch, this is worth a try. The balance of peat and smoke is good, giving it just the right amount of bacon flavor without intruding on Lagavulin 16's territory. There are some here all flavors, but it is hard to make out what they are. A bit of spice is here, but it is not overwhelming. It is hard to imagine drinking much of this at once, but it's depth and variety are impressive and its flavors mix well. I'd take it as a sipper on my shelf, but it doesn't blow my mind. It is dry, but there is just enough sweetness that it is not oppressively so. Somewhat a novelty, but also quite good. It would be nice if the finish had a bit less tobacco/iodine/menthol though. Relative to almost any tequila, this is super minty and bitter. That says a lot about mezcal for anyone thinking that they are almost the same as tequila. It's fruity with bits of citrus and prominent banana. The smoke and iodine really permeate. This is like the Islay version of tequila. There are some flavors going on here, but they can be difficult to reconcile and they are exceedingly strong. In a way, the oddness of this reminds me of Del Bac El Dorado mixed with iodine and Don Julio terroir. The nose has some punchy menthol and sour herbal flavors, bit it also has some nice sweet toffee notes. This is smoother than Laphroaig 10 despite its moderate spice. The flavor of maple and brown sugar front he bourbon barrels jumps out. It still tastes like bitter herbs and menthol, but the bourbon provides a nice balance with some nice chocolate flavors. This is as close as mezcal gets to tasting nice. It's interesting and tasty, but it isn't something that I would enjoy drinking as a staple. It's a bit better than Laphroaig 10, but it's still not delightful. That astringency is weird and the flavors of astringency, menthol, bitterness, and and sweetness are conceptually kind of balanced, but they have this funky, new-age assertiveness. The caramel is essential to this success. It is quite strong. I would like less spice and menthol, but those elements are not overwhelming. It's nice they the caramel is on the finish and that the cherry flavor is mild rather than tart and punchy. Really, it's the bourbon flavor that makes this enjoyable. The mezcal flavor is more of an interesting quirk. It smells like butterscotch and cinnamon with plenty of leather and wood. The palate is rich and minty with cinnamon and butterscotch flavors. Plenty of vanilla is here. It definitely has that bourbon influence and that is a great thing. There is some banana in here but somehow it's a nice flavor. There is a strong smoke flavor that give the wood a charred element. It is so charred that there is even some iodine. The banana gives way to some mango and other tropical fruits. There are also some berries coming in with strawberry and blueberry up front with a raspberry tartness mid-palate. There is a lot going on here and it is a very strange drink. Chocolate is definitely present in the background, building up the richness and creaminess. It toes the line, but it provides smoke (which turns a bit into tobacco), umami, candy, and fruit. The flavors are Ina precarious balance and there isn't some deep, unifying complexity, but this is a pretty good drink that would be fun to sip on many occasions. It could do without the mintiness though. There's an initial alcohol burn that brings leather, smoke, tobacco, cinnamon, and some mild caramel with it. The leather is the most prominent and the flavor is rich and a bit on the standard size with a lot of full backing behind some otherwise mostly standard mezcal.

Rating: 17/23 The last quarter has been sitting in this bottle for about 9 months now and the bottle has been open for more like 18, so I'm sure it's changed a lot. Let's see how it is. N: Richer than Los Vecinos Espadin, with a little bit of a bourbony American Oak influence. I get some dark brown sugar here alongside the usual mezcal smoke, herbaceousness, and tartness. I get sort of a suggestion of Limousin oak as the lemon and mellow wood intersect. Not the most complex nose, but an enjoyable one. There's sort of a pastry quality to the nose even that reminds me a tad of a buttery lemon curd danish. Weird. P: Also richer than Lost Vecinos Espadin. This is very rich for a mezcal. I get this big, rich citrus flavor that has enough sweetness to balance it out so that it isn't excessively tart. There's then a nice 50% dark chocolate flavor here to really enhance the richness and pull the whole thing together. Getting past those key flavors, the complexity comes out a bit with some herbal flavors that make the citrus taste kind of like a fruity gin (think Roku, a bit), while allowing a bit of meatiness in. There's a bit of mint/menthol in there too. Obviously, there's smoke and gasoline, but after so long open at least, the gasoline is less choking. This is now a very hedonistic dram that reminds me of regular mezcal with rye (Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition mixed with George Dickel's young MGP - a bit like Whistlepig PiggyBack, but richer with some interesting new dimensions and not as dusty) and mild Ardbeg influences (for the chocolate and tar, as well as that faint hint of cherry from the Corryvreckan). It's a very nice palate. At times I think that it might be less complex than it should be, but then I discover new flavors and perspectives on those that were already there. A very fine palate. F: Smoke, gasoline, citrus, refreshing-yet-crisp mint, chocolate. It's good, maintaining the hedonistic richness of the palate for a long time, despite obviously having a weaker presence overall. The wood remains as well, providing a mellow French oak backing. This is an excellent mezcal. It is very enjoyably balanced with some terrific richness. While there is not really such a thing as an approachable mezcal, this is about as close as it comes for a whiskey drinker. It's powerful, so it would likely be the wrong choice for fans of other spirits though. For fans of tequila, Casamigos Mezcal would probably be a better bet. For $60, this is definitely worth the money. At $80, it gets borderline. At $100, it's a hard no. The thing is, I'd rather have the Ardbeg Corryvreckan or Uigeadail than this. They both have higher ABV and before the tariffs, the Corryvreckan was only about $65, so I wouldn't be making this my shelf staple. Los Vecinos Espadin is also only about $25 and it's a very solid mezcal, making it an easy choice as a staple mezcal for whenever mezcal seems appropriate (rarely, though I must say that I do appreciate it). In terms of score, this is at minimum a 16. I think that a 17 is more likely and an 18 is possible. 19 seems a bit out of reach. I would take this over Los Vecinos, but not by more than 2 points. I think I've landed on this as a 17. I can see it being a really high 16, but I doubt that it is an 18. It's either a high 16 or low 17. A 17 it is.

A cold, snowy day like today inspires me to reflect on my last sunny trip to Mexico. This is also a day that my employer is encouraging us to be creative, so I've signed up for a painting class. What better way to marry these two themes than by pouring from the green, peach, orange and red labeled bottle of Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal (lot CHI-194). Del Maguey was founded in the 90s by Ron Cooper, a visual artist themself. With my first whiff, there's slight rubber, gasoline, smoke and tangy acidity like lime. After it sits, "charred grapefruit" is the best way I can articulate its pronounced burn and quiet citrus sweetness. As I go back for a final nosing, I smell additional herbaceousness and refreshing mint. A juicy, savory and sweet agave sip is met by a fashionably delayed peppery flare. I feel the spice in my nose and it gives me a shiver through my body. The pepper provides a bitterness and brief metallic flavour that transitions to a very long, lightly drying, indefinite smoky finish. I can taste woodiness, tobacco and minerality on my palate, too. When I close my eyes at this moment, I can feel a soothing arm around me, holding snugly.  As strange as it sounds for a tasting, I enjoy its finish best. That said, Del Maguey Chichicapa is a unique, full-bodied mezcal that holds a lot of character. I recommend letting this pour breathe and taking your time with it. I'd think that if you enjoy a smoke-forward Islay scotch, this might suit your taste for something "outside the lines". As for me, it absolutely fulfilled its duty to break me out of today's winter blues. 7.75/10

Tasted neat from a glencairn. The pour was allowed to rest for a while after the pour. This is from a fresh bottle as I begin to explore mezcals. This is a liquor with which I've had little experience and I don't understand why I waited. The combination of vegetal and phenol elements hooked me. I sense this could get expensive... This is the fourth mezcal I've tried and is easily the best so far. The aromas from the glass are complex and delightful. I get fresh grapefruit, mint, cactus, cut grass, plastic (think cheap rain poncho), ethanol and oil smoke. It's both an assault on the senses and an Alice-in-Wonderland experience and I'm enjoying the ride. Mouthfeel is rich and creamy. The palate is lush with sweet syrup, smoky ash, agave, lemons, ruby grapefruit, green bell pepper, black pepper and a touch of capsacin. The finish has a lovely fade, leaving a sweet film on the lips and a gentle warming in the throat. I find this to be an easy drinking expression of what has to be one of the more polarizing liquors. I can easily see how mezcal can be a love it or hate it thing. I can't get away from the echoes of Islay. I like the category and I really like this expression. It's bracing, refreshing, relaxed and challenging all at once. My ratings 1 = simply horrible and 5 = a perfect expression with the bell curve predicting most average liquors will land between 2 and 3. 4 stars and above represent the very best of what I've had and easily land on my "buy again" list. This Del Maguey Chichicapa expression belongs near the top.

N: Agave (duh), tropical fruit and flowers, vanilla, something like cooked meat, dash of anise, fresh herbs. Lots going on, but it's subtle and takes some effort/patience to draw out. P: Sweet, earthy, dash of smoke, cooked vegetables. Later: cinnamon, mild chili pepper heat, something like a soft charred wood (although this is clearly not aged), caramel, and a mineral taste that almost gets to blood (no really), but stays just shy of that and is actually pleasant and interesting. F: Cooked jalapeno, cooked agave, vanilla, salted caramel, mint, herbal tea. This is only my second mezcal review - my experience is limited. But this was recommended to my by @Cornmuse over on the Discord. He hit it spot on that this is a nice, daily drinkable elevated mezcal (a little pricey for a true daily). I'll take his word for it on how mixes in cocktails, but I can imagine it brings plenty. This feels a bit hotter, leaning toward chili pepper, than other mezcals (or tequilas) I've had. I like that. (That's not referring to alcohol burn - I really didn't notice any of that.) On the whole, it's a tasty beverage. Worth grabbing a bottle every now and then. _______ Please come join an unofficial Distiller community on Discord: https://discord.gg/VSmCvzAQfH. We chat spirits (and other things) in real time while being a great resource to each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired, please post a comment and I will provide a new one.)

Rating: 17/23 N: vegetal, herbal, a hint minty, kind of smoky. Milder with more of a watery character than I'd remembered. A little bit of a bitter rubber scent. Something faintly vinegary, like dijon mustard, perhaps. Not a ton of that though. This is a strong nose, but I like it. P: Big smoke with rubber and something kind of lemony and woody, making me think a bit of limousin oak. There's a little bit of a fresh water character, but the flavor here is still full. The limousin oak turns a bit vegetal and then sharply herbal and spicy as tannic side of the oak hits and the smoke comes back. There's a little sweetness in here, but not much. The complexity here could be better, but the overall balance and flavor are really nice. F: Super smoky with tar and some sort of candied lemon clinging to some muddled limousin oak. It's a totally fine finish that upholds the strength of the nose and palate. Something on the herbal side of vegetal comes out on the long finish, bringing in some sweetness. - Conclusion - This is a great mezcal. I wish it were more complex, but it's still really tasty. I would put it ahead of Los Vecinos Espadin, but not by a huge margin. This is going to be a 17. I can imagine words in which I go up or down a tad from there, but I'm pretty set on 17.