Journeyman Distillery Humdinger Jalapeno Spirit

Open 7+ years Nose - Vegetal, Espadin mezcal with subtle smoke, grilled jalapenos, earthy herbal mix, and light ethanol. Palate - Black pepper, rye spice, crushed jalapeno simple syrup, and pine needles. Finish is medium-short with a burst of fresh jalapeno slices, black pepper, and a light ethanol burn. This is much better than it has any right to be. It was a gift from my brother many years ago because I love spicy stuff, but it sits in the back of my shelf receiving little love. It actually is very drinkable, and is not too spicy. My guess is they strained most of the seeds out like a lot of jalapeno saison and pale ales. The jalapeno essence is great on its own, and the rye whiskey base actually makes this interesting for cocktail experimentation.