Yuu Baal Pechuga

Rating: 15/23 It hit me fairly recently that pechuga mezcal is the perfect Thanksgiving spirit since it's flavored with apples, nuts, and even turkey. So naturally I had to get a bottle. N: Sweet, tarty, fruity, a tad floral and oily - sort of like a rich sauternes, but with some added (though not excessive) smoke. I get lemon with apple for sure. There are some interesting spices going on here on the baking spice spectrum, but toward the drier side. It's complex and interesting with sort of a fall dessert vibe. It does smell very sweet, but if you're looking for a dessert mezcal (is there such a thing?), this should probably be on your list. Really, the nose is excellent from that perspective. P: The agave flavor (surprisingly not espadin) is a bit light and flat. Ho-hum, but not bad. The smoke is on the lighter side and comes out mostly near the end, but it is still quite present. What really stands out here is the presence of the fall spices - cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger - along with the clear harvest apple flavor. I might get a little bit of turkey meatiness, but it's hard to tell considering that the agave has its own meatiness. It's a tad soapy at moments, but never to a problematic extent. This palate is good, but a bit light and sweet for my liking. It's also odd, but absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving. If I tried this without expecting the sweetness, fruitiness, and so forth, I'd be pretty upset. In fact, I was pretty upset. Coming back to it knowing that they'll be there though, I can appreciate this like I wood a smoky scotch aged in sherry casks. There's some great complexity going on here and the profile is very tasty. It might be a bit more delicate than I'd like and missing a full oomph, but it's complex and easy to sip. If you're a monster who likes pairing their spirits with food, this goes well with a nice aged cheddar or gouda. F: There's a dry, monotone bitterness that starts to grow. The apples and maybe walnuts still stand out, as well as some of the spices It's still a bit sweet, but not as much. There are light floral and mineral notes here and there. I like this finish pretty well, though I prefer the palate. - Conclusion - This is fairly complex and well-executed, but it also has this real dessert vibe to it that's hard to shake. In the right context, I do enjoy this, but otherwise it can be a bit sweet and odd. To compare in terms of complexity and fullness, I have Los Vecinos Espadin on hand and they're both pretty complex and a tad light compared with some premium mezcals. Choosing between them is really hard. I'm thinking that this is in the 15 to 17 range. For now, I think I'm going with a 15. If my rating changes from here, I fully expect it to go up.

A wonderful mezcal. It has a classic espadin smokiness but also hosts flavors like lime peel, strawberry, and even a hint of juniper. The finish is relatively long and dry but in a smooth, delicate fashion. It leaves a soapy, Smokey, sweet flavor on the tastebuds.

Lots of complexity here. Nose of mint, anise, lemon, light agave, turkey, pine, pineapple, orange and some wood smoke. Savory sweet taste of agave, mint, char, black pepper, oak, cinnamon and berries.

Tried neat @Looneyhead speak easy. I get notes of sour meat and Smokey. On the palate it’s super smooth and maybe the sweetest mezcal I’ve had. Very unusual and interesting.

Initially, anise on the nose followed by vegetal smokiness. More of the same on the palate with a bit more smokiness.

93 points. Plentiful toasted rosemary and burnt steak crust. Very pleasant mezcal.