Mezcal Alipús San Juan del Rio

A balanced Mezcal Joven crafted by maestro mezcalero Rodolfo Juan Juarez for Déstileria Los Danzantes NOM-O14X in Oaxaca, Mexico. It was pit-roasted using black oak and slow-fermented in tall red-oak vats. It presents a rich and smoky initial impression, while its development introduces notes of fruit, agave, earth, regional minerals, and a touch of brine; culminating in a long and bitter conclusion with hints of oak, peat, and grass. "The smokiest Alipus." April 2017 / August / December 2018 / December 2019 / May 2020 / January 2021 / 2025

I sampled this neat from a Flaviar taster box. On the nose, it's very peaty and earthy, with notes of dried parsley, unripe fruit, dirt, and something resembling a mix of crayon shavings, homemade putty, and wood shavings. The palate is somewhat harsh, with spicy and peaty notes, leading to a hot and dry finish. I'm missing the smoke and smoothness here. It's unlikely to be a sipper for me.

A decent sip, with mild agave sweetness counterbalanced by an earthy bitterness and jalapeño in the finish. It doesn't possess the richness of the maguey Melate varieties I've sampled. It's not as flavorful as most of the del maguey expressions I have tried. However, this is superior to the budget Vida expression.

The nose presents green agave, moderate smoke, citrus, wood, stone fruit, and earth. It's very smooth for its strength, rich, sweet, and smoky, with notes of mint, black pepper, apple, and charred wood. The finish is long, earthy, and smoky.

Pretty good mezcal, hits all the usual smoky and briny notes. Not too heavy and definitely hints of some fruit there.

Sweet 4/5, smoky 2/5, fruity 3/5. A little harsh. Dry finish. Good mixer, not so good for sipping.