Yuu Baal Pechuga

Rating: 15/23 It recently occurred to me that pechuga mezcal is the ideal spirit for Thanksgiving due to its flavoring with apples, nuts, and even turkey. Consequently, I felt compelled to acquire a bottle. AROMA: Sweet, tart, fruity, slightly floral and oily – reminiscent of a rich sauternes, but with some added (though not excessive) smoke. I detect lemon and apple for sure. There are some intriguing spices present, leaning towards the drier side of baking spices. It's complex and interesting, evoking a fall dessert. While it smells very sweet, if you're seeking a dessert mezcal (if such a thing exists), this should likely be on your radar. Truly, the aroma is excellent from that perspective. PALATE: The agave flavor (surprisingly not espadin) is somewhat light and unremarkable, but not unpleasant. The smoke is on the lighter side, appearing mostly near the end, yet it remains quite noticeable. What truly stands out are the fall spices – cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger – along with the distinct harvest apple flavor. I might perceive a hint of turkey meatiness, but it's difficult to ascertain given the inherent meatiness of the agave. It's slightly soapy at times, but never to an problematic degree. This palate is good, but a bit light and sweet for my preference. It's also unusual, yet perfectly suited for Thanksgiving. If I had sampled this without anticipating the sweetness, fruitiness, and so forth, I would have been quite disappointed. In fact, I initially was upset. Returning to it with the knowledge of what to expect, however, allows me to appreciate it similarly to a smoky scotch aged in sherry casks. There's considerable complexity at play, and the profile is quite tasty. It might be a touch more delicate than I prefer and lacks a full impact, but it's complex and easy to sip. For those who enjoy pairing spirits with food, this complements a nice aged cheddar or gouda well. FINISH: A dry, monotonous bitterness begins to grow. The apples and perhaps walnuts are still prominent, along with some of the spices. It remains somewhat sweet, but less so. There are faint floral and mineral notes interspersed. I quite like this finish, although I prefer the palate. CONCLUSION This spirit is rather complex and skillfully made, but it also possesses a distinct dessert character that is hard to ignore. In the appropriate setting, I do enjoy it, but otherwise, it can be perceived as a bit too sweet and unconventional. To compare in terms of complexity and richness, I have Los Vecinos Espadin on hand, and both are quite complex and slightly less full-bodied compared to some premium mezcals. Deciding between them is genuinely difficult. I'm leaning towards a rating in the 15 to 17 range. For now, I believe I'll settle on a 15. If my assessment changes, I fully anticipate it will increase.

A fantastic mezcal. It exhibits classic espadin smokiness while also presenting flavors of lime peel, strawberry, and even a touch of juniper. The finish is quite long and dry, but in a gentle, delicate manner. It leaves a subtle soapy, smoky, sweet impression on the palate.

There's a lot of complexity here. The nose offers mint, anise, lemon, light agave, turkey, pine, pineapple, orange, and some wood smoke. The savory-sweet taste includes agave, mint, char, black pepper, oak, cinnamon, and berries.

Sampled neat at a private bar. I detect notes of sour meat and smoke. On the palate, it is exceptionally smooth and perhaps the sweetest mezcal I have encountered. Quite unique and intriguing.

The nose initially presents anise followed by a vegetal smokiness. The palate is similar with increased smokiness.

Rated 93 points. Abundant notes of toasted rosemary and seared steak crust. A highly enjoyable mezcal.