Mazot Palmilla

Verdict

Palmilla is to bacanora what tepextate is to Oaxaca mezcal – the wild outlier that rewards the committed drinker. Mazot's version is at a proof that lets the agave speak and at a price that makes the rarity accessible. One of the more interesting regional bottles on the shelf; Sonora's answer to a Mezcalosfera single-lot.

Tasting notes

Nose: Dry hay, green herbs, mineral dust, a whisper of smoke

Palate: 47% with the palmilla's signature astringent, almost bitter core – this is a wilder, more alien profile than any Oaxaca wild agave delivers, and Mazot presents it unvarnished

Finish: Dry, persistently chalky – long

The bottom line

Worth the hunt for the regional shelf. Genuine rarity at a fair price