Reviews / 5 Sentidos Tepextate - Sergio Juarez
Review · · by The Editors
5 Sentidos Tepextate - Sergio Juarez
Sergio Juarez's tepextate at 45% – one of those under-proofed classics
Score: 3.5/5 agaves
- Producer: 5 Sentidos
- Maestro: Sergio Juarez Patricio
- Region: San Agustín Amatengo, Oaxaca
- Agave: Tepextate
- ABV: 45%
- Price: $134 ($$)
Verdict
Eight consensus ratings at 4.3 suggests drinkers are more forgiving than we are here. Tepextate is one of the two or three agaves where proof discipline is not negotiable – the aromatic oils need alcohol as carrier, and 45% doesn't provide enough. Look at Luis Enrique Juarez's tepextate from the same family at 52.2% for the contrast.
Tepextate at 45% is the category's most-repeated mistake
Tasting notes
Nose: White flower, wet stone, green cucumber, faint pear
Palate: Tepextate below 48% is chronically undersold and this release is no exception – the aromatics want to lift but the proof keeps them tethered. Juarez's technique is fine; the ABV is wrong for the agave
Finish: Floral, slightly clipped
The bottom line
A pass. Grab the Luis Enrique Juarez tepextate at 52.2% instead