Reviews / Codigo 1530 Ancestral Papalomé

Review · · by The Editors

Codigo 1530 Ancestral Papalomé

Tobalá cooked in clay – Código's serious bottle

Score: 4.0/5 agaves

Codigo 1530 Ancestral Papalomé bottle
  • Producer: Código 1530
  • Region: Oaxaca
  • Agave: Papalome
  • ABV: 43.1%
  • Price: $200 ($$)

Verdict

Código's ancestral tobalá is the bottle that made us stop dismissing the brand. Clay-pot distillation is expensive and Código didn't have to do it, they chose to, and the liquid rewards the choice. Reach for it over the artesanal ensamble if you want to know what this label is actually capable of.

The bottle that argues Código is more than a George Strait side project

Tasting notes

Nose: Wet river stone, honeyed pear, dried chamomile, a trickle of woodsmoke

Palate: The ancestral method shows, rounder and more mineral than Código's artesanal line, with tobalá's melon-and-wildflower sweetness lifted by 43.1% ABV

Finish: Dry, faintly smoky

The bottom line

The pick of the Código catalog; everything else is mid-shelf

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

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