Reviews / Erstwhile Tepeztate-Tobalá
Review · · by The Editors
Erstwhile Tepeztate-Tobalá
Tepextate-tobalá ensamble at 44% – two aromatic wild agaves in the natural ensamble pairing
Score: 4.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Erstwhile Mezcal
- Maestro: Juan Hernández Méndez
- Region: Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca
- Agave: Tepextate, Tobala
- ABV: 44%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
Pour this alongside a Real Minero tepextate-tobalá and you'll understand the proof gap – Erstwhile keeps both agaves legible and the pairing feels natural, but at 45% the structural spine that a 48% version would deliver is visibly absent. A credible Erstwhile ensamble that undersells itself by two percent. Consensus 4.1 is charitable.
Tepextate + tobalá is the natural ensamble pairing, and this is a fair rendering of why
Tasting notes
Nose: Wildflower, hot stone, wet stone, a faint honey note, dried lavender underneath
Palate: Aromatic and balanced, the proof is a shade low, but the two agaves find a shared floral-mineral register that holds anyway
Finish: Cooling, drying, with a slow floral fade
The bottom line
A solid mid-tier pick for ensamble education
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 1 US retailer. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.