Reviews / Koch Coyote - Jabali
Review · · by The Editors
Koch Coyote - Jabali
Jabalí ensamble at 46.6% – undersold by proof
Score: 2.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Koch Mezcal
- Maestro: Pedro Hernandez
- Region: San Baltazar Guélavila, Oaxaca
- Agave: Coyote, Jabali
- ABV: 46.6%
- Price: $65 ($$)
Verdict
Jabalí traditionally needs 48-52% to deliver its full character, the agave produces so much saponin that distillers historically raise the proof to keep the spirit clean. At 46.6% Koch's coyote-jabalí gets a clean bottle but loses the jabalí voltage. Skip in favor of Rey Campero's or Mal Bien's jabalí work. Even the Koch coyote solo above outperforms this blend.
Jabalí at under 50% is jabalí holding its breath
Tasting notes
Nose: Cooked agave with a green pepper, faint earthiness
Palate: 46.6% – jabalí is one of the most proof-demanding agaves in mezcal, and this ensamble (with coyote) at 46.6% feels restrained; the jabalí's characteristic foaming intensity is muted, the coyote's density dominated
Finish: Warm, clean. Medium
The bottom line
A skip. Under-proofed jabalí is a common mistake