Los Vecinos del Campo Tobala

Verdict

There's a pattern with middle-shelf Oaxaca brands where the espadín is competent and the tobalá is where the producer's real work shows – Los Vecinos Del Campo fits it. At 46% the tobalá is proofed into its working range, and the bottle reads more like the Banhez tobalá's neighbor than like the espadín's. Buy the tobalá; ignore the espadín unless you need a mixer.

Tasting notes

Nose: Honey walks in first. Then green melon, wet stone, wildflower

Palate: At 46% the potatorum's aromatic structure is correctly present, the Los Vecinos cut comes through cleaner and more ambitious on the tobalá than on the espadín, and the liquid separates from its middle-shelf neighbors

Finish: Dry, floral. Long

The bottom line

Buy the tobalá. The tobalá is the reason the brand exists

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 3 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

• Old Town Tequila
• Mission Liquor
• K&L Wines