Reviews / Maguey Melate Chino
Review · · by The Editors
Maguey Melate Chino
Maria de la Luz makes San Luis Potosí chino in a campanilla still
Score: 3.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Maguey Melate
- Maestro: Maria de la Luz
- Region: Palmar Segundo, San Luis Potosí
- Agave: Chino
- ABV: 48.7%
- Price: $70 ($)
Verdict
Honor Maria de la Luz by name: Palmar Segundo has few producers working in this style and she's the matriarch. The chino is an unusual agave, the campanilla technique is unusual, and the result is a bottle that rewards context more than immediate pleasure. Try it next to a Pierde Almas ensamble for the regional contrast, different conversations, both worth having.
Campanilla-still chino – a regional signature worth meeting
Tasting notes
Nose: Warm earth with dusty herb, orange peel
Palate: 48.7% and campanilla distillation, the chino agave's dusty, drier profile reads clearly. Maria's hand keeps the spice from tipping into harshness, but the palate asks for patience
Finish: Warm, dusty. Stays medium-long
The bottom line
A regional specialty for drinkers who like the edges