Reviews / Maguey Melate Ensamble - Artemio Garcia Cruz
Review · · by The Editors
Maguey Melate Ensamble - Artemio Garcia Cruz
Artemio Garcia Cruz blends seven agaves – ambitious, mostly coherent
Score: 3.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Maguey Melate
- Maestro: Artemio Garcia Cruz
- Region: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca
- Agave: Cuishe, Espadin, Jabali, Madrecuishe, Pulquero, Tepextate, Tobala
- ABV: 48%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
Ensambles of this ambition usually fail – Artemio Garcia Cruz keeps this one from falling apart but some of the components get lost. Reach for it as a survey if you want a single bottle that spans wild agaves; skip if you prefer clarity. Closer to what Bozal's broader ensambles attempt than the restrained Del Maguey Vida school. A statement, not a reference.
Seven agaves, one producer, mostly controlled
Tasting notes
Nose: Cooked agave with floral top, damp earth
Palate: Seven agaves at 48% is a lot of voices in one room – Artemio Garcia Cruz holds the crowd mostly together. Espadín anchors, tobalá lifts, the karwinskii trio adds structure, jabalí threads through
Finish: Long, layered, faintly sweet
The bottom line
Ambitious. Pour if you want breadth over focus