Maguey Melate Ensamble - Lorenzo & Tomas Virgen

Verdict

Cenizo and ixtero amarillo is a sensible Jalisco pairing and the Virgen brothers deliver it at a respectable proof, but the bottle reads more like a demonstration than a destination. Pass unless you're mapping the state. Reach for Velasco Ensamble 3 in the same Melate series if you want Jalisco blending at its peak. Solid floor, low ceiling.

Tasting notes

Nose: Dry grass, green pepper, wood smoke, faint citrus

Palate: At 47.4% through a Filipino still, Lorenzo and Tomas Virgen's cenizo-ixtero blend runs lean and slightly austere, the ixtero amarillo's dry herbal lift carries the cenizo's warmth

Finish: Dry, a touch smoky – medium-long

The bottom line

Competent Jalisco blend. Velasco 3 is the better shelf pick