Reviews / Maguey Melate Ensamble – Luis Enrique Juarez
Review · · by The Editors
Maguey Melate Ensamble – Luis Enrique Juarez
Four agaves at 42.6%, a whispered ensamble
Score: 3.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Maguey Melate
- Maestro: Luis Enrique Juarez
- Region: San Agustín Amatengo, Oaxaca
- Agave: Barril, Barril Chino, Espadin, Mexicano
- ABV: 42.6%
- Price: $65 ($$)
Verdict
Refrescador distillation rewards proof; 42.6% underfeeds the technique and the ensamble reads sketched rather than filled in. Pass unless you're tracking rare stills. Reach for Ageo Cortés's refrescador work in the same Melate catalog for what this process can do at the right proof. Luis Enrique Juarez is present in the cut, just quiet.
Ensamble at 42.6% – politeness past the point of flavor
Tasting notes
Nose: Cooked agave, dry straw, faint pepper, light smoke
Palate: Luis Enrique Juarez distills the four-agave blend at 42.6% through refrescador – the low proof and rare technique add up to a thin, clean pour. Every agave is present; none is loud
Finish: Medium, clean, faintly mineral
The bottom line
Undersold. The technique deserves more proof