Maguey Melate Inaequidens - Jose Rafael

Item: Maguey Melate Inaequidens - Jose Rafael
Rating: 4.0
Author: The Editors

Michoacán alto aged in glass – Jose Rafael takes the long view

Score: 4.0/5 agaves

Producer: Maguey Melate
Maestro: Jose Rafael Garcia Fernandez
Region: Rio de Parras, Michoacán
Agave: Alto
ABV: 48.8%
Price: $65 ($$)

Verdict

Honor Jose Rafael Garcia Fernandez by name. Glass-aged mezcal asks producers to defer their payday and most don't – he did, and the bottle rewards it. Closer to what the best vintage Mezcalosfera releases promise than any standard alto. Hunt it; Michoacán alto rarely surfaces at this caliber.

Aged-in-glass alto – patience turns into depth

Tasting notes

Nose: Warm honey. Then old wood, dried fruit, faint resin

Palate: Inaequidens (alto) at 48.8% through a Filipino still, aged in glass – Jose Rafael Garcia Fernandez lets time do what proof alone can't. The Michoacán alto's mountain signature reads softer and deeper than young releases

Finish: Warming, soft – very long

The bottom line

Aged Michoacán alto. Hunt for the patience