Reviews / Nucano Tobala

Review · · by The Editors

Nucano Tobala

Tobalá that shows up for the price, if not for the species' ceiling

Score: 3.5/5 agaves

Nucano Tobala bottle
  • Producer: Nucano Mezcal
  • Maestro: Don Carlos
  • Region: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Tobala
  • ABV: 44.8%
  • Price: $70 ($$)

Verdict

Tobalá rewards producers who respect its scarcity and punishes ones who dilute it. Nucano lands in the first camp, cleanly distilled, honestly proofed, with the species' floral register intact. It won't replace a Real Minero or a Lalocura wild-agave bottle, but as a mid-shelf introduction to what potatorum does, it earns its keep.

A credible first tobalá – Banhez still holds the budget crown, but this is the next rung

Tasting notes

Nose: Honeydew with gravel, a hint of eucalyptus

Palate: With the potatorum bringing its expected floral sweetness and mineral finish. Not the most concentrated tobalá on the shelf, but legibly one; lifted at 44.8%

Finish: Medium-long, dry, minerally

The bottom line

A mid-shelf tobalá worth buying over another espadín SKU from any house

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 1 US retailer. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

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