Reviews / Puntiagudo Tobala - Joel López

Review · · by The Editors

Puntiagudo Tobala - Joel López

Joel López on tobalá – clean, floral, honest

Score: 4.0/5 agaves

Puntiagudo Tobala - Joel López bottle
  • Producer: Puntiagudo
  • Maestro: Joel Lopez
  • Region: Miahuatlán, Oaxaca
  • Agave: Tobala
  • ABV: 47.8%
  • Price: $70 ($$)

Verdict

Puntiagudo's catalog rotates through a stable of producers, and Joel López is one of the quieter voices. The tobalá is a fair demonstration of his style – clean, patient, not showy. We'd put it against the Pluma Negra 52% tobalá for proof comparison (Pluma Negra commits harder) and against Banhez Tobalá for value (Banhez holds its own). Fair buy.

A quieter maestro doing clean work on a famous plant

Tasting notes

Nose: Orange blossom, then honey, a wisp of smoke

Palate: Mid-weight and floral, 47.8% proof in the working range for tobalá. Joel López is a less-celebrated name than Rubén or Onofre but the tobalá shows a steady hand. The bottle drinks like a maestro's daily, not a halo piece

Finish: Floral, clean. Stays medium-long

The bottom line

Buy it if you're collecting maestros. Pass if not

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