Cuentacuentos Seemanniana 45.2% – Ángel Cruz Calvo

Oaxacan Clay Pot Mezcal Blind Review

I swapped agave samples with a friend some time back and asked for everything to be sent blind just for fun. Cuentacuentos is not a label I can find where I’m located so it’s a great opportunity to get the chance to try this and review this entirely blind. I’ve never had Seemanniana before so this was an entirely new experience for me.

These notes are presented as I was tasting along with how I felt at the time. 1oz was poured into a porcelain copita and another ounce in a larger Laddie Dram glass.

I am quite enjoying the nose on this mezcal right off the bat. Spin the flavor wheel and you could land on a tasting note that is relevant. It’s a cornucopia of fruits, vegetables and minerals. It’s sweet with a bit of chemical-like woodsy scent. Roasted asparagus, raw carrots, and bell peppers. “Tropical” fruit flavored gum, like fruit punch flavors. Watermelon, kiwi, and mango. A mild slightly soapy cilantro vibe. Sawdust and wood glue with some two-cycle fuel. The longer it sits, the more earthy scents come out and the sweeter fruits start to fade.

The fruit has nearly entirely dissipated on the palate with woods and vegetables coming out. I really love this mezcal and I’m leaning towards clay pot distillation with all this minerality I’m getting. I get more dried and roasted chili peppers. The earthy notes are very present and welcomed. It’s a bit like washing dirt off mushrooms. Some burnt ends savory notes also come out. One odd note to point out is a slight floral perfume.

On the finish it becomes slightly astringent and on the dry side. The artificial fruit flavors are back along with more wood notes. I love to make the comparison to fruit popsicles because I used to chew the hell out of them as a kid. It’s a bit of a wood shop – oils, glue and sawdust again. Paste wax even. Possibly even oil paints. It doesn’t sound appealing but I assure you this is all on the good and memorable side. The finish just seems like a dry champagne. From start to finish that fruity sweetness evolves into a more woodsy dry flavor. It’s simply wonderful.

This one was really enjoyable. I think the normally off-putting flavors like gasoline get skewed as wine to me every other sip. It’s unique and very flavorful. The finish is the only downside. I wish it was a bit longer and not as dry as it was. Overall though it was very well made and tasted incredible. I’m excited to try more from Ángel.