Montelobos Ensamble & Pechuga Mezcals & 5 Sentidos Pechuga de Mole Poblano!

You can skip ahead, but you’ll miss a lot of great information along the way!
Shortcuts/Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro/Details
2:21 – Ensamble Nosing
2:59 – Ensamble Tasting
6:06 – Pechuga Nosing
6:58 – Pechuga Tasting
11:14 – Mole Pechuga Nosing
12:35 – Mole Pechuga Tasting

Montelobos “Ensamble” is made using 53% papalote, 35% espadín and 12% tobala agaves. This blend is meant to lead to an explosion of contrasting flavors, with body and acidity that highlights smoke and fruit. It retails around $80 and is bottled at 45.3% abv.

Montelobos “Pechuga” (means poultry breast) is made from the espadín agave (the ancestor of tequilana Weber – tequila’s “Blue Weber agave”). And while several types of agaves can be used for mezcal production (like in the Ensamble above), espadín makes up at least 80% of all the mezcal sold. Of course, being a Pechuga there’s going to be a chicken or turkey breast involved. So once the pinas are unearthed from being cooked/smoked underground, they’re macerated and fermented before being distilled in a small copper still. During the third and final run through the still, a basket containing turkey breasts and some seasonal fruits and spices are hung inside it to contribute those nuances. It’s their way of paying homage to Oaxacan traditions and festive ingredients. It retails for $100-$125 and is bottled at 47.9% abv.

5 Sentidos “Pechuga de Mole Poblano” is made from agave Espadin. Originally made in 2017 on a filipino hybrid still, beginning in 2021, mezcalero Delfino Tobón Mejía began producing this pechuga for Cinco Sentidos using a rustic hand-made copper still with 3 condensing plates. PLEASE check out this link to get the complete story on how this is made! Delfino Tobón Mejía — Cinco Sentidos (drink5sentidos.com) But basically, during distillation a chicken and mole poblano are added to create a unique flavor and mouthfeel. The mole that is used is made from chile ancho, chile mulato, chocolate, sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, rosemary, and cumin. This December 2022 release was bottled at 48.5% abv and retailed between $150-$200. Once you taste it, you’ll understand why it’s one of the most popular Cinco Sentidos releases!