Produced at distillery El Pandillo (NOM 1579) in Jesús María in the Jalisco Highlands (Los Altos), G4 Madera Blanco differs from the brand’s regular blanco in several ways.
First, it’s bottled at 90 (45% ABV) instead of 80 proof (40% ABV). Second, fermentation using a family yeast strain is done entirely in pine wood vats instead of a mix of stainless and wood vats. Third, the water used to bring the Madera Blanco down to bottling proof is entirely taken from deep well water rich in volcanic minerals while the regular blanco uses a mix of 53% filtered rainwater and 47% natural spring water.
I recently opened a new bottle of G4 Madera from lote (batch) #LG0003B45ME which was bottled on 8 April 2024.
With a medium-long viscosity in one of my Denver & Liely Mezcal glasses, this batch of the Madera Blanco smells bright and fresh with mineral-rich water (bringing back memories of a time when I was a child and filled my canteen on a horse trip through Yellowstone with cold spring water that I still remember for its minerals and sweetness) throughout. The aroma profile also includes robust sweet roasted Blue Weber agave and baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and light cloves), deep citrus zest and juice notes from grapefruit and lemon, a distinct herbal (mint) and grassy/vegetal notes, very faint white orchard fruits, and some black pepper. The aromas are subtle at first but emerge a bit more the longer it aerates in the glass.
The flavors on the palate are led by punchy citrus zest from grapefruit and lemon, roasted agave and baking spices, powerful minerality and black pepper, strong herbal/grassy/vegetal notes, a distinct earthiness, and anise on the finish. The mouthfeel is oily/creamy and the finish is long, running between 9 to 11 second.
This lote is one of the most exciting blancos I’ve had in some time.
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