Master mezcalero Douglas French captures the flavor of native Oaxacan heirloom corn in this unique and singular spirit—the first single-barrel Mexican whisky available in the U.S. Distilled in San Agustín de las Juntas, each of French’s trio of whiskies uses a single variety of ancestral corn that requires hand-harvesting, promoting jobs in traditional farming. Aged for a mere 10 months in French oak, Yellow has swirling notes of blue iris, dried chilies, and fresh linen around a core of plump corn, with tangy marmalade, maple syrup, pepper, and a spiced-honey finish. Number 20 in the 2018 Top 20

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2018)

Blue iris, dried chilies, and fresh linen; the corn is sweet and fat, and the aromas integrate more harmoniously than the White and Black expressions. Fresh and fruity, orange marmalade, honey oozing into maple syrup, developing more complexity as the smooth layers shift to accommodate the growing pepper and chili heat ahead of a spicy honey finish. For a 10 month old single cask whiskey, this is remarkably impressive.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2018)

Master distiller Douglas French unveils the single-barrel results of his latest heritage corn experiments: a dry and spicy nose with graham cracker, cornbread, red licorice, buttered corncobs, and a cloud of spices. It’s a big mouthful with flavors of fruit concentrate, red bell pepper, baked orange, clove, star anise, peppercorn, and toffee, with the spices congregating around the tip of the tongue, then a slightly vegetal finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)

A deeper corn note than White, the Oaxacan black corn retains a firm nugget of sweetness, aromas of banana skins and dusty earth. To sip, it’s creamy, cool, and refreshing, with light mandarin flavors, gingerbread, corn fritters, vanilla, and peppery heat from the French oak cask. The finish has gentle warmth, with root ginger and kernels of roasted corn. Distinctive and highly promising.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2018)

This single-barrel release made from an attractive heritage corn has herbal notes of dill, cilantro stalks, and hints of tarragon, with green melon, boiled corn, and dried apple. Sipping it begins with a fruity palate of citrus, raspberry, and green fruits, which are joined by dill, ginger root, pepper, and a touch of bitterness. A hot and spicy finish with remnants of unsweetened fruit.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)

White has the most familiar corn whiskey character of this Mexican trio. Sweet buttered cobs of corn, faint toasted spices, green corn husks, and peanuts on the nose. The palate is sweet, gentle, and refreshing, bathed in honey, with dried peel, sweet corn, toasted oak spices, and a late sensation of charred oak, burnt toast, and peppercorn. That slight burnt note just creeps into the finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2018)

Pepper and allspice light up with savory brisket notes, star anise, a dry nuttiness, and a pile of peanut shells. The flavor slowly comes into focus with stewed apple, red currant, pomegranate, and cranberry, background spices, and late caramel sweetness. The finish has throbbing, gum-tingling heavy clove notes with toffee penny chews and red licorice.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2019)