The Best Mezcal: Espadín, Ensambles and Wild Agave, Matched to How You Drink
Mezcal scares people off because they expect a mouthful of campfire. Some bottles are smoky. Many are fruity, floral, mineral or even a little funky, and the smoke sits in the background. The best mezcal for you depends on two things: how much smoke you want and whether it's going into a cocktail or a copita. We sort the shelf the way we do at the counter, from easy espadín to rare wild agave. Every bottle below ships nationwide.
In This Guide
Our Picks at a Glance
- Best mezcal overall: Corte Vetusto Espadín. Balanced smoke, ripe agave, real depth.
- Best mezcal for beginners: Unión Uno. Light smoke, fruity and soft.
- Best mezcal for cocktails: Del Maguey Vida. The bartender standard.
- Best mezcal under $40: Banhez Espadín & Barril. A cooperative-made bargain.
- Best mezcal to sip: Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej. Fruit, minerals and gentle smoke.
- Best ensamble mezcal: Corte Vetusto Ensamble. Copper and clay distilled.
- Best wild agave mezcal: Corte Vetusto Tobalá. Wild tobalá, floral and rich.
- Best for an Oaxaca Old Fashioned: Montelobos Joven, or the whole Oaxaca Old Fashioned Kit.
- Best splurge and gift: Corte Vetusto Tobalá, or Clase Azul Mezcal Guerrero in its hand-painted decanter.
The Best Mezcals, Compared
ABV is the producer's published strength for the current release. Smoke is how each bottle drinks in practice, rated low, medium or high.
| Bottle | Agave / Region | ABV | Flavor | Price tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unión Uno | Espadín and cirial, Oaxaca | 40% | Pear, citrus, low smoke | Under $40 | Beginners |
| Ilegal Joven | Espadín, Oaxaca | 40% | Green apple, herbs, light smoke | Under $40 | Beginners, Margaritas |
| El Silencio Espadín | Espadín, Oaxaca | 43% | Citrus, roasted agave, medium smoke | Under $40 | Mezcal Paloma |
| Del Maguey Vida | Espadín, San Luis del Río, Oaxaca | 42% | Smoke, tropical fruit, ginger | Under $50 | Cocktails |
| Montelobos Joven | Organic espadín, Oaxaca | 43.2% | Herbs, citrus, medium smoke | Under $40 | Oaxaca Old Fashioned |
| Banhez Espadín & Barril | Espadín and barril, Ejutla, Oaxaca | 42% | Tropical fruit, pepper, light smoke | Under $40 | Value |
| Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej | Espadín, Oaxaca | 44% | Ripe fruit, minerals, gentle smoke | Under $50 | Sipping |
| Corte Vetusto Espadín | Espadín, Mitla, Oaxaca | 45% | Cooked agave, mesquite smoke, citrus | $50 to $75 | Best overall |
| Bozal Ensamble | Espadín, barril, mexicano | 47% | Grapefruit, minerals, chile | $50 to $75 | Ensamble on a budget |
| Corte Vetusto Ensamble | Madrecuishe, cuishe, coyote | 43% | Mint, damp stone, dark chocolate | $100 and up | Sipping, gifts |
| Corte Vetusto Tobalá | Wild tobalá, Oaxaca | 45.6% | Floral, tropical fruit, soft smoke | $100 and up | Wild agave splurge |
| Amaras Logia Cenizo | Wild cenizo, Durango | 46% | Herbs, pine, earth | $75 to $100 | Explorers |
Best Mezcal for Beginners
If you're new to mezcal, start with a joven espadín that keeps the smoke in the background. These bottles taste a lot like a good blanco tequila with a light smoky edge, which is exactly the bridge most people need.
Our best mezcal for beginners. A blend of espadín and wild cirial from a network of mezcalero families. Pear, citrus and a gentle wisp of smoke, with a soft finish. The bottle we hand to tequila drinkers who are mezcal-curious.
Clean and bright, with green apple, herbs and light smoke. Easy to sip and a natural swap for tequila in a margarita.
Bright citrus and roasted agave with medium smoke. Balanced enough to sip and priced to mix.
Best Mezcal for Cocktails
A cocktail mezcal needs enough smoke and proof to show through citrus and liqueurs, at a price that won't hurt to pour by the ounce and a half.
A fixture in cocktail bars. Del Maguey made Vida specifically for mixing, and it shows: smoke, tropical fruit and a little ginger that cut through lime, Campari or vermouth. If a cocktail recipe just says "mezcal," Vida is a safe bet.
Made from certified organic espadín, roasted in earthen pits and crushed with a tahona. Herbal and citrusy with medium smoke. It's the mezcal in our Oaxaca Old Fashioned Kit, alongside reposado tequila, agave nectar and chocolate bitters.
Made by a cooperative of dozens of farming families. Mostly espadín with a splash of barril, giving tropical fruit, pepper and light smoke. Our best mezcal under $40, and a fine pick for a Mezcal Mule or Paloma.
An honest, traditionally made espadín from the town many call the mezcal capital of the world. Smoky, earthy and inexpensive. Great for batching big cocktails.
Best Mezcal to Sip
Sipping mezcal is where the category shines. Higher proof, more care at the still, and flavors that change as the glass sits.
Our best mezcal overall. Made by fourth-generation Zapotec mezcalero Juan Carlos González, with espadín roasted over mesquite. Ripe cooked agave, citrus, black pepper and smoke that stays in balance. It sips beautifully and makes an excellent stirred drink.
Doba-yej is a Zapotec name for espadín. Ripe fruit, minerals and gentle smoke at a price that's easy to justify. The best sipping mezcal we know at its price.
An espadín with toasted corn from the family farm added during distillation. Sweet roasted corn, caramel and smoke, and at around 100 proof it carries a lot of flavor. A bottle people remember.
Best Ensambles and Wild Agave
An ensamble is a blend of agave species. Wild agave, or silvestre, is harvested from the hillsides rather than farmed, and some types take 15 years or more to mature. That's why these bottles cost more, and why they taste so different from espadín.
Madrecuishe, cuishe and coyote in the current batch (the blend varies by release), distilled first in copper and then in clay. The clay gives a creamy texture. Mint, damp stone, smoke and a dark chocolate finish. Our best ensamble mezcal.
Cultivated espadín blended with wild barril and mexicano. Grapefruit, minerals and a slow chile heat. A good way into ensambles without a big spend.
Tobalá is a small, wild agave that grows in rocky highland soil. It gives a floral, fruity mezcal with softer smoke. Our best wild agave mezcal, and our splurge and gift pick.
Mezcal isn't only made in Oaxaca. This is wild cenizo agave from Durango, with an herbal, piney, earthy profile unlike anything from the south. A great bottle for the person who thinks they've tried every mezcal.
Wild papalote agave from Guerrero in a hand-painted decanter. Our best mezcal gift for someone who loves the presentation as much as the pour.
Mezcal Explained: Agave, Process and Labels
Mezcal vs. tequila
Tequila is a type of mezcal made only from blue Weber agave, mostly in Jalisco, and the agave is usually steamed. Mezcal can be made from dozens of agave species in several Mexican states, and traditionally the agave is roasted in earthen pits, which brings the smoke. Read the full breakdown in Mezcal vs. Tequila, and find tequila picks in our guide to the best sipping tequila.
Espadín
The workhorse agave, cultivated and usually harvested at around eight years. Most mezcal is espadín. It's fruity, versatile and the right place to start.
Wild agave: tobalá, cuishe, tepeztate and more
Wild agaves are smaller, slower to grow and harder to harvest. Tobalá is floral and fruity. Madrecuishe and cuishe are tall and slender, with green, mineral flavors. Tepeztate can take decades to mature and is famously peppery.
Ensamble
A blend of two or more agave species in the same batch. Producers use it to balance flavors, or because that's what the field gave them that season.
Joven, reposado, añejo and pechuga
Most mezcal is joven, meaning unaged, because the agave is the point. Reposado and añejo see oak, as with tequila. Pechuga is distilled with fruit, spices and often a raw chicken or turkey breast hanging in the still, a festive tradition.
Artisanal and ancestral
These label terms describe how the mezcal was made. "Artesanal" allows copper pot stills. "Ancestral" requires clay pot stills heated by direct fire and agave crushed by mallet or stone. Both mean real traditional methods.
How to Drink Mezcal
- Neat, in small sips: one ounce in a copita, a small clay cup or a wide glass at room temperature. Sip slowly; the first taste is always the sharpest.
- With orange and sal de gusano: the Oaxacan way, orange slices dusted with a salt made from chile and toasted agave worm.
- Oaxaca Old Fashioned: 1 1/2 oz reposado tequila, 1/2 oz mezcal, a bar spoon of agave nectar, two dashes of chocolate or mole bitters. Stir and serve over a big cube with an orange twist.
- Naked and Famous: equal parts mezcal, Aperol, Yellow Chartreuse and fresh lime. Shake and serve up.
- Mezcal Negroni: equal parts mezcal, Campari and sweet vermouth. Stir and serve on the rocks.
- Mezcal Paloma: 2 oz mezcal, half an ounce of fresh lime, top with grapefruit soda and a pinch of salt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best mezcal?
Corte Vetusto Espadín is our best mezcal overall. For beginners, Unión Uno. For cocktails, Del Maguey Vida. For sipping on a budget, Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej.
What is the best mezcal for beginners?
Unión Uno, Ilegal Joven and El Silencio Espadín are the best mezcals for beginners. They have light to medium smoke and fruity, approachable flavor.
What is the best mezcal for cocktails?
Del Maguey Vida is the bartender's standard. Montelobos Joven and Banhez are also excellent and cost less.
Is mezcal stronger than tequila?
Often, yes. Most tequila is bottled at 40% ABV, while many mezcals are 42% to 50%. The entry-level bottles in this guide are 40%, the same as tequila.
Does mezcal have a worm in the bottle?
Most don't. The worm is a marketing idea from decades ago, and you'll find it mainly in a few budget bottles like Monte Alban. Traditional producers don't add one.
Is mezcal always smoky?
No. Most mezcal has some smoke from pit roasting, but the amount varies a lot. Unión Uno and Corte Vetusto Tobalá are gentle, while Del Maguey Vida leans smokier.
Shop Mezcal at The Liquor Barn
Espadín, ensambles and wild agave from small mezcaleros across Mexico, plus the kits and liqueurs to mix them. Ships nationwide. Family-owned since 1982.
Shop All Mezcal Shop Tequila Aperitifs and AmariThe Liquor Barn operates three retail locations in Vernon Hills, Wheeling, and Niles, Illinois. We are a licensed Illinois retailer and ship to states where direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is permitted. Prices and availability change; the product page always has the current price. Questions about shipping to your state? Contact us here. Please drink responsibly.
