The 10 Best Mezcals Available in the U.S. Right Now

If you’ve been seeing a rise in mezcal, you’re not wrong. According to Staits Research, the global mezcal market size was valued at USD 338 million in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 2115 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 22.6% during the forecast period (2023-2031). North America is the largest market for mezcal which can be distilled from over 36 different agave species.

Mexico es Mezcal — Mezcal photo by Marlon Michelle Corado

What is Mezcal?

In its broadest definition, mezcal is a spirit distilled from agave plants (maguey in Spanish) grown in Mexico, which means tequila is actually a type of mezcal. Confusing, we know! But while tequila can only be made from one kind of agave plant (cultivated blue weber agave), mezcal can use any type of agave, and it can be wild or cultivated. However, the majority of mezcal is made from the espadin agave plant.

How is Mezcal Made

Mezcal is made by harvesting the massive piña, or core, of the agave and roasting it buried in the ground (tequila does not roast the agave). The roasted agave is then mashed to a pulp and combined with water and yeast so it can ferment, and the sugars turn into alcohol, which is then distilled at least twice before it is a drinkable spirit. After it’s been distilled, it is a joven (young) mezcal, which is a clear spirit. To make mezcal reposado, the mezcal can be aged in steel or wooden barrels for two months to a year, or to create mezcal añejo it needs to be aged for longer than a year, giving it a darker caramel color and stronger flavor profile. Many mezcals are made in small batches by farmers in Mexican villages, but lately a lot of American companies have also built massive factories to produce mezcal on a more industrial scale.

Mezcal Tasting Notes

Typically, mezcals have a smoky, spicy flavor, which comes from the roasting, but because the laws are less strict than tequila, there is a large variety of mezcals: aside from the smoky notes, some mezcals may taste bright or herby, because the agave varietal and terroir of where it’s grown also affects the taste. Good quality mezcal can be sipped like any good liquor, or it can hold its own in cocktails from the negroni to the margarita. But whether you’re sipping it neat or adding it to a mixed drink, the mezcal you use matters. We’ve done the dirty work of figuring out the best mezcals available in the U.S. right now.

Mezcals to Try

1. Tres Papalote Mezcal Wild Cupreata

This mezcal sets itself apart from others by using the wild cupreata agave plant (instead of the more common espadin, which is typically farmed instead of wild) and uses a family recipe. Completely handcrafted, this mezcal is smooth and rich, with a herbaceous and citrus accent and a lightly smoked flavor. Tres Papalote is perhaps best known for its affiliation with Cheech Marin of Cheech and Chong, who is a partner in the brand and serves as its chief ambassador. Interestingly, the colorful image on the bottle is a selection from Cheech’s personal art collection.

2. Montelobos Ensamble

An ensamble mezcal means that it’s a combination of different types of agave. This one from Montelobos features 53% agave Cupreata, 35% maguey Espadin, and the tails from Montelobos Tobala. Montelobos Mezcal was founded by mescalero Iván Saldaña, who met the Alva family in Puebla who have been growing agaves for over 15 years and provide the plants for this mezcal. Fruity with a gentle smoke, this mezcal has tropical and leathery notes. Montelobos is committed to only using farmed agave, never wild, and it also partners with the Wolf Conservation Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wolf populations in North America.

3. Sombra Mezcal Joven

Sombra Mezcal Joven is smooth, with a spicy, fruity, and smoky nose. It warms the palate, with a note of citrus. Founded by master sommelier Richard Betts, this single-village mezcal employs sustainable distillation methods where the organically farmed espadin maguey piñas are roasted in earthen pits over hot rocks, crushed via a solar-powered limestone mill (tahona), and fermented with native yeast before distillation. As of 2017, Sombra has been produced at a single company-owned palenque (producer), where the agaves are grown organically in the Oaxacan Sierra at 8,000 feet, which imparts a unique terroir. The company also started the Sombra Adobe Brick Project, which uses spent agave fibers to create upcycled bricks that are then used to build homes for those in need in Mexico.

4. Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas

Founded way back in 1995 by Ron Cooper as one of the first certified organic artisanal mezcals available outside of Mexico, Del Maguey are the first producer to credit each product after the village where the mezcal is produced. Every expression they make is made by individual family palenqueros in Mexican villages and are named after said village. This is the case for Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas, which comes from the high mountain village of Santo Domingo Albarradas, Oaxaca, perched next to a lush cloud forest. The agave is espadin, which is naturally fermented and twice distilled in wood-fired copper stills. It has a tropical flavor, with a light nose and lots of dry citrus notes, and some salinity for a dry finish and a lingering smoky aftertaste.

5. Ilegal Mezcal Añejo

Each lot of Ilegal Mezcal Añejo is aged to taste for 13 months, using a combination of new and used American oak, medium char barrels. Softer than the reposado, the añejo is rounded, full, and rich, with maple, clove, and dark chocolate notes, with a hint of orange. Ilegal was founded by John Rexer in 2005 and all expression are made by Alvaro and Armando Hernandez using espadin that is roasted with mesquite and eucalyptus wood. Meet brand ambassador Gilbert Marquez of Ilegal.

6. Mezcal Unión Uno

Made from farmed Espadín and wild Cirial agave plants grown in Oaxaca that are then roasted with oak wood, Mezcal Unión Uno is herbaceous, sweet, and fruity (pear and apple), with a woody, smoky finish that tastes great in a cocktail. Union operates as collective for several producer-families that each have generations of mezcal producing experience. Pedro Hernandez is the master mescalero, but each bottle is produced by a union of Oaxacan families.

7. Mezcal Amarás Espadín Reposado

An excellent entry-level mezcal, Mezcal Amarás Espadín Reposado is soft and smooth, with oak and smoke aromas and strong notes of vanilla, caramel, sugar, and roasted hazelnut on the palate, with a hint of pineapple. The reposado is a lovely golden color due to it being aged for three months in lightly charred French and American Oak barrels. The mezcal is handcrafted with six producers in the towns of San Juan del Rio, Mitla, Matatlán, and others in Oaxaca and is incredibly committed to sustainability. Meet brand ambassador Othon Canales Albarrán of Mezcal Amarás.

8. Rey Campero

We couldn’t decide which expression we liked best from this highly regarded brand. Produced by the Sanchez family, who have been making mezcal in Candelaria Yegolé in the foothills of Oaxacan Sierra for four generations. They grow more than 10 agave species, including Tobalá, Cuishe, Tepextate, Mexicano, Espadín, Cuishe, and Arroqueno, many of which are produced into single-agave expressions and some limited edition ensambles. They also make a pechuga, with quail breasts, pineapple, banana, and corn cobs grilled over the roasting piñas in an ancestral process traditionally reserved for holidays.

9. Pierde Almas Tobala

This mezcal is made from wild tobala agave plants grown in in San Baltazar that take 12 years to mature. It is sweet and floral, with strong vegetal notes of fresh agave, plus some herbs and hints of marshmallow and clove. The brand was founded by artist and businessman Jonathan Barbieri, and it was acquired by Diageo in 2018.

10. The Lost Explorer Salmiana

The Lost Explorer offers four expressions, each made from a single agave. This one, as the name implies, comes from maguey salmiana, which is a great varietal that is less smoky than others. It is herb forward, with notes of watermelon, grapefruit, and a hint of green chili. The Lost Explorer’s maestro mescalero is Don Fortino Ramos, who has dedicated himself to mastering the art of distilling mezcal for the past 40 years. The palenque, located in Oaxaca’s Valles Centrales, lets their organically grown agaves reach 8-12 years of maturity, with each one personally selected by Ramos. To promote biodiversity, they plant three new wild agaves for every one they hand-harvest.

10 of the Best Mezcals to Sip & Savor Right Now