Mezcal is the smoky progenitor of tequila. The agave-based spirit has a deep history across what’s now Mexico and America’s Southwest (where it is slowly making a comeback among the Mescalero Apache). In modern times, mezcal is the artisanal or hand-made cousin to the much more industrialized tequila (for the most part). It’s also just a different beast, thanks to a deeply hewn earthiness and smokiness, and it’s on the rise as people look for bolder flavors in their drinks.
Have you tried a mezcal Negroni yet? They’re awesome.
Today, it’s time for a double-blind taste test of some smooth and super smoky mezcals. I have a few shelves of mezcal and asked my very helpful wife to grab bottles that weren’t aged or flavored and catalog and pour them. I ended up with eight clear pours of very bold mezcal on the panel.
That makes our lineup today the following bottles of smoky mezcal:
- Lobos 1707 Mezcal Artesanal
- Mezcal Amarás Cupreata Mezcal Artesanal
- Mezcal Ilegal Joven Special Edition
- Bosscal Joven Mezcal Artesanal
- Gracias a Dios Mezcal Artesanal Espadin Joven
- La Tierra De Acre Cenizo Mezcal Artesanal
- Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Arroqueño Mezcal Joven
- Mezcal Verde Momento Mezcal Artesanal Joven
After tasting these mezcals, I ranked them based on overall quality and flavor. As an international spirits judge, I’ve judged a lot of agave-based spirits over the years. I keep things straightforward by looking at the quality of the base spirit and then the depth, balance, and overall enjoyable flavor of the spirit on the senses. In short, I was looking for good-tasting, well-made mezcal. The specifics about how the mezcal was made weren’t a factor as I had no idea what was in those glasses as I tasted them.
Let’s dive in!
Part 1 — The Mezcal Double-Blind Tasting
Taste 1
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Light notes of fireplace embers draw you in on the nose with a sense of white pepper, roasted agave, dark red wine, and a whisper of cacao nibs.
Palate: There’s almost a woody earthiness to the palate with a good dose of sweet fireplace smoke cut with caramelized agave over more of that cacao.
Finish: The end is sweetly spicy with a good sense of smoky agave next to smoldering cinnamon and clove.
Initial Thoughts:
This feels like classic mezcal from top to bottom — sweetly smoky, spicy, and very earthy.
Taste 2
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a super earthy note that’s almost on fire with smoke as dried red chili, rich cacao, and old leather drive the nose toward a sense of dried pumpkin and the ends of cigarettes.
Palate: Roasting herbs and very black pepper pops on the palate as intense fireplace smoke drives the taste toward very dry chili pepper, black pepper, and caramelized agave with a soft creaminess.
Finish: That creaminess delivers more red and black spices (yes, burnt) on the finish with a sense of more of that smoldering black earth and a hint of pine-y tobacco leather pouches.
Initial Thoughts:
This is complex and bold with a delightfully soft mouthfeel. That creaminess goes a long way to making this a really enjoyable pour of mezcal.
Taste 3
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is fruity and lightly smoked with a good sense of peppery agave and pepper over flutters of apple cores, smoked orange, and maybe even some lavender.
Palate: That light floral note pops on the palate as caramelized pears and orange pith drive the taste toward light moments of butterscotch, smoldering black dirt, and a creamy nuttiness.
Finish: That creaminess drives the finish with a nice dose of nutty depth, more of that firey caramelized yet peppery agave, and plenty of orchard fruits and dark citrus.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another one that really stretches out for a great finish with that creamy texture. There’s a lot to like here.
Taste 4
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Burnt orange peels and thin smoke lead to a moment of melon skins, old firewood, and soft black potting soil on the nose.
Palate: The orange mounts on the palate with a dose of peppery spice, smoky vanilla, and touches of peppery agave cut with citrus.
Finish: The citrus really mounts on the finish with a light sense of that smoky vanilla.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very light and smoky but sort of peters out at the end.
Taste 5
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one smells exactly like a caipirinha — lime, sugar, and white booze — with a hint of pepperiness and smoke.
Palate: The light smokiness continues on the palate with more of the caipirinha vibes before dry smoke arrives with a light sense of agave and dirt.
Finish: Smoky agave and black pepper drive the dry finish toward a hint of raw sugar.
Initial Thoughts:
This was so different that I’m not sure what to make of it. It was much closer to a cachaça on the nose and palate with a hint of smoke.
Taste 6
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of smokiness that leans toward fresh tires (like a hardcore peated Islay whisky) next to hints of dry red chili and black pepper over caramelized agave.
Palate: Those sharp spiciness notes drive the palate toward deep and dirty earthiness, more peppery smoke, and a dash of creaminess.
Finish: The creaminess takes on the black pepper and smoky dirt/tires on the finish with a bold sense of firey agave.
Initial Thoughts:
The nose on this was a lot to get past. There was a good flavor profile that leans heavily smoked/earthy and was saved by a touch of creamy mouthfeel.
Taste 7
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lime leaves and dried sage drive the nose toward grapefruit pith and mild earthiness with a good dose of pepper and smoky agace stems.
Palate: The citrus and herbal vibes mount on the palate as notes of burnt sugar and old lemon tea leaves lead to a bitter sense of burnt citrus tobacco.
Finish: Notes of black pepper and smoked dirt drive the finish toward a moment of pine-laced honey and more smoked black pepper.
Initial Thoughts:
This is sharp (peppery) and earthy yet balanced in just the right ways with citrus and sweetness.
Taste 8
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Floral tea leaves and dry mint open the nose toward sweet fireplace smoke that’s almost like fresh tires next to a garden store.
Palate: Roasted agave and white pepper open the palate toward notes of caramel cut with earthy citrus pith and hints of dark spice barks.
Finish: The sweetness drives the smoky and earthy finish toward more white pepper and roasted agave with a nice sense of soft smoldering firewood.
Initial Thoughts:
This was nice. It wasn’t a “wow” pour but very much felt like a good standard mezcal.
Part 2 — The Mezcal Ranking
8. Gracias a Dios Mezcal Artesanal Espadin Joven — Taste 5
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $34
The Mezcal:
This mezcal from NOM-0223x is made by Mezcalero Oscar Hernandez from eight-year-old Espadin agave. The Oaxacan spirit is copper pot distilled, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This straight-up felt more like a cachaça than a mezcal, especially on the nose. That’s not a bad thing but felt off compared to the rest of the pours on this list. If those flavor notes are what you’re looking for, then go for it!
7. Bosscal Joven Mezcal Artesanal — Taste 4
ABV: 42%
Average Price: $46
The Mezcal:
This mezcal from NOM-D248G is made with 100% organic products and no “chemical additives”. The agave is the Cenzio variety that’s distilled in steel stills before a short rest before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was very much in the average column. It’s fine but very light. If you’re a beginner looking to dip your toes into this world, this might be a safe place to start.
6. La Tierra De Acre Cenizo Mezcal Artesanal — Taste 6
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $46
The Mezcal:
This mezcal is made at the Acre Baja Resort in San José del Cabo, Mexico. The mezcal in the bottle is made with Cenizo agave that’s anywhere from eight to 14 years old when harvested. After hand-grinding, long fermentation, and copper pot distilling, the mezcal rests for a short spell in vats before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
The nose on this one was intense. It’ll be a lot to get past. If you do get past it, there’s a wealth of deep and classic mezcal smoky notes to enjoy. My advice is to pour this one over a big rock to calm that nose down and go from there.
5. Mezcal Verde Momento Mezcal Artesanal Joven — Taste 8
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $34
The Mezcal:
This Oaxacan mezcal is made with eight-year-old Espasin agave. The agave is slow-roasted and ground with old-school Egyptian stone mills before fermenting in old pine vats and copper pot distillation. The fresh mezcal is then left to rest for a moment before bottling with a touch of local water.
Bottom Line:
This was a very easy drinking experience with mezcal notes that went beyond just “peppery” or “smoky” with a pleasant floral tough and well-layered sweetness that added to the overall experience. I can see this working really well over some rocks as a sipper or in a cocktail.
4. Lobos 1707 Mezcal Artesanal — Taste 1
ABV: 42%
Average Price: $59
The Mezcal:
This mezcal — part of LeBron James’ brand of tequilas — is made the old-school way. Old Espadin agave, open roasting in an Oaxacan firepit, Egyptian stone mill grinding, copper pot stills, and slow cooking times throughout. The mezcal is then rested in Spanish Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a short spell before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This had a nice depth and nuance to it that made it very enjoyable as a sipper. I can also see this working wonders in cocktails where mezcal is the star of the show.
3. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Arroqueño Mezcal Joven — Taste 7
ABV: 49%
Average Price: $153
The Mezcal:
This mezcal from NOM-1053X uses very old Arroqueño agave (some plants are up to 25 years old when harvested). The slow-roasted hearts are hand-ground before open fermentation then clay pot distillation. After a very short rest, the mezcal is just cut with local water and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This was the easiest sipping mezcal on the panel. It had a nice balance of classic notes you want in your mezcal. It’s classic.
2. Mezcal Ilegal Joven Special Edition — Taste 3
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
The Mezcal:
“No celebrities, just damn good mezcal” is the slogan of Ilegal Mezcal. That’s … refreshing. The actual mezcal in the bottle is made from Espadin agave in Oaxaca with copper and steel stills. The mezcal rests for a moment before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was pretty damn good mezcal. It had a nice balance of fruitiness, smokiness, and creaminess that really helped it shine brightly on this panel. This felt like a well-rounded sipper that’d shine over some rocks with a twist of lime.
1. Mezcal Amarás Cupreata Mezcal Artesanal — Taste 2
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $71
The Mezcal:
This mezcal is made with Cupreata agave that’s at least 13 years old. The hearts are slow-roasted in old stone ovens before Egytpitan mill grinding and fermenting in old pine tanks. After running through a copper pot still, the hot juice rests for a moment before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
The creaminess of this pour really propelled it to the top of the panel. That soft mouthfeel was the perfect delivery system for deep, dark, and earthy mezcal notes that went hard but felt approachable. I can see sipping this over a big ice cube any day of the week.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Mezcals
This panel of mezcals went from “that’s fine” to “I can see sipping this all the time” very quickly. For the absolute best overall experience, I’d focus on the top two bottles. The creaminess really helps those mezcals shine. That said, any of the top four are going to work well. I’d play around with numbers three and four more in cocktails but they’d work as slow sippers over ice any time too.
In the end, go back through the tasting notes and find one that speaks to you. Hit that price link and give it a try. It’ll be a smoky adventure that may well introduce you to a whole new world of fun, vibrant, and very earthy spirits.
