Best Mezcal
 

Best Mezcal

The Fifty Best Mezcal Tasting 2025

 

The Tasting:
The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of fourteen mezcals with eleven members of our spirits judging panel. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Strict tasting rules were applied. Each of the mezcals were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles and served at room temperature. Only ice water, neutral unflavored, unsalted crackers and chips were available to cleanse the palate.

The judges wrote down their impressions on score sheets. The scoring was done on a 5-point system, with 5 as the highest. Double Gold, Gold and Silver medals are awarded according to a set range of final point scores received from the judges. There were no Bronze medals awarded for this tasting. Medals are provided based entirely on merit and only to products judged worthy of such award.

The tasting notes that follow are summaries of the judges’ opinions, with all replicated commentary eliminated. The agave species, municipalities of origin and alcohol proofs are identified for each mezcal. Clicking on the brands' names will link to their websites.


DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL AWARDS

Bozal Mezcal
Agave Species: Cenizo
(Oaxaca, MX)  94° proof

Nose: Cocoa, pastry dough, melon, lemon, agave, herbaceous, parsley, grass, banana leaf, anise, olive, pepper stuffed olives, brine, tomato sauce, mineral oil, meaty, BBQ, smoky, earthy, leather hide.
Palate: Cocoa, vanilla, pineapple, watermelon, sour lemon, lemony, citrus, vegetal, Bloody Mary mix, tomato paste, soy, peppery, light brine, leather, skin hide, earthy, smoke, BBQ smoke, complex.
Finish: Vanilla, cherry, tomato paste, roasted, intensely smoky, leather, smooth, very unique, a flavor journey.


Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal



Bozal Mezcal Cenizo



Bozal Mezcal – Ensamble
Agave Species: Espadín, Mexicano & Barril
(Oaxaca, MX)  94° proof

Aroma: Caramel, burnt sugar, ripe pineapple, citrus, rich agave, grape, banana leaf, fragrant leaves, herbaceous, green grass, leafy pine, vegetal, spice rub, wood bark, fresh.
Palate: Smoked cactus fruit, grilled vegetable, vegetal, wheat, mango, citrus, watermelon, mint, herbal, hint of ginger, cardamon, salty, spicy, pepper, earthy, smoke, complex, bold, buttery, creamy, silky.
Finish: Plum, plum juice, watermelon, citrus, spices, pepper, leather, woody, smoky, grill char, concentrated, tingly, decently tangy, creamy.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal



Bozal Mezcal Ensamble



Unión Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín & Cirial
(Oaxaca, MX)  80° proof

Aroma: Ripe pear, kiwi, melon, applesauce, citrus, pineapple, roasted pineapple, cane sugar syrup, anise, vegetal, sourdough bread, leather, sap, pine, forest, salty, ocean, smoke, funk, fresh.
Palate: Vanilla, cream soda, honey, roasted pineapple, pineapple, lime, lavender, mint, herbs, rosemary, vegetal, spice, salty, briny, earthy, musk, pine, oak, smoke, complex, tangy, creamy.
Finish: Caramel, sweet lavender, citrus, mint, herbs, onion, peppery, spice, briny, oak, toasted oak, concentrated, nicely balanced, tangy, nice, soft.

Double Gold Medal
Double Gold medal



Unión Mezcal



GOLD MEDAL AWARDS

Ojo de Tigre Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín & Tobalá
(Oaxaca, MX)  80° proof

Aroma: White chocolate, pineapple, cherry, pear, green apple, grape, grassy, agave, red pepper, green vegetal, mineral, cava, light brine, earthy, pine forest, hint of smoke, campfire, new car.
Palate: Caramel, honey, pineapple, Gala apple, watermelon, lemon, citrus, herbal, grassy, pine, vegetal, turnips, pickled turnips, briny, spice, fresh, mellow, creamy.
Finish: Honey, cantaloupe, herbal, mint, pine, mineral, salty, smoky, nice, fresh, excellent balance of multiple flavors, a flavor journey.

Gold Medal
Gold medal




Ojo de Tigre Mezcal Espadín & Tobalá



Bozal Mezcal
Agave Species: Cempasúchil
(Oaxaca, MX)  94° proof

Aroma: Watermelon, honeydew, melon, pineapple, tangerine, grapefruit, lime, lemon peel, citrus, Lemon Drops, honey, sweet floral, juniper, mint, cinnamon, spice, pine, wood, fresh, crisp.
Palate: Orange, orange oil, tangerine, grapefruit, lemon oil, citrus, sweet cantaloupe, maraschino cherry, powdered sugar, apple, mint, sandalwood, pepper, spices, wood note, pleasant fruitiness, tangy, fresh, unique.
Finish: Candied orange, honey, pineapple, lemony, citrus bomb, melon, tangy, nice balance, clean, crisp, fresh, profile stands out, very different.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Bozal Mezcal Cempasúchil



Nosotros Mezcal
Agave Species: Mexicano
(Oaxaca, MX)  80° proof

Aroma: Apple, Granny Smith apple, sour apple, lemonade, brown sugar, burnt sugar, mint, menthol, herbaceous, green pepper, vegetal, toasted grain, briny, tree bark, smoky, BBQ, fire roast.
Palate: Honey, spicy berries, cherry lollipop, lime, citrus, vegetal, mint, licorice, spice, salty, saline, earthy, soil, oaky, cedar, smoke, rich roasted, balanced, round, tingly, tangy, creamy.
Finish: Pineapple, grape, honey, smoked fruits, pepper, earthy, oak, smoke, balanced, tingly, nice, great.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Nosotros Mezcal Mexicano



Convite Mezcal
Agave Species: Una'
(Oaxaca, MX)  80° proof

Aroma: Smoky caramel, green apple, blueberry, red berries, vegetal, vegetable stock, anise, smoked dates, pepper, brine, earthy, wet stone, cedar, rustic.
Palate: Pineapple, melon, berries, sweet citrus, tropical flowers, herbaceous, some mint, grassy, vegetal, hazelnut, nutty, umami, miso paste, salty, jalapeño, white pepper, smoky, fireplace, tangy, ultra-smooth, creamy.
Finish: Blueberry, citrus, green pepper, agave, pepper salty, saline, smoke, complex.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Convite Mezcal Una'



Del Maguey Mezcal Chichicapa
Agave Species: Espadín
(Oaxaca, MX)  86° proof

Aroma: Caramel, café au lait, sweet cream, honey, papaya, agave forward, floral, leafy grass, herbaceous, vegetal, roasted pistachio nut, pine tree, earthy, mineral, perfect.
Palate: Chocolate, vanilla, creamy vanilla, spicy cream, pineapple, agave, vegetal, greenery, mossy, jalapeño, pepper, spice, umami, charcoal, smoky, wood, sweet and sour, complex, balanced, creamy.
Finish: Lime, powdery, rock salt, nicely smoky, nice burn, complex, great balance, creamy, smooth, silky smooth, stunning.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Del Maguey Mezcal Chichicapa



The Producer Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín
(Oaxaca, MX)  88° proof

Aroma: Marshmallow, buttery, cooked pear, banana, melon, lime, citrus, grassy, hay, jalapeño, cow hide, leather, mineral, oak, smoke.
Palate: Caramel, honey, roasted candy, mulberry, pineapple, citrus, green pepper, lightly vegetal, cardamom, pepper, buckwheat, saline, brine, leather, mineral, wet stone, dark musty wood, toasted oak, smoky, sweet and sour, crisp, well balanced.
Finish: Lingering honey, lemony, saline, wood, clean, nice, mellow, creamy.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



The Producer Mezcal



Convite Mezcal
Agave Species: Jabalí
(Oaxaca, MX)  92° proof

Aroma: Vanilla, dusty chocolate, Tootsie Roll, mixed fruit, pineapple, melon, durian fruit, pear, grape, banana peel, lightly vegetal, herbal, grassy, wet leather, earthy, brine, wet stone.
Palate: Chocolate, caramel, honey, pineapple, blueberry, raspberry, rose petal, smoked fig, vegetal, grassy, mint, herbal, nutty, white pepper heat, briny, peaty, smoky, wet wood, leather, sweetness, well balanced.
Finish: Raspberry jam, lingering roasted agave, lemongrass, grassy, mineral, woody, smoky, nice balance, soft, clean, fresh, flavorful, beautiful.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Convite Mezcal Jabalí



Dady’O Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín
(Oaxaca, MX)  80° proof

Aroma: Poached pear, pineapple, squash, melon, watermelon, green apple, iced cherry, lime squeeze, herbal, vegetal, beautiful earthy agave, burnt marshmallow, smoky, wood.
Palate: Chocolate, sweet cream, marshmallow, mini cupcakes, pineapple, mango, watermelon, citrus, mint, green pepper, agave, cracked wheat, nutty, peppery brine, smoky, fire, tangy, well balanced.
Finish: Vanilla, cream, marshmallow, nutty, green pepper, jalapeño, tangy, well executed, very smooth, soft, nice, great.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Dady’O Mezcal Espadín



Convite Mezcal – Pechuga
Agave Species: Espadín
(Oaxaca, MX)  84° proof

Aroma: Cranberry, watermelon, orange, lemon, grapefruit, citrus, fresh flowers, mint, nice anise tones, clove, pine, sawdust, earthy, clean, bright.
Palate: Caramel, honey, sugarcane, star fruit, citrus, mint, roasted pepper, cinnamon, Red Hots, Christmas, piney, oak, smoke, sweet and sour, smooth.
Finish: Lingering honey, dried kiwi, mint, agave, pine, cinnamon, smoke, nice.

Gold Medal
Gold medal



Convite Mezcal Pechuga



SILVER MEDAL AWARDS

Convite Mezcal
Agave Species: Coyote
(Oaxaca, MX)  92° proof

Aroma: Toffee, vanilla, cane, papaya, mango, green apple, lime, citrus, banana peel, lightly vegetal, grassy, earthy, salt water, soy, subtle smoke, cow suede, funk, ripe, fresh.
Palate: Sweet cream, pineapple, melon, ripe fruit, lemony verbena, herbaceous, sweet vegetal, agave, grassy, green pepper, peppery, light brine, salty, smoke, hint of BBQ smoke, leather, wheat, earth, funk, complex, smooth, very drinkable.
Finish: Brine, anchovy, smoky, complex, well-balanced, soft, creamy, elegant, excellent.

Silver Medal
Silver medal



Convite Mezcal Coyote



Ilegal Mezcal
Agave Species: Espadín
(Oaxaca, MX)  80° proof

Aroma: Chewing gum, lime, grassy, herbaceous, vegetal, toasted nuts, pepper, earthy, wet stone, minerality, salty sea breeze. sea air.
Palate: Caramel, honey, green apple, citrus, green pepper, pepper, vegetal, herbal, herbaceous, mint, cut grass, grassy, tarragon, earthy, leather, smoke, oak.
Finish: Cherry, honey, vegetal, peppery, tobacco leaf, smoky, woody, bitter, complex, mild, soft, balanced.

Silver Medal
Silver medal



Ilegal Mezcal

 

 


 

Mezcal had mystical origins when the Aztecs produced the beverage in Mexico centuries ago. The Zapotec Indians were the first civilization to process agaves for clothes, food and drink – the oldest recorded site of this is El Palmillo in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca. The agaves were domesticated and harvested for food and fiber, and eventually pulque (a milky, slightly foamy, viscous beverage made by fermenting and not distilling the sap of certain types of agave).

In the 1500s, the Spanish taught the Zapotecs to use clay pot stills and carrizo (Oaxacan bamboo) cooling tubes to distill fermented agave juice into Mezcal. Later, the Spanish put to use their alambique (which is a Spanish derivation of an Arab word for a distillation technique that was brought to Spain during the Moorish invasion). It is still debated whether the Spaniards brought the distillation process to Mexico or if the indigenous tribes had the knowledge before the conquistadors got there.

The distilled spirit allowed to be called "tequila" is produced solely from the Blue Weber agave and grown only in the designated areas of Jalisco or one of four neighboring states. But there are many other types of agaves in Mexico, such as Espadín, Manso, Cenizo, Arroqueño, the rare wild Tobalá, Madrecuixe, and more than 50 other subspecies. Several of these agaves are the principal ingredients in mezcal. Nine designated areas in Mexico are formally recognized to produce mezcals, including Oaxaca and Guerrero in the south all the way central north to Zacatecas and Durango.

After 8 years of growth, the mature agaves are harvested and the leaves are cut off with a machete. The heart of the agave plant, or piñas, are halved and quartered, then slow-roasted in conical pits ("palenques") dug in the ground and lined with red-hot rocks with the top covered over by moist fibres, or in brick ovens. After cooking for a few days, the now caramelized piñas are crushed with a large stone wheel pulled by a horse or donkey, or pounded by hand with a mallet. The pulverized juice is transferred to wooden or cement vats for fermentation for about two weeks; then placed in rustic fire-burning clay or copper pot stills, and distilled twice or three times to bottling proof or close to it. The resulting spirit is distinctively very smoky, briny, deep and intense– similar to Islay single-malt scotch whiskey.

Mezcal bottled directly from the still is called blanco, plata ("silver") or joven ("young"). Reposado is aged in casks for two months up to one year, añejo if aged more than a year. Approximately seven tons of raw piña yields 265 gallons (1,000 liters) or 111 cases of mezcal. Most mezcaleros are single village small-craft artisanal producers, producing very limited quanties. Because of the difficult cultivation of the agaves and limited production, a good mezcal is typically priced above $50.

The gusano, or "worm" is actually a larva that infests the roots of the agave plant. Originally used as an appellation control element, the worm does not serve any function other than as a marketing gimmick. However, some experts claim that the worm definitely adds flavor to the mezcal. Despite popular belief, consuming the worm is non-hallucinogenic. Nowadays, aficionados consider a mezcal with a worm to be inferior in quality.

Still gaining on the heels of its cousin tequila, mezcals have earned allegiances by serious connoisseurs, hipsters and mixologists. It is said that “Mezcal is Mexico in a bottle”.

 

 

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