Lift your spirits by enjoying mezcal from some of the best mezcal brands. For those who love to experience euphoria, Mezcal offers a unique experience that is comparable to none. Bartenders too love it for the versatility it offers them to make a wide range of mezcal cocktails.
Tequila is a type of Mezcal. Mezcals are made from different agave plants, including blue agave plants, and are available in many distinctive flavors. The Blue Weber agave takes 5 to 9 years to grow and imparts a unique flavor to Mezcal. What also makes Mezcal special is that can be distilled only in nine different states of Mexico.
It is one of the most popular spirits in the US due to its distinctive smoky flavor. What also adds to its popularity is that Mezcal complements most meals and even desserts. Most of the bar carts usually serve one of the best mezcal brands available in the US.
For people who don’t prefer drinking Tequila, bartenders suggest trying neat shots of Mezcal instead to enjoy its wholesome flavor. The flavors of mezcal tequila brands range from floral to nutty, based on the agave plant they have been made from. This article discusses the eight top mezcal brands.
Ilegal
The company was started in the year 2004 by John Rexer. He brought mezcal from Oaxaca to Antigua to supply Café No Sé. With the growing popularity of the brand, Bacardi has bought a minority stake in this company.
It is one of the best mezcal brands available in the United States; Ilegal mezcal has quite a fan following thanks to its unique flavor and spirit content. There are two popular variants of this thrilling Mezcal, that one can buy. Joven, and Reposado mezcals are made from sustainable Espadín agave and are aged for 4 months and 13 months respectively in wooden barrels that have been used to age bourbon before. Some of its mezcal is aged for 12 years.
One of the popular brands from the house of Ilegal is Anejo, which is aged for 13 months in new American Oak barrels. In addition to Mezcal, Ilegal also makes equally popular cocktails. The company ensures fermentation in pine vats for 7-10 days to create tasteful drinks. The company assures they use no artificial colors or additives, and these are just natural flavors, thus making it the best choice for the stalwarts of mezcals.
Mezcal El Silencio
Based in Oaxaca, Mezcal El Silencio was launched in 2013. Mezcal El Silencio-Espadin is one of its more popular brands. This Mezcal has a distinctive, complex, and robust flavor that will appeal to many connoisseurs of handcrafted drinks. The Espadin’s flavors have a hint of citrus and earth greens, along with a bit of peppery spice.
It also has the subtle sweetness that one can associate with roasted figs and sweet potatoes. Bartenders love using this Mezcal as an integral part of their cocktails for those who appreciate their drinks. The Espadin can also be enjoyed best on its own when it is chilled. A mid-priced mezcal, Espadin is the perfect Mezcal for those looking to add good liquor to their bar.
Another popular mezcal from the brand is Ensamble. It is a premium mezcal that is made from three different types of agave and has a smoky citrus aroma. This mezcal is suitable for mixing with other drinks, thus making it one of the best mezcal cocktail brands. The best part about this brand is that its products are handmade and derived from the finest and carefully selected 10-12-year-old Espadin agaves. So, if you are a connoisseur of flavorful mezcal, this is the brand for you.
Los Amantes
Another mezcal brand that is based in Oaxaca, Los Amantes, is from the same distillery that also produces Ilegal. What makes this subtle but strong Mezcal one of the top mezcal brands is its heritage and the careful procedure of processing and distilling.
All the Mezcal produced in this distillery, which hosts an art gallery and artist-in-residence, is made from the highly valued Espadin agave. While the main offering Joven is triple distilled, the other mezcal brands are double distilled.
While the reposado is aged for a minimum of six to eight months, in French oak barrels, the Anejo is matured for a minimum of one year in medium toast French oak casks. What makes this brand so unique is that the mezcals are handmade and have 100% of agave Espadin in Tlacolula, Oaxaca. To make mezcal, it is baked in hornos and is milled by tahona, and distilled in copper stills. In addition, this brand has NOM-O01X.
Mezcales de Leyenda
If you are looking for a brand with a wide range of mezcals, then this is the one. It was the first brand to develop the first mezcal bar in Mexico City: “La Botica.”All the different types of mezcals of this brand are made in 6 different states of Mexico; that’s how big the operations of this company are. All the mezcals are made using different types of maguey, by different professional mezcalero’s.
Leyenda uses a premium and different variant of agave as compared to the other local mezcal brands. However, Leyenda is one of the best mezcal brands in Mexico, and the United States is the four premium mezcals it produces using hyper-small producers, unique agaves, and biosphere reserves. The company proudly claims to make their Mezcal using only solar power, thus reducing its carbon footprint.
Montelobos
Iván Saldaña is credited for the creation of Montelonos. From the house of Casa Lumbres comes one of the best mezcal brands, comes a mezcal that offers a unique blend of taste and flavors. Their Mezcals are crafted using traditional ingredients such as corn and peppers, which are found abundantly in Mexico; this Mezcal has a distinctive taste. No wonder, Casa Lumbers is one of the mezcal companies considered part of Mexico’s heritage.
The Montelobos manufactures agave-based spirit by distilling wild agave seeds that have been harvested more than a decade ago. The spirit is distilled in copper pots, which gives it a very wholesome flavor consisting of green herbs, roasted nuts, agave, and banana, along with a mild smoky flavor. One of the flavors that you should try is Montelobos Pechuga, which is a triple distilled mezcal; it has a turkey breast suspended in the still that adds a thickness and viscosity to the mezcal. The company has shown its concern towards sustainability and has decided not to use wild agave.
Bozal Mezcal
If you are trying a mezcal for the first time, then you should prefer Bozal Mezcal. Distilled from three different types of agave, Espadin, Barril, Mexicano, this brand’s Mezcal is mild on the palate but leaves a lasting impression.
The brand offers a delightful combination of Espadin, Barill, and Mexicano. They work together to present citrus and floral notes, with an earthy flavor that is perfect for new to the world of Mezcal. While the smoky flavor of Espadin can be felt mildly in this Mezcal, both Barill and Mexicano complement the Espadin completely to give it a very distinctive and balanced flavor. Some of its popular flavors are Cenizo, Tobasiche, Tobala, Chino Verde, and more.
The fruity flavor also lends itself perfectly to cocktails, making it a favorite of those who love Mezcal Tequila-based cocktails and Mexican spirits. What makes this the best spirit is that it is very light but leaves a great taste. So, if you are looking for a great-tasting mezcal, then this is the brand to trust.
Gem & Bolt
The brand was founded by Adrinadrina and Elliott Coon. The Mezcal is made from the fourth-generation master distiller in Oazaca. Gem & Bolt uses Espadin agave and fresh mountain spring water to create this wonderful concoction that is distilled twice. As a part of its distillation process, it is matured in oak casks between the distillations. During the second distillation, the strong and euphoric Mexican herb Damiana is added to it to give it a strong flavor. The Mexican herb Damiana is well known for its stimulant properties.
Amongst its range of mezcals, its mid-priced artisanal Mezcal, has a nice earthy flavor that makes it ideal for people who are just beginning their mezcal journey. The botanical notes of this Mezcal are known to create quite an impression on those who try Mezcal for the first time. The Mezcal is made from organic and sustainable agave and is free of any additives, thus making it the best choice.
NETA Espadin
This brand is considered the best Mezcal among all the top mezcal brands due to its rich flavor. Distilled by NETA, one of the biggest mezcal producers in Mexico, their Espadin Mezcal is known to hold its standing amongst all the different mezcals produced in Mexico. It works with a close-knit circle of 12 palenqueros from Miahuatlán, Oaxaca.
It offers subtle bright flavors that have a hint of fruit, flowers, and light smoke. The different types of agave used to produce this Mezcal are cut from the plant before it flowers, and this gives a better yield and produces a flavor that is not found in other variants of Mezcal. Some of the flavors that you should try are NETA Tepextate, NETA Espadín, Madrecuixe Bicuixe. What makes this mezcal brand so unique is that it carefully curates spirits that cannot be found elsewhere other than the place of its origin.
Conclusion
Mezcal is popular all over the United States for its earthy flavor. While Tequila may be a more popular and well-known drink from Mexico, the locals favor Mezcal for its alcohol content and earthy, rich flavors that it lends to mezcal margaritas. The top mezcal brands discussed above are very popular in the US due to their distinctive taste and aroma. Given an opportunity, one should try a shot, served neat and chilled if possible, so that one can appreciate its fine taste.
For those who prefer whisky, we also have a list of the most expensive John Walker brands.