The 7 Best Mezcals to Gift This Holiday (2024)

Although tequila sales may have dipped ever so slightly in 2024, the meteoric rise of agave spirits in general over the past few decades has shown they’re not leaving our lives anytime soon. And these days, there’s more options on the market than ever before.

Of course, with more options comes harder decisions when it comes time to pick out a bottle — especially for someone else. In mezcal’s case, it doesn’t help that it can be made with roughly 40 different species of agave in nine different Mexican municipalities. To say it’s a broad spirits category is an understatement, but rather than be overwhelmed, we see this as a reason to get excited about the spirit and perhaps seek out a few bottles to give to friends and family as the holidays draw near.

For those who don’t feel like rolling the dice on a bottle, we’ve put together this guide of the best mezcals to gift this holiday season. Whether it’s for the seasoned agave nerd or the friend who’s just warming up to Mezcal Margaritas, there’s something here for everyone.

Best Budget Mezcal: Sueño de Alden Mezcal Espadín
Best Splurge Mezcal: Mezcasiarca Destilado de Agave Ensamble Ancestral
Best Mezcal for Beginners: Mezcal Vago Ensamble en Barro by Tío Rey
Best Mezcal for Geeks: Espina Negra Tepeztate Joven Mezcal Artesanal
Best Mezcal for Cocktail Lovers: Palomo Mezcal Espadín Joven
Best Mezcal to Impress: Mezcal Ultramundo Maguey Lamparillo
Best Limited-Edition Mezcal: NETA Tequilana Capón

Best Budget Mezcal

Sueño de Alden Mezcal Espadín

Approachable in price point and flavor, this mezcal serves up a clean, textbook expression of Espadín, which is the most widely used agave variety in mezcal production. Its vegetal, peppery backbone offers a tequila-adjacent profile while a subtle plume of smoke confirms that we’re in a different spirits category. Whether sipped neat or mixed in cocktails, this mezcal offers a smooth introduction to what the category has in store.

Average price: $39
Rating: 90

Best Splurge Mezcal

Mezcasiarca Destilado de Agave Ensamble Ancestral

There are plenty of stellar mezcals available for double-digit price points, but after the $100 mark, a new world of exceptional expressions is unlocked. And if you’re ready to spend those sums on a bottle, we suggest springing for this ensamble from Mezcasiarca. A blend of Tobasiche, Barril, and Espadín agave, this mezcal presents a wide range of flavors spanning from green, vegetal, and smoky to a profound mineral-rich earthiness. Its texture lands with a palate-coating weight that gives way to a long, spicy finish. Consider this mezcal’s greatest hits all packed into one pour.

Average price: $198
Rating: 95

Best Mezcal for Beginners

Mezcal Vago Ensamble en Barro by Tío Rey

Newcomers to mezcal can often be quick to write off the category after first encountering a slew of one-note smoke bombs, so it’s paramount to start off on the right foot. Few options are as approachable and inviting as this ensamble from Mezcal Vago. Crafted with Espadín, Barril, and Coyote agave, this spirit bursts with aromas of red berries, wet rocks, and tropical fruits. The palate delivers on the nose’s promises, weaving back and forth between savory and sweet flavors.

Average price: $80
Rating: 95

Best Mezcal for Geeks

Espina Negra Tepeztate Joven Mezcal Artesanal

Tepeztate is a notoriously difficult agave variety to both source and work with. It’s relatively scarce, grows in rocky, mountainous terrain, and takes around 25 years to fully mature. But when it’s in the hands of a seasoned mezcalero, Tepeztate can deliver some of the most sought-after mezcals on the market. This particular expression from Espina Negra delivers everything we’ve come to love about Tepeztate, kicking off with herbaceous, earthy aromas and a pop of savory smoke before segueing into a vegetal, mineral-rich palate. For just $80, this bottle offers a trip to the mountains of Oaxaca in every sip.

Average price: $80
Rating: 93

Best Mezcal for Cocktail Lovers

Palomo Mezcal Espadín Joven

While one could theoretically put any mezcal to work in cocktails, it’s best to seek out a bottle that has a relatively low price, a relatively high ABV that can shine amid myriad ingredients, and an approachable profile that can easily harmonize with other flavors. Given these parameters, Palomo Mezcal Espadín Joven is a perfect pick. It’s $40 per bottle, packed with quintessential Espadín flavors, and clocks in at an assertive 46 percent ABV. Make this the base spirit for an Oaxaca Old Fashioned, a Mezcal Negroni, or a Division Bell, and thank us later.

Average price: $40
Rating: 91

Best Mezcal to Impress

Mezcal Ultramundo Maguey Lamparillo

Mezcal Ultramundo Maguey Lamparillo is a labor of love and patience. After waiting for 15 to 20 years for the rare agave variety Maguey Lamparillo to fully mature, the producers at Ultramundo’s Rancho Pelayo strip the plants of their quiote (stalks) and leave them in the ground for several months to further develop (a process known as the capón technique). The resulting mezcal is brimming with complexity, carrying notes of olives, baking spices, incense, and brown sugar. The craftsmanship at work here is also mirrored in the spirit’s bottle design, which features a weighted bottom and holographic accents on the label, making it sure to stand out on any back bar or bar cart.

Average price: $150
Rating: 95

Best Limited-Edition Mezcal

NETA Tequilana Capón

The team at NETA has made it their mission to showcase exceptional small-batch agave spirits producers that don’t have the means to sell their products internationally on their own. The result is a stunning portfolio of limited-edition expressions, such as this one from producers Wilfrido and Ramón García Sánchez. Although it’s crafted with Tequilana, a.k.a. Blue Weber agave — the variety used in all tequila production — this spirit’s profile surprises with pronounced minerality, notes of citrus, and a buttery undercurrent that keeps the acidity at bay. It’s a phenomenal testament to the variety of unique flavors that can be extracted from Blue Weber. There may be only 528 bottles out in the wild, but we recommend snatching one up should the opportunity arise.

Average price: $190
Rating: 96

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