Montelobos Espadin Joven Oaxaca Mezcal 70cl

Smoky, herbal, and properly alive, this Oaxaca joven mezcal is the bottle to grab when you want to understand why mezcal people get so excited. Made from Espadín agave, the go-to agave for a friendly first step into mezcal, it brings roasted fruit, citrus peel, green herbs, and campfire smoke without turning your drink into a barbecue.

• Nose: Roasted agave, citrus zest, fresh herbs, a little earth, and smoke that shows up early but behaves itself.
• Taste: Cooked pineapple, green pepper, lime peel, peppery spice, and savoury roasted agave with a clean, lively texture.
• Finish: Dry, smoky, and gently peppery, with citrus and herbal notes hanging around after the sip.

Joven means unaged, so there is no barrel flavour getting in the way. That matters. You taste the Espadín agave clearly, from its cooked sweetness to its grassy snap, plus the earthy smoke that makes Oaxaca mezcal such a fun rabbit hole.

If mezcal has felt intimidating, this is a smart place to start. It has enough smoke and depth for enthusiasts, but it stays bright and readable for anyone coming from blanco tequila. Think of it as the bottle that turns “I don’t get mezcal” into “wait, pour me another one.”

Drink it neat with an orange slice if you want the agave front and centre. For cocktails, it gives a Mezcal Margarita more backbone, makes a Paloma taste sharper and smokier, and absolutely earns its spot in an Oaxaca Old Fashioned with a little agave syrup and bitters.

Food-wise, go for grilled prawns, tacos al pastor, charred corn, roasted mushrooms, or anything with lime and chilli. The smoke latches onto grilled flavours, while the citrusy side keeps everything from feeling heavy.

What makes this one stand out is the balance. Some mezcals go all-in on smoke and forget the rest of the conversation. This keeps the roasted agave, herbs, spice, and fruit in the glass together, which makes it easy to sip and seriously useful behind the bar.

Fun Fact: Montelobos means “mountain wolves,” and the brand was founded by agave expert Iván Saldaña, who built it around showing Espadín mezcal with clarity rather than covering it up.