vinepair: The 20 Best Mezcals for 2025

In many ways, moving from tequila into the expansive world of mezcal is like developing a taste for Scotch following a fascination with bourbon. Each duo shares the same parent category (agave spirits and whiskey, respectively), employs similar production techniques, and will often be found close to each other, if not side by side, in liquor stores.

Of course, there are limits to this analogy, and the aim is not to frame mezcal or Scotch as superior to their siblings. But there’s also no denying that the regional diversity within these two categories and, yes, the occasional presence of smoke, place them among the world’s most complex spirits — distillates that aficionados would often much rather enjoy neat rather than in cocktails.

Whether the destination for mezcal is a copita or coupe by way of cocktail shaker is ultimately the buyer’s decision. Either way, quality and value for money are of paramount importance, and those can be tricky things to decipher from bottle labels or even brand websites alone. So we’ve done the hard work for you, tasting through dozens of expressions, and digging into individual production details to offer this list of the 20 best mezcals to drink in 2025.

The Best Mezcals Over $100

Palenqueros Madrecuishe Valente Garcia

Another hands-on, small-batch expression, the roasted Madrecuishe agave for this 933-bottle release was crushed by mallet before being double-distilled in copper pots. Bottled at 48.9 percent ABV, it offers a bright, minerally wet rock nose, with hints of citrus and savory smoke. The palate that follows is layered with sweetness and roasted nut notes.

Average price: $104
Rating: 94

Cinco Sentidos Arroqueño Tío Pedro

A stunning and considerable labor of love, Tío Pedro Hernandez produced this batch in Santa Catarina Minas using traditional clay pots. Before he could do so, he first had to source the Arroqueño agave from over 50 miles away, in the verdant hills of Sola de Vega. After roasting for more than five days, he (along with some help from friends) mashed the agave by hand using mazos. All that effort truly paid off: The nose darts between ripe tropical fruit, yogurt, and root vegetables. The palate is at once sweet and minerally, the wet rock notes eventually leading to pleasant, dialed-down smoke, and a finish that drinks well below its almost 50 percent ABV.

Average price: $136
Rating: 95

NETA Espadin-Bicuixe Heriberto García Sánchez

Combining a 60/40 blend of wild Bicuixe and homegrown Espadín, this double-distilled ensamble flips a common mezcal experience on its head, beginning with savory, almost meaty aromas, and following with expressive green fruit and chalky minerality on the palate. With more time in glass, the aromas and flavors meld into one, just as other complex notes emerge, ensuring the drinking experience is ever evolving and endlessly enjoyable.

Average price: $149
Rating: 94

PUNCH: Don’t Know Where to Start With Mezcal? Here Are 10 Producers to Know.

In a category facing increased industrialization, these brands are fighting to preserve regional traditions.

In 2023, more than 400 brands of mezcal were exported from Mexico. That doesn’t include the increasing number of producers who are choosing not to certify their spirits, often labeling them “destilados de agave” (“distillates of agave”) instead. With so many options entering the market, figuring out which producers to seek out in order to support economic, environmental and social justice in a category facing increased industrialization (and the troublesome issues that come with it) can feel like an impossible task. 

To help, we’ve compiled a list of brands that are setting a strong example of best practices for others to follow. Many of them are producer-owned, while others source from a variety of producers but have initiatives in place to encourage positive environmental and economic practices and the preservation of regional customs. There are, of course, plenty of other great producers making incredible mezcal in this vein, but consider this list—most of which are widely available across the United States—a strong starting point.

Cinco Sentidos

What started as the house mezcal for El Destilado restaurant in Oaxaca City evolved into an export brand in 2017. Owner Jason Cox has cultivated long-standing relationships with a core lineup of producers in Oaxaca and Puebla during his time living in Mexico. With Cinco Sentidos, he pays above market price for batches and does not pressure producers to meet certain volume demands; it is entirely up to the producers how much they choose to make and sell. Cox also implemented a 10 percent profit-sharing program to help producers invest in everything from basic personal needs to land and distillery infrastructure.

The Ultimate Guide to Aperitifs

From bittersweet to botanical, there’s an appetite-stimulating aperitif out there for everyone in this growing category

by Tyler Zielinski Mar 10, 2022, 10:04am ESTPhotography by Michelle Min

HumansHumans are creatures of habit, and that’s especially true when it comes to our drinking rituals. We drink coffee for its ability to wake us up, herbal tea for relaxation, and wine to pair with food. But to stimulate the appetite before a meal, there’s one drink category most Americans tend to forget about: the aperitif.

The aperitif — a word derived from the Latin verb “aperire,” meaning “to open” — is a category of low-ABV beverages defined by when they’re consumed rather than how they’re produced. An aperitif can be a liqueur, fortified or aromatized wine (e.g., sherry or vermouth, respectively), or an aperitivo bitter (e.g., Aperol or Campari), making the category diverse and approachable for both bon vivants and novice drinks alike.

While the mindful and ritualistic consumption of aperitifs is slowly catching on in the U.S., in Europe, especially Italy, France, and Spain, aperitifs have been at the center of late afternoon and evening drinking rituals for decades — and, in some cases, centuries.

In Italy, aperitifs are consumed during the pre-dinner aperitivo hour — a time when family and friends gather to enjoy low-ABV tipples along with small bites (cicchetti, in Italian) to unwind from the day. In France, they practice apéro (short for apéritif) with French tipples such as pastis and Pineau des Charentes. And in Spain, sherries and vermut (vermouth) whet the appetite during “el aperitivo,” with new vermuterias, or vermouth bars, experiencing a renaissance among millennial drinkers.

Although a culturally ingrained drinking occasion such as aperitivo hour has not yet gained a permanent foothold in the U.S., interest in low/no-ABV drinks is expanding. The segment grew by 30 percent in 2020, and became a nearly $10 billion industry in 2021. As a result, the Aperol spritz has become as ubiquitous as the vodka soda in most major cities around the country; new sober bars and bars that strictly serve low-ABV aperitif-style cocktails are popping up; and a new wave of aperitifs is flooding the market at an unprecedented pace.

To kickstart your personal aperitivo hour practice, I’ve scoured the world of aperitifs to put together a list of some of the hottest bottlings from both domestic and international producers, broken down by flavor characteristics. Whether you’re a hardcore spritzer looking for an alternative to Aperol, a G&T lover open to trying a low-ABV botanical spirit to replace the gin, or a bon vivant who is just looking for the next hot low-ABV product, there’s a must-try aperitif for everyone.

PM Spirits Oloroso Sherry 2021

PM Spirits is one of the most exciting U.S. importers and distributors of geeky spirits. The brand’s Project Sherries came to be after Nicolas Palazzi, owner of PM Spirits, and Eduardo Ojeda, co-owner of cult sherry bottlers Equipo Navazos and senior advisor to famed sherry producer Grupo Estévez, collaborated to release some of the finest sherries that Jerez has to offer.

The Oloroso sherry is aged for an average of 19 years, and is full-bodied and structured with notes of toasted hazelnuts, sesame seeds and walnuts, brown butter, leather, toffee, candied orange peel, and cinnamon. The flavor profile is balanced with a delicate acidity and salinity that makes it perfect for contemplative sipping. While it would also shine in a simple sherry cocktail such as a highball or Sherry Cobbler, at its price point, you’ll want to be sure your bartending skills are quite sharp.

Tximista Vermouth

As far as vermouths go, the Basque-produced Tximista is truly one of a kind. It’s the world’s first and only vermouth made with 100 percent Getariako Txakolina wine from sustainably farmed hondarrabi zuri grapes. The brand has two styles, rojo and blanco, both aromatized with local herbs, roots, and botanicals. The high-acid, mineral-driven Txakoli base makes these vermouths incredibly drinkable while also standing up beautifully in a vermouth and tonic or martini. The product made its debut in Spain in 2018, and it’s currently only available in New York, California, and Florida, with more states being added for distribution in the near future.

Where There's Smoke: Mezcal is Booming in the Cocktail World

Food Network Magazine - May, 2021

Visit any serious cocktail bar or well-stocked liquor store and you'll likely encounter mezcal.

The smoky Mexican liquor, distilled from the roasted hearts of agave plants, has long been central to Oaxacan culture but has more recently become a stateside obsession: America imports more mezcal than any other country in the world, with sales having grown 77 percent since 2017, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. Mixologists have helped fuel the boom by creating new mezcal cocktails, although many fans also drink Mezcal the traditional way: at room temperature with salt and an orange slice.

Bottle To Try:

Cinco Sentidos, Papalometl Mezcal - The agave is fermented in rawhide, a local tradition.