About Del Maguey Vida

Del Maguey Vida Mezcal is the brand's entry-level offering, coming in at just $35. It's become ubiquitous in craft cocktail bars, and is the introduction to mezcal as a category for many drinkers outside of Mexico. In keeping with Del Maguey's commitment to producing single-village mezcal, Vida is sourced entirely from the town of San Luis del Rio. It is highly mixable, and while not as subtle as some of the brand's other products, it's still great for sipping neat or doing a round of shots with your friends.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey San Luis del Rio

Del Maguey San Luis del Rio Single Village Mezcal is one of the brand's premium offerings, sourced from Del Maguey's home village of (you guessed it) San Luis del Rio, south of Oaxaca. Spicy and smoky, this is a great mezcal for drinkers looking to branch out from the entry level, and can easily be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in any number of mezcal cocktails.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal

Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal is a blend of their famed San Luis del Rio Mezcal (90%) and agave nectar (10%). It is not considered a liqueur, as it's still an 80-proof spirit, but it has a natural sweetness to it that can make it appealing for new mezcal drinkers who aren't used to its bite. We don't love the moderately sexist marketing angle ("For women only, and a few strong men"), as we've seen plenty of women drink men under the table with mezcal, but it's nonetheless a decent product for use in mezcal cocktails or introducing neophytes to the category.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Chichicapa

Del Maguey Chichicapa Single Village Mezcal is one of the brand's premium offerings, sourced entirely from the small Oaxacan village of Chichicapa. It has garnered impressive reviews from critics, though there seems to be some confusion between the limited-release Chichicapa Cask, aged 14 years, and the standard Chichicapa Single Village Mezcal which is more widely available. This is the latter, and while perhaps not as highly praised as its aged cousin, is a perennial favorite of mezcal fans.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas

Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas Single Village Mezcal is one of the brand's premium offerings, sourced entirely from the small Oaxacan village of Santo Domingo Albarradas. It's light, citrusy, and has notes of tropical fruits (which Del Maguey attributes to the semi-tropical region in which it is produced), as well as the smoky spice that is characteristic of the category.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Minero

Del Maguey Minero Single Village Mezcal is one of the brand's premium offerings, sourced entirely from the small Oaxacan village of Santa Catarina Minas. It is distilled in a clay-and-bamboo still, giving it a distinct character that sets it apart even from other bottles in the Del Maguey range. Vegetal, peppery, fruity, and with plenty of bite, Del Maguey Minero is great for sipping or using in mezcal cocktails.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Tobala

Del Maguey Tobala Single Village Mezcal is made from the Tobala maguey agave, also known as wild mountain maguey. It is an extremely limited edition bottling, with only 600 bottles produced, thanks to the rarity and difficulty of harvesting wild maguey. According to the distiller, it takes approximately eight Tobala piñas to equal the production of one Espadin or Azul piña (the more common maguey varieties). The resulting product is peppery, sweet, and impressively complex.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Pechuga

Del Maguey Pechuga Mezcal is a fairly pricey bottle, thanks to the painstaking process taken to produce it. It starts as Del Maguey Minero Mezcal, sourced entirely from Santa Catarina Minas. It's then mixed with seasonal wild mountain plums, apples, red plantains, pineapples, almonds, and uncooked white rice prior to re-distillation.

But the real centerpiece of this process is the introduction of the pechuga, a whole skinless chicken breast, which is suspended in the still above the liquid for the duration of the 24-hour distillation process (for those keeping score at home, that means this is not a vegan spirit).

Del Maguey claims that this is done to balance the fruitiness, but the final product has garnered some mixed reviews from critics. Regardless, it's certainly not an entry-level spirit thanks to its price point, so we recommend this for more seasoned mezcal aficionados looking for something challenging.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Del Maguey Ibérico

Del Maguey Ibérico Mezcal is the brand's newest, most premium spirit, born of a collaboration between founder Ron Cooper and Chef José Andrés. The base spirit is Del Maguey Minero Mezcal, sourced entirely from the single village of Santa Catarina Minas, and the recipe is a variation on the method used to make their Pechuga Mezcal.

Instead of using a whole chicken breast in the distillation process, though, Del Maguey Ibérico uses a whole Spanish Ibérico de Bellota ham. The result was awarded Best New Product at the 2014 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, as well as the Chairman's Trophy at the 2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

In 2011, Del Maguey was named Distiller of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.