The easiest way to understand mezcal is the age ladder: joven (young) mezcal is bottled fresh and shows the purest roast-agave smoke, reposado rests in oak for a few months and softens, and anejo sleeps a year or more in barrels and drinks almost like a fine whiskey. All three steps are on the shelf right now at Del Mesa Liquor, our family-owned San Diego, California store — every bottle below is in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, from a $44.99 joven to an $84.99 anejo.
The joven step: smoke at full strength
Young mezcal is where terroir lives. The agave is roasted in earthen pits, crushed, fermented and distilled, and nothing stands between you and that process. Browse the full mezcal collection and you will see joven is the deepest bench on the shelf.
- Ilegal Mezcal Joven — $44.99. The accessible front door: bright, clean espadin smoke made for both sipping neat and serious mezcal cocktails.
- Wahaka Mezcal Espadin Joven — $46.99. A traditional Oaxacan joven with a softer, rounder smoke — the bottle to pour for a friend who thinks mezcal is "too smoky."
- Don Amado Mezcal Rustico — $54.99. A rustic, minerally joven from the highlands of Oaxaca — savory, earthy and unmistakably artisanal, and the base camp for the two aged Don Amado bottles below.
The reposado step: smoke, softened
A few months in oak rounds the edges without hiding the roast. Don Amado Mezcal Reposado ($59.99) takes the same Rustico spirit and adds vanilla, warm spice and a gentler finish — the step most tequila drinkers fall for first, because it bridges the tequila flavors they know and the smoke they are learning to love. Pour it neat, or give a margarita a smoky backbone no blanco can match.
The anejo step: mezcal for whiskey drinkers
Don Amado Mezcal Anejo ($84.99) rests a year or more in barrel, trading raw smoke for dried fruit, cocoa, leather and a long oaky finish. Serve it the way you would a bourbon — one cube or none — and it rewards the same slow sipping. If your shelf already runs deep in aged agave, this is the mezcal that belongs next to your extra anejos.
How to enjoy
Sip joven from a clay copita or a small glass, neat, with orange slices and sal de gusano on the side. Keep reposado for slow evenings and stirred cocktails, and save the anejo for the last pour of the night. However you climb the ladder, start at the step that matches your smoke tolerance — the ladder is not a ranking, it is three different drinks from the same roasted heart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between joven, reposado and anejo mezcal?
Joven is unaged or barely rested, so it shows the purest smoke and agave. Reposado rests in oak for roughly two to twelve months and gains vanilla and softness. Anejo ages a year or more, adding dried fruit, cocoa and an oaky, whiskey-like depth.
Which mezcal should a beginner buy first?
Start with a joven espadin such as Ilegal Mezcal Joven ($44.99) for cocktails, or Don Amado Reposado ($59.99) if you plan to sip neat — its oak rest softens the smoke for first-time mezcal drinkers.
Is mezcal always smoky?
Traditional mezcal gets its smoke from pit-roasting the agave, so some smoke is normal — but it ranges from a whisper in a bottle like Wahaka Espadin Joven to a full campfire in rustic highland bottlings. Age in oak also tames smoke, which is why anejos taste the softest.
Where can I buy mezcal online?
All five bottles in this guide are in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, a family-owned store in San Diego, California. See our shipping and return policy for delivery details.
Climb one rung at a time — each of these mezcals is in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor today. More guides like this one live on the Del Mesa blog.