Mezcal is not just smoky tequila — and the two joven bottles on our shelf prove opposite ends of what it can be: one built on fruit with the smoke deliberately removed, one from wild agave in a state most mezcal drinkers never look at. Del Mesa Liquor, a family-owned liquor store in San Diego, California, stocks both in its mezcal collection, and every bottle below is in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor today.
Two joven mezcals, two philosophies
- Fidencio Unico Mezcal — $44.99 (3 in stock). A 40% ABV joven from 100% estate-grown Espadin agave in Santiago Matatlan, Oaxaca. Fourth-generation mezcalero Enrique Jimenez roasts in a radiant-heat oven of his own design — deliberately skipping the smoky pit — then double-distills in a custom wood-fired alembic. Fruit first, smoke nowhere: the bottle that converts people who think they dislike mezcal.
- La Penca Joven Mezcal — $37.99 (7 in stock). A 36% ABV joven from wild Salmiana agave in San Luis Potosi — not Oaxaca — rested in white oak after the traditional roast. 'Penca' is the sword-like agave leaf trimmed from the pina before roasting, and the hand-blown bottle, closed with natural cork, holds two Chincuil gusanos. Our deepest-stocked mezcal at seven bottles.
How to drink them
Sip both neat first — joven mezcal is unaged, so what you taste is agave and process, nothing else. The Fidencio Unico's clean fruit makes it the better highball and Paloma base; the La Penca's wilder Salmiana character holds its own in a mezcal Old Fashioned. If you are building out an agave shelf, pair them with the blancos and extra anejos in our tequila collection and our extra anejo tequila guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mezcal and tequila?
Tequila is one kind of mezcal, restricted to Blue Weber agave in specific regions. Mezcal can be made from dozens of agave species across more of Mexico — Espadin in Oaxaca for the Fidencio, wild Salmiana in San Luis Potosi for the La Penca.
Does all mezcal taste smoky?
No. Smoke comes from pit-roasting the agave. Fidencio's radiant-heat oven skips the pit entirely, so the Unico tastes of fruit and agave rather than smoke.
What does joven mean?
Young — mezcal bottled unaged or rested only briefly. Both bottles here are joven, so the agave character is at its purest.
Can I order mezcal online?
Yes — both bottles are in stock and available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, with shipping where permitted; see our shipping and return policy for details, and browse gift sets for agave gift options.
More agave reading: our Fortaleza tequila guide, and new arrivals on the Del Mesa blog.