Izo Mezcal Joven
Izo Mezcal Joven is a 750mL unaged mezcal bottled at 47% ABV (94 proof), made from wild Cenizo agave (Agave durangensis) harvested from the high-altitude mesas of Durango, Mexico — country rising to about 8,500 feet. Founded by Gaston Martinez, a native of Durango, Izo works in the ancestral style of his home state: the agave hearts are slow-roasted with local oak in lava-rock-lined pits, fermented, and distilled twice, for a joven the house describes as smooth and subtly smoky, made to sip. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Size: 750mL
- Agave: Wild Cenizo (Agave durangensis)
- Class: Joven — unaged
- Production: Hand-harvested hearts slow-roasted with local oak in lava-rock-lined fire pits; fermented several days; two distillations; double-filtered; handmade onyx stopper
- ABV: 47% (94 proof)
- Origin: Durango, Mexico (high-altitude mesas, up to about 8,500 ft)
Durango, Not Oaxaca: Wild Cenizo From the High Mesas
Most mezcal drinkers meet Espadin from Oaxaca first; IZO is the Durango counterpoint. Its agave is the wild Cenizo — the species the brand's name itself derives from — gathered from high mesas rather than farmed fields, then roasted for days in pits lined with lava rock and smoldering local oak, ground, fermented, and distilled twice before a double filtration. The bottle is finished with a stopper of locally sourced, handmade onyx. Explore the brand on the Izo vendor page, or browse our tequila and mezcal collection.
Tasting Notes
Per the importer and brand: a soft, floral aroma of banana and green apple; a velvety, lightly smoked palate with fruit and pepper; and an earthy, subtly smoky character with a clean finish, over roasted sweet agave and cooked fruit.
How to Enjoy
The brand's line is "made to sip" — pour it neat and let the light smoke settle, or use it in a mezcal Margarita where the floral Cenizo character stays visible. More mezcal is in our tequila and mezcal collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What agave is Izo Mezcal Joven made from?
Wild Cenizo — Agave durangensis — harvested from the high-altitude mesas of Durango, Mexico. Cenizo is Durango's native agave, not Oaxacan Espadin.
Is Izo Mezcal Joven aged?
No — joven means unaged. Izo's reposado and anejo expressions are separate bottlings aged in American oak.
What is the ABV of Izo Mezcal Joven?
47% ABV (94 proof) for this Cenizo bottling.
Where is Izo mezcal made?
In Durango, Mexico, by the house founded by Durango native Gaston Martinez, using ancestral methods — lava-rock pit roasting, two distillations, and double filtration.
Wild Cenizo from the high mesas of Durango — order Izo Mezcal Joven online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.