Wahaka Mezcal Espadin Joven
Wahaka Mezcal Espadin Joven is a 750mL unaged joven mezcal bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof), made from espadín agave in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, by maestro mezcalero Alberto "Beto" Morales (NOM-O148X) — agave roasted in an earthen pit, crushed by tahona, fermented with wild yeast in pine vats and double distilled in a copper alembic, then bottled young so nothing stands between you and the roast. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Size: 750mL
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Agave: Espadín (Agave angustifolia), about 8 years to maturity
- Style: Joven (unaged) mezcal
- Production: Earthen-pit roast, tahona crush, pine-vat wild-yeast fermentation, double distilled in copper alembic
- Origin: San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, Mexico — NOM-O148X
The Morales Family's Purest Pour
In San Dionisio Ocotepec, the Morales family has made mezcal for five generations; Wahaka, founded in 2010, is how maestro Alberto "Beto" Morales bottles it. The Espadín Joven is the foundation of the house: mature espadín agave, cooked in a rock-lined earthen pit, milled under a stone tahona, left to ferment with the valley's wild yeasts in open pine vats, and run twice through a copper alembic heated directly by fire. No barrel, no waiting — joven means the pit, the stone and the still speak for themselves. Shop the wider tequila and mezcal shelf, see the range on the Wahaka Mezcal vendor page, or step up to the oak-rested Wahaka Mezcal Reposado con Gusano.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Pit smoke and roasted agave over earth. Palate: Crisp and clean on entry, turning peppery through the middle. Finish: Long and warm with spice — the full roast-and-stone character of a traditional palenque mezcal.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat from a copita or small glass, with orange slices and sal de gusano alongside if you drink it the Oaxacan way. It is also the honest base for a mezcal margarita or a smoky paloma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does joven mean? Joven means young — an unaged mezcal bottled straight from distillation, with no oak rest to soften its smoke and agave.
Where is Wahaka Espadín made? In San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, Mexico (NOM-O148X), by the Morales family — pit-roasted, tahona-crushed, wild-yeast fermented and copper-distilled.
How is espadín different from other agaves? Espadín (Agave angustifolia) is mezcal's workhorse agave — cultivated, relatively fast-maturing at around eight years, and prized for a clear, classic cooked-agave flavor that shows production choices honestly.
Taste the palenque, unaged and unhidden — get Wahaka Mezcal Espadin Joven at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.