Xicala Mezcal Joven Tequila
Xicala Mezcal Joven is a traditional joven mezcal from the Tlacolula Valley, Oaxaca — 43% ABV (86 proof), 750mL, made from 100% Espadin agave pit-cooked in the earth, crushed by tahona, fermented in wood for about eight days and double-distilled, then rested a few months in stainless steel before bottling, clear and unaged in wood. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 43% (86 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Agave: 100% Espadin (Agave angustifolia)
- Production: Earthen pit cooking, tahona crushing, wood fermentation (~8 days, fibre in), double distilled
- Aging: None in wood — joven; rested a few months in stainless steel
- Origin: Tlacolula Valley, Oaxaca, Mexico (Destileria Tlacolula)
- Presentation: Each bottle carries a handcrafted alebrije figure
Tlacolula Tradition, Down to the Alebrije
Xicala is made the slow Tlacolula way: Espadin piñas roasted in an underground pit, a stone tahona wheel doing the crushing, open wood fermentation with the agave fibre left in, and two distillations keeping only the heart of the run. The bottle carries Oaxaca with it — each one is adorned with a handcrafted alebrije, the carved folk-art figures the state is famous for. It pours clear, because a joven's character comes from the pit and the tahona, not from a barrel. Browse it among our mezcal selection, or see the range on the Xicala Mezcal vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Tropical and complex — grilled pineapple, peppers and sweet potato (brand/BTI notes). Palate: Spiced chestnut honey, smoked peppercorn and herbs on a dry-yet-fruity, medium-to-full body. Finish: Warming and medium-long, suggesting campfire embers, volcanic rock and smoked meat. Wine Enthusiast's tasters separately found it delicate, lightly sweet and floral with a peppery undertone.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat at room temperature to follow the smoke, or pour it over one large cube. In cocktails it is the mezcal for a Oaxacan Old Fashioned or a mezcal Margarita where the pit smoke needs to survive the citrus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Xicala a tequila? No — it is a mezcal, made from Espadin agave in Oaxaca's Tlacolula Valley with pit cooking and tahona crushing. Tequila is a separate appellation made in Jalisco and neighbouring states, principally from Weber Azul.
What does "joven" mean? Young — the mezcal is bottled unaged in wood (it rests briefly in stainless steel), so it pours clear and agave-forward.
What is the alebrije on the bottle? A handcrafted Oaxacan folk-art figure included with each bottle, tying the mezcal to the region's carving tradition.
Pit smoke and tahona work in every glass — order Xicala Mezcal Joven online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.