Yola Mezcal 1971
Yola Mezcal 1971 is a 750mL joven mezcal bottled at 45% ABV, made on the brand's farm in San Juan del Rio, Oaxaca from Espadin and Madrecuixe agave harvested fully ripe at seven to ten years. The current recipe — 90% Espadin, 10% Madrecuixe — follows a family recipe created in 1971 and passed down to founder Yola Jimenez by her grandfather: the agave is roasted in an earthen oven, crushed by tahona, fermented in oak barrels with spring and rain water, and double distilled in a copper pot still, to proof, with no water added. It won Gold at The Tequila & Mezcal Masters 2021. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 45%
- Size: 750mL
- Class: Joven (unaged), artisanal mezcal
- Agave: Espadin + Madrecuixe (current recipe 90/10), harvested at 7–10 years
- Production: Earthen-oven roast, tahona, oak-barrel fermentation, double distilled in copper pot, bottled to proof
- Origin: San Juan del Rio, Oaxaca, Mexico — maestros Javier & Guadalupe Bautista
A 1971 Recipe, a Farm Run by Women
Yola Jimenez built the brand with Gina Correll Aglietti and musician Lykke Li, launching in 2016 around the recipe her grandfather created in 1971 on the family's San Juan del Rio farm — the brand describes the mezcal as handcrafted and organic, made the traditional way: oven-roasted agave, a stone tahona wheel, oak fermentation, copper pots, and distillation to proof rather than dilution. The social build is as deliberate as the spirit: the Oaxaca bottling facility is all-female, with direct pay and childcare flexibility, aimed squarely at women's economic autonomy — founded and run by women, bottled by women. The production patience shows in the glass as a notably low-smoke, approachable joven. Meet the founders' other work via the Yola Mezcal vendor page and the wider category in our mezcal collection.
Tasting Notes
The brand's own line opens with peppered citrus and gives way to a soothing, smoky finish; retailers consistently add clean agave, bright earthy minerality, ripe tropical fruit — pineapple especially — a touch of caramel sweetness, and a piney edge from the Madrecuixe, with smoke kept vibrant but moderate throughout.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a copita — at 45% and distilled to proof, this is the pour to taste tahona and copper-pot work in. It also makes a gentler, fruit-led mezcal Margarita for drinkers who find most joven mezcal too smoky. More Oaxaca bottles are in our mezcal collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "1971" mean in Yola Mezcal 1971?
It is the year of the family recipe the mezcal follows — created by founder Yola Jimenez's grandfather and passed down to her. The brand was launched in 2016 to bring that recipe to market.
What agave is Yola Mezcal made from?
The current recipe blends Espadin with Madrecuixe (a Karwinskii variety) at roughly 90/10, harvested fully ripe at seven to ten years in San Juan del Rio, Oaxaca. The earliest batches were 100% Espadin.
Is Yola Mezcal very smoky?
No — it is consistently reviewed as a low-smoke, approachable joven: peppered citrus, ripe fruit and minerality lead, with the earthen-oven smoke in support rather than in front.
A grandfather's recipe, a women's farm, a gentler smoke — order Yola Mezcal 1971 online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
