Los Vecinos Mezcal Ensamble No. 1
Los Vecinos Mezcal Ensamble No. 1 (750mL, 45% ABV / 90 proof) blends three agaves — 90% Espadín, 5% Barril, 5% Madrecuishe — into a joven mezcal from the Valles Centrales of Oaxaca, and it was named World’s Best Mezcal at the 2022 World Mezcal Awards. The two wild Karwinskii agaves mature roughly 15 years in the ground (versus about eight for Espadín) at 1,500–1,700 m elevation, lending the blend its green, herbal complexity; production is fully artesanal across the same ten-family, Casa San Matías, Sazerac partnership. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof) — 750mL, unaged joven
- Agaves: 90% Espadín, 5% Barril, 5% Madrecuishe — the wild agaves mature ~15 years
- Process: artesanal — earth-pit roast, stone-molino crush, 7–15 day natural wooden-vat fermentation, double copper-pot distillation
- Origin: Valles Centrales de Oaxaca, Mexico — ten mezcalero families + Casa San Matías, Sazerac Company
- Recognition: World’s Best Mezcal, World Mezcal Awards 2022; Silver, 2021 NYWSC
An Ensamble That Won the World
“Ensamble” is mezcal’s answer to a blend — and the first ensamble in the Los Vecinos family beat them all at the 2022 World Mezcal Awards. The formula is deliberate: the workhorse Espadín gives structure while the ultra-mature Barril and Madrecuishe — tall Karwinskii agaves whose stalks and piñas are often harvested together — contribute the green, herbal high notes that judges called balanced, herbal, and slightly smoky, with raw-agave freshness and a whisper of anise. World Mezcal Awards judges described herbal, slightly smoky character with green-bean and raw-agave notes, a hint of anise, and very mild pepperiness. See more from Los Vecinos or browse mezcal.
Tasting Notes
Aromas of chamomile, dill pickle, roasted agave, green tea, and black pepper; a palate of black pepper, honey, and soy sauce with low oiliness; herbal, slightly smoky, with green-bean freshness, a hint of anise, and very mild pepperiness on a balanced finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a copita — a World’s Best Mezcal deserves the full ritual. It also holds its own in a mezcal-forward cocktail: try it in a Naked and Famous or an Oaxacan Old Fashioned, where the herbal notes cut through citrus and agave syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ensamble mezcal?
A mezcal blended from multiple agave varieties — here 90% Espadín, 5% Barril, and 5% Madrecuishe, distilled together in the traditional manner.
Why is Ensamble No. 1 notable?
It was named World’s Best Mezcal at the 2022 World Mezcal Awards, and took Silver at the 2021 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.
How is it made?
Artesanal: earth-pit roast, stone-molino crush, natural fermentation in wooden vats (7 days in warm weather, 12–15 in cold), and double distillation in copper pot stills.
World’s Best Mezcal, blended the traditional way — order Los Vecinos Ensamble No. 1 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.