Montelobos Mezcal Tobala Joven
Montelobos Mezcal Tobala Joven is a 100% Tobalá joven mezcal at 46.8% ABV (93.6 proof) in a 750mL bottle — sustainably cultivated Agave potatorum, pit-roasted and wild-fermented at Palenque del Tentzo in Puebla, Mexico — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46.8% vol (93.6 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Agave: 100% Tobalá (Agave potatorum) — sustainably cultivated with the Alva family, no herbicides or pesticides; kosher certified (OU)
- Production: conical underground brick-pit oven (encino and tepeguaje wood); mechanical shredder milling; wild fermentation in open pine vats with no added yeast or nutrients; copper-still distillation over direct firewood
- Age: joven (unaged)
- Origin: Palenque del Tentzo, San Nicolás Huajuapan, Puebla, Mexico — maestro mezcalero Aarón Alva under founder Iván Saldaña; brand founded by Saldaña and Don Abel López Mateos (Casa Lumbre; Campari Group controlling stake 2019)
Tobalá, Cultivated — Never Wild
Tobalá is mezcal's most coveted agave — tiny, slow-growing, and usually ripped from the wild. Montelobos does it differently: founded by biologist Iván Saldaña and fifth-generation mezcalero Don Abel López Mateos, the brand farms its Tobalá sustainably in partnership with the Alva family, never touching wild agaves. At the Puebla palenque, the hearts roast in a conical underground brick-pit oven, ferment wild in open pine vats, and distill in copper over direct firewood. Per the brand's official site, it carries Gold (2022 SFWSC), 92 points (Ultimate Spirits Challenge), Double Gold 96 (NYISC), and Gold (Beverage Tasting Institute). Shop more Montelobos, or explore the store's mezcal collection.
Tasting Notes
Lemon, licorice, green pepper, and pear over citrus and baking spice on the nose; the palate brings basil, roasted fig, macadamia, and truffle. Complex, savory-sweet, and long at 46.8% ABV.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a copita or veladora glass to take in the aromatics; a drop of water opens the fruit. Sipped slowly — Tobalá this good is not a shot spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tobalá?
Agave potatorum — a small, slow-growing wild agave prized in mezcal for its intense, complex flavor. Montelobos uses sustainably cultivated Tobalá only.
Where is Montelobos Tobalá made?
At Palenque del Tentzo in Puebla, Mexico — not Oaxaca, as some retailers claim.
What is the ABV?
46.8% (93.6 proof).
Is Montelobos organic?
Its Tobalá is farmed without herbicides or pesticides and the expression is kosher certified (OU).
Cultivated, never wild: order Montelobos Mezcal Tobala Joven online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.