Yola Mezcal Pechuga
Yola Mezcal Pechuga is a 90-proof (45% ABV) 750mL mezcal de pechuga from San Juan del Río, Oaxaca — a women-founded, women-run brand led by Yola Jiménez of La Clandestina Mezcalería, musician Lykke Li, and chef-stylist Gina Correll Aglietti, made by master mezcalera Guadalupe Bautista at Yola's own farm and distillery. The pechuga gets a third distillation with a raw turkey breast suspended above the spirit over a bath of seasonal fruit — orange, tangerine, lime, guayaba, pineapple, and tejocote. It earned a Gold Medal at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: mezcal de pechuga — third distillation with turkey breast + fruit bath
- Base: espadín-led (8-year-old espadín per retailers); underground-roasted, tahona-milled, oak-barrel fermented, copper pot distilled to proof (no water added)
- NOM: 0524X
- Origin: San Juan del Río, Oaxaca, Mexico
The Celebration Mezcal, Made by Women
Pechuga is mezcal's most labor-intensive style — traditionally distilled a third time for weddings and fiestas, with the turkey breast lending savory depth rather than any meaty flavor (the spirit emerges clean, per tasting notes: no turkey or oily off-notes). Yola's base is classic Oaxacan technique: agaves roasted 4–8 days in earthen conical ovens, crushed by tahona stone, open-air fermented in oak with natural yeast, then copper-pot distilled to proof with no water added. The all-female hand-bottling and the women-led ownership make it one of mezcal's most distinctive stories. Browse the Yola Mezcal collection and the mezcal shelf at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Nose of guayaba, fresh mandarin, and a distant campfire smoke (per Chips Liquor). The palate brings citrus and roasted fruit with gentle pepper and a piney Madrecuixe-leaning finish — layered, savory-sweet, and remarkably clean for such a rich process.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a copita or veladora — pechuga is a sipping mezcal, not a mixer. Pair with Oaxacan moles, grilled meats, or tropical fruit; serve at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there actually turkey in mezcal de pechuga?
A raw turkey breast is suspended above the spirit during the third distillation for savory depth — none of the flavor reads as "turkey" in the finished mezcal.
What does "distilled to proof" mean?
The spirit comes off the still at its final strength with no water added afterward — a mark of careful distillation.
Why does Yola's Pechuga taste different every batch?
Seasonal fruit, agave age, and the pechuga process itself all vary — each run reflects its moment.
A fiesta in a bottle — order Yola Mezcal Pechuga online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.