Apaluz Mezcal Joven 1L
Apaluz Mezcal Joven 1L is a 40% ABV (80-proof), one-liter artisanal joven mezcal from Durango, Mexico, made from maguey cenizo — agave Durangensis — harvested at around 12 years old from estate fields. Mezcalero Antonio Panuco and his family roast the agaves for three days in a volcanic-stone oven, hand-mash them with axes, ferment in oak vats with well water and proprietary yeast, and distill in copper pot stills. Bottled unaged as a joven, it shows the agave and the high-desert terroir straight. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 1L
- Style: Joven (unaged), artisanal production
- Origin: Durango, Mexico — Panuco family, three generations
- Production: ~12-year-old Durangensis (maguey cenizo) agave; 3-day volcanic-stone oven roast (huizache, pine, oak); hand-mashed; oak-vat fermentation; copper pot distillation
Durango's High-Desert Mezcal
Most mezcal conversation stops at Oaxaca; Apaluz starts in Durango, where desert climate and lava-rock soils shape a different agave — Durangensis, or maguey cenizo, a variety native to the state's high plateau. Apaluz is a 100% Mexican-owned company, and the Panuco family's process is deliberately old-school: three days in a volcanic-stone oven covered with ixtle sacks and wet grass, axes instead of a shredder, well water and the family's own yeast in oak vats. The 1L format is the value play for a mezcal this hands-on — a third more bottle for the home bar. Shoppers comparing tequila and mezcal will find this the honest introduction to the category's wilder side.
Tasting Notes
Light smokiness over citrus and honey, with almond, vanilla and tamarind through the middle — the cenizo agave reads earthier and more mineral than Oaxacan espadín, with a clean, dry finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat at room temperature to meet the agave on its own terms. It also holds its own in a mezcal-forward cocktail — try it in an Oaxacan Old Fashioned or a smoky Margarita.
Frequently Asked Questions
What agave is Apaluz mezcal made from?
Agave Durangensis, known locally as maguey cenizo — a variety native to Durango's high plateau, harvested at about 12 years old.
What does "joven" mean?
Unaged — the mezcal is bottled without time in oak, so the flavor is all agave, smoke and terroir.
Where is Apaluz mezcal made?
Durango, Mexico, by the Panuco family — three generations of artisanal production.
Where can I buy Apaluz Mezcal Joven 1L online?
This 1L bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor — it ships from San Diego, CA.
Durango in a liter bottle — order Apaluz Mezcal Joven 1L online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.