Espiritu Lauro Joven Mezcal
Espiritu Lauro Joven Mezcal is the award-winning unaged expression from San Agustín Amatengo, Oaxaca — 40% ABV (80 proof) in a 750mL bottle, and a Double Gold and Best of Show winner at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America competition in 2018. A 70/30 ensamble of Espadín and slow-grown Karwinskii (San Martín) agave, pit-roasted and open-fermented with wild yeast, then distilled in copper pot stills. Bright, smoky, and saline — the purest statement of the house style. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof); Size: 750mL; Class: Joven (unaged)
- Agave: Ensamble — 70% Espadín + 30% Karwinskii (San Martín), 15–17 years to mature
- Production: Artesanal — pit-roasted, Chilean tahona crush, open-air fermentation with local wild yeast, copper pot stills
- Award: Double Gold + Best of Show, WSWA 2018
- Origin: San Agustín Amatengo, Oaxaca — producer ESPÍRITU CORSA, S.A. de C.V.
The Award-Winning House Pour
Every great mezcal house has a flagship joven, and this is Espíritu Lauro's: the same two-agave ensamble that ages into the reposado and añejo, tasted here with nothing between you and the roast. The judges at WSWA 2018 gave it their top honors — Double Gold and Best of Show — and the palenque in San Agustín Amatengo has been running three generations. This is the bottle to buy first. See the full Espíritu Lauro lineup and the store's mezcal collection.
Tasting Notes
Wine Enthusiast's Kara Newman found "pungent smoke and mentholated aromas and flavors, which fade fast into a light, mouthwatering saline note." The importer's notes add intense brightness, a mild delicate smoky bouquet, and floral flavors wrapped in soil and sweet agave — with baked jalapeño and dried herbs in the mix.
How to Enjoy
Neat, always — the importer serves it that way, and the saline-smoke interplay is the whole show. If you must mix, keep it simple: a mezcal-forward Paloma with grapefruit and lime lets the ensamble shine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Espiritu Lauro Joven won awards?
Yes — Double Gold and Best of Show at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) competition in 2018.
What is an ensamble mezcal?
An ensamble blends two or more agave species in one batch — here, 70% Espadín with 30% wild-slow Karwinskii (San Martín), for brightness plus savory depth.
Is Espiritu Lauro Joven aged?
No — it's a joven, bottled unaged after copper-pot distillation, so the smoke, saline, and agave character come through unfiltered by oak.
Start with the winner — order Espiritu Lauro Joven Mezcal online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.