Mezcal Vago El Manantial by Hijos de Barriga
Oaxaca Mezcal | 750mL | 43% ABV (86 proof) | Joven, 100% Agave Espadín — Mezcal Vago El Manantial is the "Hijos de Barriga" (Barriga sons) expression: an unaged, 100% Espadín mezcal crafted by Joelito (Joel Jr.) and Adán Barriga — the sons of third-generation mezcalero Don Joel Barriga — at Rancho Tapanala, high in the Sierra Sur mountains of Oaxaca. "El Manantial" means "the spring": it honors the village spring in Tapanala whose water ferments and proofs this mezcal, a water source that has sustained the village since Zapotec times. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
The Barriga family's high-elevation style shows in the glass: the official profile describes bright, fruit-forward, almost tropical mezcal — honey, tropical fruits, caramelized banana, lime pulp, mint and thyme over roasted agave — with smoke, citrus, earthy minerality and subtle spice beneath, and a long, clean finish. The process is fully traditional: agaves roasted in earthen ovens, crushed on a stone tahona, fermented in wooden vats, and double-distilled in copper pot stills fired with natural wood. For mezcal drinkers, this is a gentler, proofed-down window (43% vs the family's 50.1% Espadín) into a Sierra Sur legend.
Tasting notes
Nose: honey, tropical fruit, lime pulp, mint (brand family profile). Palate: caramelized banana, roasted agave, citrus, earthy minerality, subtle smoke and spice. Finish: long, clean.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 750mL, 43% ABV — Joven, 100% Agave Espadín, proofed down with mountain spring water
- Made by Joelito and Adán Barriga at Rancho Tapanala, Sierra Sur, Oaxaca — sons of third-generation mezcalero Don Joel Barriga
- Earthen-oven roast, stone tahona, wooden-vat fermentation, double copper pot distillation
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Sip neat from a clay copita at room temperature — the fruit-forward profile opens beautifully with air. Pair with citrus and sal de gusano.
Frequently asked questions
What does "El Manantial" mean?
"The spring" — it honors the village spring in Tapanala whose water is used to ferment and proof this mezcal.
How is this different from the regular Vago Espadín?
The standard Vago Espadín by Joel Barriga is bottled at 50.1%; El Manantial is the sons' expression, deliberately proofed down with spring water to 43% for a brighter, more approachable style.
Is it aged?
No — Joven, bottled unaged so the Espadín character and Sierra Sur fruit come through clean.