It’s getting more and more difficult these days to find a handcrafted mezcal priced to be part of your regular rotation. So, when I was presented with the Historias y Memorias Espadin Joven, I had high hopes, and I was not disappointed. Master mezcalero Jose Luis Hernandez makes nothing but the Joven, so he puts everything he has into this bottling, using only the most traditional processes – underground pit oven, horse-drawn tahona, open-top wood fermentations, copper alembic stills – old school all the way. I know it’s now fashionable to turn one’s nose up at a “mere Espadin,” but if you love delicious, artisanal, versatile mezcal for a bargain, this ought to be your new favorite. A classic varietal nose of blueberry and black currant is augmented by olive brine, tarragon, licorice, sweet peppers, and a clean, stony minerality. The palate displays gorgeous texture – full, viscous, yet so well balanced with flavors of fresh grass, roasted agave, charred Anaheim pepper, elderberry, and more stony minerality. Time and air deepen the flavors to reveal anisette, licorice, mulberry, elderberry liqueur, and asphalt on the medium finish. It’s a winner on its own, but it’ll make a killer cocktail base too, with tons of potential for experimentation.
92 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Dec 2025)
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