Paul Kushner
Mezcal has been gaining popularity in recent years as drinkers look for alternatives to tequila. While you may associate mezcal with fancy bars and pricey bottles, you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy it. In fact, there are quite a few affordable options that allow you to experience mezcal’s unique smoky flavor without the high-end price tag.
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Cheap mezcal is perfect for those just starting to explore what the spirit has to offer or those who enjoy mezcal but don’t want every drink to put a dent in their wallet. The quality is still there despite the low cost. You may be surprised by how nicely some of these more affordable bottles hold up against pricier competitors. All you need is a glass and some ice to enjoy subtle smokey notes at an easy-on-the-budget price.
Montelobos Mezcal Joven
Montelobos Mezcal is an artisanal mezcal brand run by master distiller Don Abel Lopez and biologist and distiller Ivan Saldana. Motelobos artfully combines modern and historic mezcal traditions using the finest organic agave. Montelobos Mezcal Joven uses a blend of Espadin and Angustifolia agave species to create a delicate flavor profile of smoke, herbs, leather, and chocolate with a gentle alcoholic finish.
La Luna Mezcal
La Luna is a 110-year-old mezcal distillery in the mountains of the Mexican state of Michoacanrnal mezcal using Espadincillo agave fire roasted in the traditional mezcal tradition. It is one of the best cheap mezcals out there, with a flavor profile of white chocolate, cinnamon, and a grassy, peppery finish.
Fidencio Clásico Mezcal
A century-old Oaxacan Mezcal brand, Fidencio Mezcal is the creation of founder and mezcalero Fidencio Jimenez. The distillery uses agave grown onsite to elaborate this twice-distilled original recipe Fidencio Clasico. With an intensely smokey, spicy, and earthy flavor profile, this is a great mezcal for mixing in a cocktail with sour or sweet flavors.
Del Maguey Vida
Del Maguey is a new brand in the scheme of mezcal traditions, formed in 1995 as a collaboration between artist Ron Cooper and Zapotec Mexican mezcaleros. Del Maguey has numerous mezcal varieties, each one named for the village in which it was made. Del Maguey Vida is the top-selling mezcal from Del Maguey and a staple bottle for every mixologist's collection. Meant to be mixed into cocktails, Del Maguey Vida is artisanal and organic, with a smoky and alcohol-forward palate and a fiery finish.
Mezcal Monte Alban
Named for Oaxaca’s most famous archaeological ruins, Mezcal Monte Alban is one of the only bottles with the iconic worm floating at the bottom. Mezcal Monte Alban is the most famous and widely available bottle in the US, which is why most of us associate mezcal with the worm. It has the harshest, most metallic, and almost chemical flavor palate. It’s for drinkers looking for a burn.
Agave de Cortes Joven Mezcal
A fifth-generation Oaxacan mezcal producer, Agave de Cortes still operates under the Cortes family leadership which has also created two other successful brands called Nuestra Soledad and El Jolgorio. Agave de Cortes Joven Mezcal is the brand’s unaged 100% Espadin agave mezcal, featuring tasting notes of cooked agave, cinnamon, and eucalyptus.
