The Best Bottle Of Mezcal Is Under $100: Here's Where To Find It

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Mezcal is one of the most rapidly growing liquor industries, with a skyrocketing demand as part of a tequila category that was the most-purchased spirit group by value in 2023. With such a booming enterprise that gives no sign of slowing down, it's worth discovering which brands are the best to keep in your home. For that, Food Republic joined forces with Dan Magro, author of "Suck It Up: Extraordinary Cocktails For Everyday People," to rank 12 mezcal brands from worst to best and pass the information along to you.

The winner, by knockout, is Mezcal Mal Bien, specifically the Espadín Ramos. There are three types of mezcal you should know when diving into the world of agaves: mezcal, mezcal artesanal, and mezcal ancestral. The differences come from the cooking techniques and equipment allowed in the distilling process. Mal Bien Espadin mezcal is a mezcal artesanal, meaning that it's cooked in the traditional way: roasted in underground pits and crushed by a large stone wheel known as a tahona.

The attention to detail comes through in the pure, rich, and complex notes of the spirit described as containing a "clean smoke" flavor (via Flatiron Wines and Spirits). Reviews describe it as having a silky-smooth feel with a perfectly balanced blend of smoke and heat. The Ramos also contains notes of smoky pineapple, a touch of sweetness, and citrus — everything you could possibly want in an affordable mezcal.

Dan Magro considers the Espadín Ramos equally good as a sipping drink or a mixer in cocktails, and with a price point of around $60, depending on location (it sells for $55.90 online), it's a perfect bottle to break out for happy hour without breaking the bank in the process. The mezcal is a family endeavor presided over by Victor Ramos and his son Emanuel, who are third and fourth-generation mezcaleros, respectively. 

If you're going to sip on this cocktail, follow tradition and serve it with orange slices dipped in tajín to maximize the citrus flavors. The orange works as a perfect palate cleanser, allowing each sip to shine without your tastebuds getting overly acclimated to the flavor. 

While Magro admits that putting mezcal in a cocktail is not the most traditional move, it's also not without precedent. If you want to go down this route, the ideal ratio for a mezcal margarita actually incorporates tequila as well, in what's known as a split-base mix. That means using equal parts mezcal and tequila blanco to ensure that the smokiness of the mezcal doesn't overpower the balance of the beverage. Other ideas for a mixed drink that lets the spirit's flavor shine through include adding lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and sparkling water for a light, flavorful mezcal and soda that will knock your socks off or creating a tamarind and citrus syrup for a tamarind-mezcal sour.