Ilegal - Mezcal Joven

Full bodied agave flavor. Light smoke, lingering heat. Ideal for cocktails or perfect on its own.

Ageing: Un-aged

Notes: Eucalyptus and mineral aromas compliment hints of green apple, fresh citrus, and red chiltepe.

For nearly a decade, a small group of artists, musicians, writers and travelers has been drinking Ilegal Mezcal, a handcrafted brand of Mexican artisanal liquor with a notorious history that includes smuggling and weeklong parties in a clandestine bar in Guatemala. Ilegal was born out of John Rexer's bar, Cafe No Se, an eclectic international watering hole in colonial Antigua, Guatemala. "Ilegal has texture and is not diluted and polluted by an industrial process," says Rexer. "It's like old hand-tooled leather versus cheap pleather. It's seductive. People from all walks of life understand the difference. It's a way of thinking and wanting to live as much as it is fine liquor." Ilegal is made in Oaxaca by a fourth-generation mezcalero with a passion for keeping a 500-year-old tradition alive. Pure Espadin agave is baked in earthen pits, stone ground, naturally fermented and distilled twice in small batches. The process is an art form and the result is a beautifully balanced spirit with just a kiss of smoke, making it ideal for cocktails or as a sipping spirit.