Welcome to the fifth edition of our annual gift guide, where we highlight some truly great and unique gifts for your mezcal loving friends and family. From unique mezcals and perfect pairings to unforgettable experiences and more, we’ve got you covered for any mezcaliscious holiday celebration!
The Mezcal
There is so much great mezcal in the market. We’re highlighting some select batches that can be found at Old Town Tequila, Tahona Mercado, and Madre–since they have the ability to ship almost anywhere in the US. Special note – if you are in Illinois, be sure to check out and support Moreno’s Liquors and their incredible selection of agave spirits.
Old Town Tequila
The Old Town Tequila/Real Minero private barrel is an ensamble of Barril Amarillo and Tobala with an ABV of 56.5%. There are only 68 bottles! Also only at Old Town Tequila is the annual Bozal Advent Calendar, which features a wooden box filled with (24) 200ml bottles, including rare limited edition expressions, two proprietary copitas, and tealights to be lit on the final day.
We are also super excited with this year’s special Mezcalistas Holiday gift combo, which includes a bottle of the Pajarote Ponche de Tamarindo, Salvadores Pechuga y Mole Coloridito, and Señor Maguey Agave Syrup.
Be sure to check out some special holiday pricing for the Mezcasiarca Ensamble, a big flavor mezcal with bright and woodsy notes. The Chimeco Jabali is part of a new project from the good folks behind Tosba and Dakabend rum. They call this their “open source” agave project because it allows mezcaleros to release small batch mezcals through a partnership. This batch is by mezcalero Edgar Gonzalez. The Pal’Alma Cafe de Olla is always on our gift list because it’s what we want to sip on during those cold winter nights. Finally, be sure to check out the the new Bozal Reserva batch distilled with cempasúchil (marigold) and mandarin peels–it is a perfect holiday “pechuga”.
If you’re buying gifts for folks who are always on the look out for the “next big thing” in agave spirits, may we suggest bacanora and the Batuq Reserva de La Casa or the Los Cantiles 1905 Blanco. And though not agave but agave aligned, the Sotol Parejo Wild Leiophyllum from the Arrieta family is pretty out of this world.
Tahona Mercado
Just in time for the holidays is Tahona Mercado’s exclusive 50L batch of Origen Raíz Cenizo. Also there are still a few bottles left of their Rayo Seco Criollo private batch from the Estado de Mexico.
Finally, while not agave spirits, check out these two perfect embodiments of Mexican ingredients, Alma Limoncello from the Yucatan and the Maleza Licor de Cacahuates made in Mexico City. You can read more about Maleza Licores here.
Madre Online Store
Last but not least, there are just eight bottles left of this very special Tequila Ocho Extra Añejo barrel made especially for the Tequila Interchange Project fundraising initiative and only available through the Madre online store. This is one of those “be the star” gifts that comes with the knowledge that the money spent is going toward some very necessary work.
Things that pair well with mezcal
People always want to know what goes well with mezcal (we have a whole section on the website dedicated to mezcal pairings). Here are a few perfect pairing gift ideas.
Copitas
Tuyo and Mexico by Hand remain our favorite stores when it comes to picking up new copitas. Check out these beautiful copitas from Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan and Capula, Michoacan. And can you ever have too many TUYO porcelain copitas?
Food and spice
While Rancho Gordo is known primarily for its beans, it also has a great line of condiments including this perfect sweet and salty dried tuna, or what is known here in the US as prickly pair. It takes dried fruit to a different level and is terrific with mezcal. We also love the line of edible insects from Don Buguito. Savory or sweet, they are not only a great snack but also delicious with mezcal. As a recent Mexico in a Bottle attendee told us, “I just ate bugs and I liked it!”
Also at our most recent Mexico in Bottle, we had two outstanding salsas machas. We’ve raved about Chingonas Salsa Macha previously and it is delicious (hello salsa macha deviled eggs from Otra!). Also delicious is the Dos Raicez Salsa Macha, which took the carnitas tacos they were serving to another level and paired beautifully with espadin.
For you cocktail drinkers, check out these beautiful artisanal salts from Mezsal. (They are probably pretty good for cooking too.)
And if you have ever wanted to know what cooked agave tastes like, the new agave syrup Respeto is as close as you will come to agave fresh out of the oven. This is hands down delicious and not only enhances any mezcal or tequila cocktail, it is also perfect in place of maple syrup and honey. Put it on your pancakes or waffles and trust us, you’ll never go back.
Books
These terrific new books would be a good addition to any mezcal bookshelf.
- Tequila, Mezcal and more by Anna Bruce: A great introduction to everything you need to know as you begin your mezcal journey. You can check out our review here.
- Mezcal in Oaxaca by Ronda Brulotte: A great and accessible look at mezcal through the eyes of anthropology. From the get-go, Brulotte addresses the complexity by setting the tone of her book with an introduction titled “Mezcal is good to think with.” You can read our review here.
And check out some these reading lists for more gift ideas for your reading friends and family:
- Booze and books: 8 remarkable takes on the history of Mexico
- Booze and books: 7 great books about spirits and the perfect drinks to match
Art and Accessories
Arizona water color artist Ralph Philabaum reached out to us this fall about participating in next year’s Mexico in a Bottle event in Tucson. We were struck by his playful works. There are so many great pieces, but we especially love his Centzon print.
We love museum gift shops and the National Museum of Mexican Art’s online store does not disappoint. In fact, there was so much good stuff we couldn’t decide on what to highlight. Just take a look and you’ll see what we mean.
At this year’s Agave Heritage Festival we finally had a chance to meet Kelly Jones, the founder of Kelly+Jones. She crafts fragrances inspired by mezcal and has a line of mezcal scented candles that we want to burn all the time.
Mestiza Shop in Chicago’s Pilsen Neighborhood is a cornucopia of beautiful and fun gift items and tchotchkes. We fell in love with their whimsical concha purses, this awesome book filled with all sorts of Latinx inspired DIY projects, and our favorite Chingona shirt.
Experiences
Maybe the perfect gift is creating an unforgettable experience. Check out our DIY tasting guides that walk you through how to create unique and fun tasting experiences for friends and family. Or throw a party for your senses, specifically, the sense of smell with this one of a kind agave spirits sensory kit. Composed of 24 vials of “notes” that are found in the nose and palate of agave spirits, it is a great way to understand and decipher flavors and composition.
Likewise, maybe you know someone traveling to Oaxaca or elsewhere in Mexico who would love to see where and how mezcal is made. Give the gift of a mezcal tour with one of these vetted guides.
For the ultimate travel gift, check out this five day tour of Mexico City with Life & Thyme Magazine.
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