Del Maguey Vida Mezcal is the bottle that introduced countless drinkers to the world of artisanal mezcal, and it remains one of the most celebrated expressions in the category. Crafted in the Sierra Juarez mountains of Oaxaca, Vida is the benchmark by which single-village mezcals are measured.

Produced by Zapotec villagers using generations-old traditions, Vida is made from mature espadin agave that is slow-roasted in earthen pit ovens, crushed by a stone tahona wheel, and fermented with wild airborne yeasts in open-air wooden vats. It is then double-distilled in small copper pot stills, yielding a spirit of remarkable purity and complexity. Del Maguey pioneered the single-village mezcal movement, and Vida stands as its most iconic expression.

• Nose: Inviting smoke, tropical fruit, roasted agave, and a subtle sweetness of ripe melon and green herbs
• Palate: Rich and layered, with notes of dried fruit, toasted nuts, dark chocolate, and a bright citrus lift balanced by savory earth and wood smoke
• Finish: Long, warming, and elegantly smoky with lingering minerality and a whisper of vanilla

Del Maguey Vida Mezcal shines in a classic Mezcal Negroni or an Oaxacan Old Fashioned, where its depth and smoke add a compelling dimension without overwhelming the other ingredients. It is equally at home sipped neat.

Best enjoyed neat or with a single large ice cube to open up the aromas. Del Maguey Vida is produced from espadin agave in the Sierra Juarez highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico.