Citrus
Herbal

Everyday Low

Illegal Joven Mezcal

Name: Illegal Joven Mezcal 700ml
SKU: 123857
Price: 94.99 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

Tequila · Mexico · 700ml · 38%

$94.99each

What it tastes like

Smoke · agave · citrus

legal Mezcal Joven is a premium artisanal mezcal crafted in Oaxaca from 100% agave. It delivers smoky complexity balanced with citrus and herbal notes, offering smooth depth and character. Presented in a 750ml bottle at 40% ABV, ideal for sipping neat or in mezcal cocktails.

Citrus
Herbal

Additional information

Tequila
Style: Mexico
Origin: 700ml
Size: 38% ABV
Alcohol: 2.1 per bottle
Standard drinks

The story of Illegal Joven Mezcal

In the early 2000s John Rexer ran Café No Sé, a bar in Antigua, Guatemala. Around 2004 he began bringing unbranded mezcal in from Oaxaca for it, and in 2006 he created the Ilegal brand to supply the bar. The name refers to those unofficial beginnings. The original bottles say they were made for Café No Sé.

Joven means unaged, so this mezcal goes into the bottle clear and unrested. It is made from 100% espadín agave. The hearts are roasted in earth ovens, crushed with a stone wheel, naturally fermented and then double distilled in copper stills. The brand works with the Hernandez family, fourth-generation producers in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca. Bacardi took full ownership in September 2023.

At 40%, it shows sweet smoked agave with light floral notes, a little tobacco and eucalyptus, and a medium finish of smoke. Serve it neat in a small glass with a slice of orange, or swap it for gin in a Negroni or for tequila in a Paloma when you want smoke in the drink.