The best mezcal to give

A gift bottle has two audiences: the person drinking it and the moment of handing it over. These bottles earn both, presentation that lands and liquid that holds up after the wrapping is gone, ranked by score with current average prices.

  1. Gusto Historico Tobala - Victor Ramos (4.0/5, $100): Pick this over Emanuel's if you want tobalá with a smile
  2. Yola Mezcal (3.5/5, $54): Worth supporting. Also worth drinking
  3. Grand Artesanal Jean-Marc Cuixe (3.5/5, $40–90): Clean liquid, lifestyle-brand ceiling. GaD Cuishe wins this bracket
  4. Scorpion Anejo Tobala (3.5/5, $40–90): Not the move. Buy the unaged tobalá from any serious producer instead
  5. El Jolgorio Pechuga (3.5/5, $151): Real Minero and Lalocura make more memorable pechugas for a similar price
  6. Del Maguey Iberico (3.5/5, $215): Pay this much for Del Maguey Pechuga or Real Minero, not for the ham
  7. Clase Azul San Luis Potosí (3.5/5, $363): Skip; the premium is the ceramic
  8. Grand Artesanal Jean-Marc Espadin (3.3/5, $40–90): Ordinary. Plenty of better espadín in this price range
  9. Gracias A Dios Tobala (3.3/5, $80): No need. Banhez Tobalá beats it at price
  10. Gracias a Dios Tobala (3.3/5, $80): Easily skipped. Banhez Tobalá outflanks it
  11. Grand Artesanal Jean-Marc Tobala (3.2/5, $40–90): Shop elsewhere. Banhez Tobalá wins
  12. Gracias a Dios Tepextate (3.1/5, $90): Save the money. Real Minero/Cuentacuentos win this agave

See the best mezcal at every price →

Scores come from the same five-agave rubric as every review; prices are current averages across the US retailers we track. The full method lives in The State of Mezcal.