Reviews / Sombra Joven
Review · · by The Editors
Sombra Joven
A sustainability story told through a forgettable espadín
Score: 2.5/5 agaves
- Producer: Sombra Mezcal
- Maestro: Isaias Martinez Juan
- Region: San Juan del Rio, San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca
- Agave: Espadin
- ABV: 45%
- Price: $39 ($)
Verdict
Richard Betts built Sombra on a sustainability narrative – single palenque, responsible sourcing – and the story is real. The liquid, though, is competent-commercial rather than distinct. At 45% there's enough structure to avoid the 400 Conejos floor, but not enough to distinguish this from any other Matatlán-adjacent joven. The brand's Ensamble is where the real work lives.
Sombra sells a story that the joven can't quite tell
Tasting notes
Nose: Light smoke, then cooked agave, green apple, vanilla
Palate: 45% is honest but the profile isn't – sweet, smooth, engineered to the price point, with Isaias Martinez Juan's work filed down by the brand's commercial goals
Finish: Clean, faintly sweet. Stays short
The bottom line
A skip. Climb to the Sombra Ensamble instead
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 3 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.
- Total Wine – $47.99
- Keg N Bottle – $44.99
- Saratoga Wine