Xiaman 66.

Xiaman is an artisanal mezcal produced in Oaxaca, Mexico, blending Tepextate and Espadín agave in equal measure. It's made using traditional palenque methods — agave cooked in earthen pits, crushed with a mule-driven stone tahona, fermented in open wooden vats, and distilled in copper pots. Expect an earthy, herbal nose from the wild Tepextate alongside warm, roasted agave sweetness, with a layered palate of baked apple and peppery heat leading into a long, smoky finish. The brand is also known for its hand-painted, jaguar-stoppered bottles. This is a bottle for a mezcal drinker who wants something wilder and more herbal than a straightforward Espadín.

How to drink Xiaman Mezcal

Sip it neat in a small copita to let the Tepextate's herbal wildness come through — this isn't a mezcal to drown in a mixer. If you want it in a cocktail, its smoky backbone holds up well in a Mezcal Negroni or a simple Mezcal Paloma.

OtherOaxaca, Mexico