Ilegal Mezcal Reposado 375 ml

Ilegal Mezcal Reposado starts life as the brand's espadín joven, made in small palenques in Oaxaca using the traditional roasted-in-earthen-pit method, then rests around four months in American oak barrels before bottling. That short oak time is enough to round off the joven's rawer smoke and add a layer of vanilla and light caramel without burying the agave underneath, which is the balance reposado mezcal is supposed to hit. Ilegal started as a brand literally smuggled across the border in suitcases before going legitimate, and the reposado remains one of the more approachable entry points into aged mezcal for drinkers used to whiskey or aged tequila.

How to drink Ilegal Mezcal Reposado

Sip it neat in a small glass to let the oak and smoke unfold, or swap it into an Old Fashioned in place of whiskey — the barrel time gives it enough structure to carry the drink. A single large ice cube works if you want it slightly softened.

Mezcal80 proof · American oak · Oaxaca, Mexico