The best mezcal conversation in Chicago usually starts somewhere around $80 and ends somewhere around $200. And while we love those bottles — and we carry plenty of them — the truth is some of the most interesting mezcal we stock sits right around the $40–55 mark.
These aren't consolation prizes. They're bottles from producers who have been making mezcal the same way for generations, using agave grown wild at altitude, distilled in clay pots or copper alembics, by families who never planned on selling outside their village. They just happen to be priced accessibly.
Here are the ones we keep coming back to.
Our Picks
Melate is one of the most important mezcal projects in Mexico right now — single producer, single batch, named for the person who made it. Eutiquio's Zapote is earthy and mineral, with a long finish that's almost savory. If you've never had mezcal that tastes like a place, start here.
Check availability →A clean, accessible entry point that doesn't sacrifice character. Smoke that's present but not aggressive, with green fruit and a touch of roasted agave sweetness. The bottle we hand to people who say "I don't like mezcal" — and watch their face change.
Check availability →Honest, well-made, and consistent. Not trying to be the most complex mezcal in the room — just trying to be the one you reach for on a Tuesday. And it succeeds at that completely.
Check availability →How to Shop Mezcal Under $60
The thing to look for at this price point is transparency. Who made it? What agave? What village? If the label can't answer those questions, it's probably not worth your money regardless of price.
All three bottles above have that information front and center. That's not an accident — producers who are proud of what they make tell you exactly who made it.
Stop in any time — we're at 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, open noon to 7pm Sunday through Thursday and noon to 9pm Friday and Saturday. We taste everything before it hits the shelf, and we're happy to talk through any of these with you in person.