The World’s 29 Best Mezcals—According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition’s 2024 mezcal results, along with the results for many other spirits categories, were recently announced. Only 29 mezcals were awarded the competition’s prestigious double gold medal. This is one of the spirits industry’s most sought-after accolades. As Bottle Raiders notes, “when it comes to awards competitions in the liquor industry, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the peak. Receiving a high-tier medal at SFWSC is something brands across the world strive for and proudly advertise.”

This year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition received more than 5,000 entries across various categories, a marked increase over previous years, the organizers said. These entries are judged by expert panels who blind taste-test each spirit. Spirits can be awarded bronze, silver, or gold medals. Judges award gold medals to “exceptional spirits that are near the pinnacle of achievement; these products set the standard for their categories.” To receive a double gold medal every member of the judging panel must award the spirit a gold medal rating.

The best mezcals were selected out of nearly 100 mezcals submitted to this year’s competition.

The number of entrants isn’t surprising, as mezcal is increasingly popular as a spirit. Together tequila and mezcal have surpassed whiskey as the second best-selling spirit in the U.S. trailing only vodka. Taken by itself, mezcal is also surging in popularity. Between 2017 and 2022 the number of mezcal brands being imported to the U.S. grew by 97%. That growth was driven in part by the popularity of mezcal cocktails such as the Oaxcan Old Fashioned and Naked and Famous, as well as mezcal margaritas. But it was also driven by consumer’s increasing thirst for agave spirits thanks to tequila’s recent surge in popularity. Though technically a subgenre of mezcal, tequila was judged as a separate category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which is common at competitions.

While mezcal is generally noted for its smoky flavor among drinkers in the U.S., these award-winning agave spirits have various degrees of smoke. Desolas Mezcal, one of this year’s double gold medal winners, is a low-smoke mezcal with complex floral and vegetal flavors. Another gold medal winner, Mezcal Amarás, Ensamble Espadín-Tobal, has that smokey characteristic many people associate with mezcal but also has many vegetal-forward notes.

Here are this year’s double gold medal winners in alphebtical order.

Akul Mezcal, Akul Madrecuishe,Tobala & Arroqueno Blend Mezcal

Akul Espadin Mezcal, Oaxaca

Casa Maestri Mezcal Espadin, Jalisco

Cutwater Mezcal Joven, Durango

Del Maguey Chichicapa Single Village Mezcal, San Balthazar Chichicapam, Oaxaca

Del Maguey Vida Puebla Mezcal, Axocopan, Puebla

Desolas Mezcal Blanco, San Luis Potosi

Fidencio Mezcal Clásico, Santiago Matatlan/Oaxaca

Huichichiqui Americana Mezcal, Puebla

Luhulaa Mezcal, Tobasiche Ancestral, Santa Catarina Minas

Mala Mía Mezcal, Tepeztate, Oaxaca

Maria Bonita Mezcal, Guanajuato

Mezcal Amarás, Ensamble Espadín-Tobalá, Tlacolula/Oaxaca

Mezcal Amarás Logia Lumbre, San Pedro Totomachapan/Oaxaca

Mezcal Dos Eras, Espadin Joven, Oaxaca

Mezcal Dulce Infierno Cenizo Joven, Durango

Mezcal Toro Muerto, Guerrero

Mezcal Vago, Elote, Oaxaca

Mezcal Vago, Espadin Emigdio Jarquin, Oaxaca

Mezcal Vago, Espadin Joel Barriga, Oaxaca

Mezcal Vago, Ensamble en Barro, Oaxaca

Mil Lumbres, Mezcal Lamparillo, Durango

Mocel Mezcal Artesanal Ensamble (Cupreata, Inaequidens, and Espadincillo), Michoacan Perro Verde Mezcal. Tobasiche, Oaxaca

Perro Verde Mezcal, Ensamble, Oaxaca

San Bartolo Mezcal Artesanal, Tobala, Oaxaca

Se Busca, Madrecuishe Joven Mezcal, Oaxaca

Yola Mezcal, Yola 1971, Oaxaca

Zomoz, Mezcal