Cava De Oro Mezcal Artesanal Joven

Cava De Oro Mezcal Artesanal Joven 750mL is the Oaxacan side project of a Jalisco tequila house — 100% Espadín, unaged, bottled at 84 proof. It is aimed squarely at the tequila drinker curious about mezcal but not ready for the ashtray-forward end of the category.

Process & Profile

Cava de Oro is the Partida family label out of El Arenal, Jalisco, run by Maestro Tequilero Gildardo Partida Meléndrez at Tequilera Puerta de Hierro, with Alberto Partida as master blender and a distilling lineage the family traces back six generations. Their mezcal moves the operation roughly 700 miles southeast to Oaxaca, where mature Agave angustifolia (Espadín) is cooked, milled by tahona stone, fermented, and distilled in copper. Bottled at 42% ABV / 84 proof as a joven — no barrel time, nothing between the agave and the glass.

On the nose, roasted agave arrives first, then bright citrus peel, fresh green herbs, wet mineral, and white pepper, with smoke sitting behind rather than in front.

On the palate, cooked agave sweetness carries lime zest, a soft stone-fruit note, black pepper, and a vegetal, grassy core — medium-bodied, with the smoke reading as ember rather than campfire.

The finish is clean and lingering, leaving sweet agave and a chalky mineral edge with a last flick of pepper and herb. Not hot for the proof.

Most mezcal on the shelf comes from dedicated Oaxacan palenques with no tequila connection at all. What sets this bottle apart is the reverse: a Jalisco tequila family known for long-aged extra añejos applying that palate to an unaged agave spirit, which shows up as restraint — the smoke is deliberately dialed back so the cooked-agave sweetness leads. At 84 proof rather than the traditional 45–48% ABV, it is also built to be poured, not just sipped ceremonially.

Serve neat at room temperature in a copita or veladora, sipped rather than shot. It also holds up in a mezcal negroni or a grapefruit-and-lime paloma, where the herbal edge cuts through citrus without disappearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this mezcal?
An unaged artisanal mezcal made in Oaxaca from 100% Espadín agave by the Partida family behind the Cava de Oro tequila label.

What are the specs?
Joven (unaged), 100% Espadín, 42% ABV / 84 proof, tahona-milled and copper-distilled, 750mL. The producer does not publish the specific palenque or agave age at harvest.

What does it taste like?
Roasted agave, citrus peel, herbs, and white pepper on the nose; cooked agave, lime zest, and black pepper on the palate; a clean, mineral finish with restrained smoke throughout.

How should you enjoy it?
Neat in a copita, at room temperature, in small pours.

Why is this release notable?
It is a Jalisco tequila family's Oaxacan Espadín, made in a deliberately low-smoke style that reads as a bridge from tequila into mezcal.