10 Most Expensive Mezcals for Sale 2023 (with Prices)

Mid-range mezcal seems to cost more than tequila, but top end mezcal still has nothing on the most expensive tequila. All ten mezcals in this 2023 price comparison were under $1,000. I’m not counting the most expensive mezcal ever sold ($74,000) because that was just a one-off marketing trick.

The ten expensive mezcals below come from our 2023 price comparison.

Ten expensive mezcals in the 2023 price comparison

Olvido Divino 30 led the 2023 comparison at an average price of $828. It is a bit of an anomaly in that it is a 30 year añejo. Apparently the batch was set to age in 1984 and “forgotten” until 30 years later. While oak aged tequilas are very common, it is less common for mezcal.

2023 price sources: Wine Searcher, Old Town Tequila and Astor Wines & Spirits. The dollar currency, market and bottle sizes were not specified in the comparison.

Rare agaves and small batches dominate the list

• In the 2023 comparison, these mezcals were far cheaper than the most expensive tequilas. The combined 2023 prices of all ten mezcals were less than the price of each of the top eight most expensive tequilas.
• Despite Oaxaca producing over 85% of all mezcal, the state only counts for three of the top ten most expensive mezcals.
• Likewise, the most common agave for mezcal is espadin (88% of all production), but it only accounts for one of the top ten most expensive.
• Just two of the mezcals on the list are aged in oak, albeit one for a stupendous 30 years. 
• Clase Azul has two of the top four mezcals in this 2023 list. In the same price comparison, it also makes the most expensive tequila and five of the top ten most expensive tequilas.
• All of the mezcals are from very limited batches except for the Clase Azul varieties. The smallest batch, a pechuga from the brand Wahaka, has just 46 bottles.

1. Olvido Divino 30 Unique Edition

Olvido Divino 30 is truly a special one. It was distilled way back in 1984 and 3,000 liters of it was left in 17 European oak barrels. Left somewhere safe in the warehouse the batch was forgotten for 30 years. Olvido means forgotten in English. Apparently just five of the barrels were still in good shape.

Unlike tequila, mezcal is rarely left to age, so to find one that’s 30 years old is truly unique.

2. Mezcales Únicos Montana, Mezcal de Leyendas

Mezcal de Leyendas’ Montana release belongs to a line that introduces agaves previously unused for mezcal distillation. Agave has more than 200 species.

This rare variety is called Montana and is from a hidden valley in the sierra of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Montana is noted for its change of color from green to red and yellow as it matures.

3. Guerrero Mezcal, Clase Azul

This distinctive tall jade colored bottle is made of ceramic with a painted bottle cap featuring a hummingbird. Clase Azul have definitely built a strong brand in tequila, which has now broadened to mezcal. I consider their true expertise to be marketing, rather than crafting fine agave spirits. 

This Guerrero edition comes from the Mexican state of Guerrero where agave cupreata is the most common agave species. It grows in the wild abundantly. Cupreata is not my favorite agave, it’s just less interesting than many others.

While I’m sure this one is decent, unless you are a Clase Azul bottle collector, I can find far better uses for my money.

4. Durango Mezcal, Clase Azul

This was Clase Azul’s first Mezcal release, made from cenizo agave from the state of Durango. It comes in a distinctive all black bottle with a plastic bead covered bottle cap. Slightly less smoky than some other mezcals. At 40% ABV it is lower than most artisanal mezcals so tastes a little muted.

Apart from the bottle, there’s nothing special about what’s inside and you can find far more expressive mezcals from the same region for far less money. Try Bozal Cenizo or Derrumbes Durango; the 2023 price examples were around $60 and $80 respectively.

Cenizo (Agave durangensis) accounted for 2.00% of certified mezcal production in Mexico in 2025, second only to Espadín among the individually listed agave types. Mixed-agave blends were counted separately, and the production shares are expressed at 45% ABV. Source: COMERCAM’s 2026 report, page 7.

5. VdM Durango Cenizo, Wahaka

VdM stands for Vino de Mezcal, which was what mezcal was called way back in the day. Although not a certified mezcal, it’s the same stuff inside. Most artisanal mezcal is made from agave crushed by a stone (tahona) pulled by a horse or donkey. This expression is all crushed by human hand. 

6. VdM Puebla Pechuga, Wahaka

Wahaka made just 46 bottles of this Puebla mezcal, using the pechuga style.

Pechuga means “breast” in English and refers to the traditional use of chicken or turkey breast in the final distillation of ceremonial mezcal. Other elements are also added like fruits and herbs to give subtle flavor to special batches of mezcal which were traditionally prepared before events like weddings and other celebrations.

In this case chicken breast and the traditional Mexican dish mole are used in the distillation.

7. Reposado, La Leyenda

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La Leyenda is an innovative company that launched a web 3 project with NFTs and mezcal. NFT stands for “non fungible token”. I’m no expert but it has something to do with blockchain, and sometimes pictures of apes. Buyers of this mezcal are also issued an NFT which gives them a membership and entitles them to attend various VIP events and access other benefits.

As far as the actual mezcal goes, this is more like a tequila in that it is made from the same agave (blue agave, or agave tequilana) and made in the same style (steamed rather than smoked like most mezcals). In fact the only thing making this mezcal and not tequila is that the state it is from, Zacatecas, is not a recognized tequila state. It is right on the border with main tequila producer Jalisco. If you are not a fan of smoky mezcals, maybe this one is for you.

8. Tobala, Dos Hombres

This is the second release from Dos Hombres, famous for being the brand of Breaking Bad actors Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. There are yet to be a proliferation of celebrity mezcals like there are celebrity tequilas but these two have made their mark.

Tobala is one of my favorite agaves for mezcal. One of the smaller agaves at just 60 cm / 2 feet, it grows on mountainsides and is mostly wild. Even with its small stature it takes 12-15 years to mature. All of that age brings a concentrated flavor and aroma which is just delicious. 

Packaged in a ceramic bottle, this limited release of mezcal made from tobala is overpriced for what it is. At the 2023 prices, you could get mezcal of a similar quality for closer to $100-$120. However if you are a fan of the Breaking Bad duo then go ahead. This edition is only 400 bottles. In 2023 the regular espadin was widely available, even at Costco.

9. Reservas de la Biosfera Cuicatlán Tehuacán, Mezcal de Leyendas

Another special creation by Mezcal de Leyendas, this edition is made from agave taken from the famous cactus reserve that borders Puebla and Oaxaca. The agave were harvested with the permission of the custodians.

Tepeztate is another of my favorite mezcal varieties. Usually with very long length, just one sip can keep me smiling for some time. It’s probably the type of mezcal I’d choose if I could have just one.

10. Cuishito “The Claw Edition”, Pescador de Sueños

Just 100 bottles of this edition were made and packaged in the distinctive ceramic “claw” shaped bottle. Cuixito is a rare agave that has not been classified. Although it sounds like cuishe (agave karwinskii) it is not from the same species.

Cuixito was aged in glass for one year, a process known as “maduro en vidrio” (matured in glass). It sounds like it makes no sense – what flavors can glass provide anyway? But having tried a number of mezcals from the same producer that were bottled straight away vs ones that were rested in glass I can vouch that the aging adds a greater harmony of flavors and a thicker mouthfeel.

Small batches, varied agaves and prices below tequila’s top end

While still quite pricey, the mezcals in the 2023 comparison had nothing on the most expensive tequilas. What distinguishes high priced mezcals (apart from releases by Clase Azul) is the very limited production runs and less focus on the bottle itself. There’s a wide variety of agave types and locations of production.