Del Maguey Tequila
Single village mezcal from Oaxaca, poured in Commack since the 90s.
The story behind Del Maguey
Del Maguey begins in 1995, when American visual artist Ron Cooper started bottling mezcal with families in the remote villages of Oaxaca and Puebla. Each expression comes from one village, one palenquero, one set of hands, and is never blended across villages. Agave hearts roast for days in conical earthen pits lined with volcanic stone, get crushed under a horse drawn tahona or by machine, ferment on wild airborne yeast in wooden vats, then run twice through small wood fired copper or clay stills.
Most of the portfolio is joven, clear and bottled at the strength it came off the still, no water added. Pernod Ricard took a majority stake in 2017 and kept the founding family relationships intact. We have carried Del Maguey for years because the smoke is real and the village shows in the glass.
Explore the Del Maguey range
Four expressions we stock, from the mixing bottle to the single village sipper. Proofs vary by batch, so read the label on the bottle you take home.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vida (Clásico) | Espadín, San Luis del Río | 84 | Bright smoke, green agave, citrus peel, black pepper finish |
| Vida de Muertos | Espadín, San Luis del Río | 90 | Higher proof, roasted fruit, cocoa, long warm smoke |
| Chichicapa | Espadín, San Balthazar Chichicapam | 96 | Dense pit smoke, mineral, dried chile, tropical edge |
| Crema de Mezcal | Espadín, San Luis del Río | General | Sweetened mezcal cream, agave syrup, soft smoke, dessert pour |
Which Del Maguey is right for you?
Del Maguey pricing here runs from the working bottle to the special occasion pour. Crema de Mezcal and Vida both sit at $35.99, which makes the crema an easy dessert bottle and Vida the one you keep for margaritas. Vida de Muertos is $55.99, higher proof and worth the step up for sipping. Chichicapa at $69.99 is the single village bottle to open when someone asks what the fuss is about. Stock moves, so call the store at (631) 343-7200 before you drive over for a specific expression.
84 proof, bright smoke, priced to pour into margaritas and palomas all night.
90 proof and richer, small pour in a copita after dinner.
96 proof single village bottling, the one to open for guests who ask questions.