Look at the shelves of your local bottleshop or Mexican restaurant and you will see a number of tequilas with celebrity endorsements: Casamigos is a tequila label that was created by Dwayne Johnson (aka “The Rock”), while 818 gets its name from Kendall Jenner’s area code. These big names have been flooding the market in the last decade, proving that tequila is one of the most successful liquors. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, more than 32 million cases of the agave spirit were sold in the U.S. by 2024. Sales totaled $6.7 billion. While year-over-year growth was only 2 percent, the figure was among the bright spots in the categories tracked by the organization: scotch sales were down about 15 percent last year, and gin was down more than 7 percent.
Dalí Nelio/Cardenxe
While the popularity of tequila, mezcal, and other Mexican spirits continues to increase, some enthusiasts have begun looking for more unique products, such as heirloom gin or corn whiskey. They are also interested in less-known agave products, like agave liqueurs. raicilla The following are some examples of how to get started: Bacanora. Distillers respond with a new, modern generation of spirits. They still have a strong place-based sense but are refreshingly contemporary.
“It’s an exciting time,” says Justin Lane Briggs, the Mexico portfolio manager for Skurnik Wines & Spirits, an importer. “The interest in Mexican traditional spirits is growing, and the producers in Mexico have created new categories.”
Dalí Nelio/Cardenxe
Hillhamn Salome is a representative of this new generation. Flor de Luna Distillery founder, 29, has combined ancient traditions with modern technology. curanderas, Condesa Gin was created in 2016 by combining the knowledge of healers and modern gin making techniques. Salome: “It was the agave-spirits sector that gave us this opportunity,” she says.
Some visionaries work to embrace modernity while honoring tradition. Celebrated Mexican chef Enrique Olvera, the creative force behind the Mexico City restaurant Pujol and New York’s Cosme, has made a career out of introducing global audiences to the richness of his country’s cuisine. In 2024, he helped launch Manojo Mezcal, and sees parallels between the upstart spirit brand and Mexico’s broader culinary evolution.
“What’s beautiful about this mezcal is that it’s an expression of the place—and in our restaurants, we’re trying to do exactly the same thing,” he says. “There are so many different kinds of agaves, so many distillation and fermentation practices, so many different ways of aging—it’s full of possibilities.”
There is no shortage in innovation. However, traditional spirits that are less well-known also find new audiences. Consider Pox (pronounced PoshThe Maya continue to use this beverage as a ceremonial drink. In 2017, Siglo cero, a new brand became the first commercial Pox Briggs says that his firm will help bring the bottles across the border. “I’ve never seen Pox “Until recently, the indigenous community of Chiapas was not widely spread outside.”
Donald Trump, president of the United States, has proposed tariffs on Mexican products of 25 percent. This could disrupt recent innovation by distillers throughout Mexico. As of the date of this article, imported spirits were exempted from these duties. That’s something artisans—along with the rest of us—can raise a glass to.
Buy the Bottles
The selection of Mexican spirits on sale in the U.S. is unprecedented. Here are the best ones.
Mezcal
The most popular state in Mexico to produce this beverage is Oaxaca. However, it is also made in other states. The Espadín bottling from ManojoWith its grassy and less-smoky taste,
It is easy to get started.
Sotol
North Mexico produces sotol from Dasylirion desert plants. Cardenxe makes three expressions, each with “a flavor that sits somewhere between mezcal and gin,” says cofounder Luigi Ambrosi.
Raicilla
An agave spirit from coastal Jalisco, raicilla is often called a cousin of tequila. Mezonte Japo It has a rich aroma that is almost like cheese, which comes from the lactic fermentation. This helps it to pair well with food.
Bacanora
Another agave option, bacanora is the state of Sonora’s answer to mezcal. Rancho Tepúa is a family-owned label that balances bright vegetal flavors with subtle smoke.
Pox
It’s hard to find this corn-based spirit, which is traditionally made in Chiapas. This is starting to change, thanks to Siglo CeroThe first commercial brand in the U.S., with savory notes of ancho chile, coconut, and a hint of smoky paprika.
Gin
Incorporating Mexican botanicals such as cactus fruit and orange blossom, Condesa Salome is a bright, citrusy gin made at the women-owned Flor de Luna Distillery in Mexico City.
Whiskey
Prieto y Prieta The Oaxacan product is not made of agave, but rather from four types of corn that are fermented and then twice distilled in pots made of copper. Aged in three types of barrels—oak, bourbon, and sherry—it is rich and earthy.
Charanda
Mexico’s version of rum, made from both molasses and raw sugarcane juice, is a specialty of the state of Michoacán. Uruapan is a family-owned brand that uses heritage sugarcane varieties to deliver a smooth flavor.
This story was first published in September 2025 issue Travel + Leisure Move Over, Margaritas!
