Hacienda de Bañuelos Masparillo

Verdict

Jaime Bañuelos has been pushing Zacatecan mezcal into US markets longer than most, and this masparillo is the most place-specific bottle in his lineup. It's not a polished sipper; it's a working-landscape mezcal with a clear regional accent, and that's the point. Sits alongside Derrumbes's Zacatecas entries as a useful argument that mezcal isn't only Oaxaca.

Tasting notes

Nose: Dry brush, then hay, a touch of baked earth, faint smoke

Palate: 45% – Jaime Bañuelos's masparillo tastes like the semi-arid Zacatecas it comes from: dry, herbal, a little dusty, with an agave sweetness that stays restrained

Finish: Dry, warming – medium

The bottom line

Earns the slot if you want Zacatecas in the glass, not Oaxaca

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 3 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

• Old Town Tequila – $90
• Binny's – $89.99
• Saratoga Wine