Rosaluna : Mezcal Joven

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Rosaluna Mezcal Joven

Tasting Notes

Appearance
Crystalline, limpid and highly brilliant, this mezcal shows subtle silvery or pale grey highlights. Its texture has a light viscosity, forming fine tears in the glass.

Nose
Bright and approachable, the bouquet opens with a beautiful harmony of citrus (mandarin, grapefruit, lime) and tropical fruits, with pineapple and pear taking centre stage. Indulgent notes of cooked agave and caramel follow, enhanced by herbaceous touches of mint and gentle spices such as ginger and cinnamon. The smoke, very discreet, whispers in the background without ever taking over.

Palate
The attack is fresh, vibrant and tangy, driven by citrus and a spicy liveliness. The body, rather light, unveils a comforting sweetness of ripe pineapple and caramel that balances the whole. The finish is silky, giving way to a lingering spicy warmth and a veil of exceptionally subtle smoke.

Pairings and Tasting Occasions
Easy to enjoy neat or on the rocks, this mezcal is ideally sipped in the late afternoon or at festive evenings. Its aromatic profile pairs wonderfully with rich, spicy dishes, holiday meals (such as mashed potatoes or Thanksgiving dishes), as well as with desserts featuring caramelised exotic fruits, citrus or dark chocolate. It also works very well with flavours of coffee, honey and cinnamon.

Mixology
Designed for contemporary mixology, this mezcal shines in a multitude of creations. It elevates revisited classics such as the "Mezcalita" (with orange juice, lime and a Tajín-rimmed glass), the "New Fashioned" or the "Pink Moon Paloma". Its versatility also allows it to excel in warming, comforting winter cocktails, such as the "All Buttered Up", combining butter, brown sugar and spices.

A Mexican mezcal from Santiago Matatlán, combining fruity sweetness and subtle smoke

Rosaluna: where Oaxacan tradition meets entrepreneurship
Founded in 2018, the brand Rosaluna is the result of a partnership between four American entrepreneurs and the Méndez family, producers of Mexican mezcal for six generations (since 1750) in Santiago Matatlán, in the state of Oaxaca. Today, day-to-day management is overseen by Steve McGarry, the current CEO, while Sacha Lichine joined the board of directors in 2025 following a fundraising round. Distillation remains in the expert hands of the brother-sister duo JJ and Frida Méndez León Jiménez. Rosaluna stands out with a fully integrated "single estate" model and strong environmental commitments. In 2025, it became the first brand to receive COMERCAM's Distintivo Verde, recognising its regenerative farming practices and carbon neutrality. Its visual identity pays vibrant tribute to local folk art, the moon and pollinating bats.

The making of Rosaluna Mezcal Joven: a model of excellence
Rosaluna Mezcal Joven is made exclusively from Espadín agaves, cultivated using domesticated and organic methods on the estate's land. Harvested at full maturity after eight years of growth, these "capón" agaves (whose flower stalk has been cut to concentrate the sugars) are at the heart of this Mezcal's recipe.

True to artisanal methods, the process begins with the roasting of the agave hearts (piñas) in traditional pits dug into the ground, heated with oak wood for nearly five days. Once cooked, the agaves are crushed using a mechanical tahona. The resulting juice and fibres are then placed in pine wood vats for a natural fermentation with indigenous yeasts, which can last up to eight days.

Finally, the spirit undergoes double distillation in copper stills. The meticulous cuts made at this stage isolate the finest aromas and deliberately limit the intensity of the smoke. This Joven-style spirit undergoes no cask ageing, thus preserving the purest expression of agave, water and time. Its label, coloured with the red of local clays, illustrates nocturnal pollination by bats, underscoring the brand's commitment to biodiversity.