Del Maguey Vida Clásico Mezcal
VIDA Clásico revolutionized the mezcal cocktail scene in 2010 as the first artisanal mezcal crafted specifically for mixing. It quickly became the bartender's gold standard found in premier mixology venues worldwide, and has forged a path ahead of the competition for close to two decades. Its introduction spurred global mezcal demand with many modern classic cocktails now specifically calling for VIDA. With ideal Agave espadin growing conditions o its hillsides, Vida is produced beside the Red Ant River in San Luis del Río by Paciano Cruz Nolasco, his immediate and extended family, primarily with his son Marcos Cruz Mendez and daughters Eufemia and Marilu Cruz Mendez.
Flavor Profile
Tasting
Mango, tangerine, roasted agave, ginger, cinnamon, burnt sandalwood
Mango and tangerine and roasted agave with a touch of ginger
Smooth and round with warming spice and cinnamon and tropical fruit
Burnt sandalwood with a long clean finish
Origin
Red Ant River Valley, Central Valleys
San Luis Del Rio
5400 ft
Rocky Clay
Espadín (Agave angustifolia Haw.)
5 to 7 years
The Process
Paciano Cruz Nolasco, Marcos Cruz Méndez, Marilu Cruz Mendez, Ema Cruz Mendez
Hand-cut at 5400 ft in rocky clay soil after 5 to 7 years, beside the Red Ant River
Earthen pits lined with volcanic rock
Electric milling · open wooden vats · wild fermentation
What defines this mezcal
BUILT FOR THE BAR, BORN FROM THE HILL
Mezcal Vida from San Luis del Río is built with bartenders and mixing in mind, yet unmistakably rooted in place. Bursting with fruity aromatics: honey, vanilla and roasted agave, it opens wide in the glass. On the palate: ginger, cinnamon, burnt sandalwood; a touch of banana-leaf sweetness lingers at the finish.
A Tapestry of Agaves
San Luis del Río lies within the municipality of Tlacolula de Matamoros, in Oaxaca’s Central Valleys. Its steep mountains are planted so densely with espadín that the slopes look like a living tapestry of agaves. The mineral-rich rock is almost fluorescent red and green, which gives the soil its strength and mezcal its earthy flavour. At the valley floor, the Río Hormiga Colorada still flows, though now reduced to a narrow stream. The air there grows humid and sweet; papaya and mango trees line the houses, their fruit perfuming the streets.
THE STORYTELLERS OF SAN LUIS
The Cruz family are fantastic storytellers. Around the table, mezcal is poured from garrafones into endless caballitos as they tell poignant stories of crossing the border on foot and returning home to keep doing the work they learned as children, coming back from school to the palenque. Each story carries the same spirit as Mezcal Vida itself: determined, charismatic, and unforgettable.
Awards & recognition
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2026
San Francisco World Spirits Competition Silver
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