Ilegal Joven

The thing that stood out the most for me (outside of the pretentious price) is that it tasted like burnt rubber tire.
There are much better mexcals out there than this.

Mezcal doesn’t give me headaches, but this mezcal did. Couldn’t even drink it in cocktails.

This was recommended to me as a good introduction to mezcal. If it had been the first mezcal I tasted, it might have also been the last. I’m a peaty scotch drinker, so I’m not afraid of smoke or intense flavors, but the bottle I tried was rough in a not good way, without being especially interesting.

Listen… I happen to like Ilegal despite the hate it gets. It’s a cheaper mezcal that a lot of bars have so it’s a good standard to sip on when in doubt. Smooth up front, then sweet smokiness that tapers off into a sweet smooth finish towards the end. Nothing exceptional, but it will absolutely wet the whistle and satisfy a hankering for mezcal when in doubt and your favorite bar probably stocks it on their back bar. Hard to argue with that.

This is a very nice mezcal, it really depends on the batch, with the higher batches, they have got better and it’s worth a second look. The nose is smoke forward with a hint of citrus, the first taste is smoke with a balance of oil and citrus. Finishes spices and the smoke dissipates quickly, works nicely as a sipper or a mixer.

It has a roasted agave on the nose with a little sweetness in it. You kind of get the caramel, tobacco and pepper flavors. Not too smokey, pretty smooth and light. I would recommend it for mixing in a cocktail but not for sipping. Still, I think it is overpriced for what they offer.

Nothing I would buy again. Nose is very perfumed..

I set up an account just so I could comment on this.
This smells and tastes like the exhaust from my 1979 Ford pickup. Gag.

(Lot 171)

Tried this in oaxaca at their bar ‘Ilegal bar’. They didn’t serve anything else but ilegal and beer. The mezcal is trash and expensive, even in Oaxaca. Very generic mezcal. I notice they do a lot of programs for social issues. Maybe they should just be a non profit rather than white labeling mezcal.

Smoky, dirty. More related to tequila than I would like. Good for mixing.

Good intro mezcal. Not overly complex, not overly smokey. Ok sipper and good for mixed drinks. Light and smooth at 40%.

It’s a fine sipper for price lately about $30, first bottle I picked up was $60, but at 30 I’ll have another. Decent balance, subtle citrus, little smoke, smoke finish lingers pretty well. A bit bland like most low proofs.

Great bottle to start if your new to Mezcals, good smoke and palatable.

Smoky flavor, enjoyable smell, it has a bit of a kick when it goes down and the burn lingers for a few minutes. Not my top choice, however I would not turn it down if offered. Way overpriced. Lot 127( 7352/14400)

Very good smokey aroma. The taste was rough and it burns. I expected something more smooth. I would not recommend for sipping. (Lot 127, bottle 7352/14400)

Lot: 100 (3191/5040)
Nose: Vanilla, citrus and smoke – all light but balanced.

Palate: Toffee sweet and white pepper heat. The lower ABV gives it a diluted feel across the board – feels like it would be better if the volume was turned up.

Ilegal Joven is my go to for cocktails and I am happy to sip it too! It is bright, fresh and citrusy. Is it super complex? No. But nothing in this $40 price range is. So you have to know what you are getting. In this case a solid espadin that is flexible enough to work well in cocktails or be sipped as well.

Whispy and light – easy to mix into cocktails and won’t overpower any of your senses. Nevertheless a cool brand with great marketing and works great as a well mezcal.

I enjoyed this with agave syrup, but not a neat sipper. The alcohol taste over rides the delight of a smokie return. I do recommend this for a mixer. The taste does come through in a cocktail and makes you wonder if the smoke is an illusion or a campfire outside your door.

living in OH, my mezcal choices are very few (yeah, it blows), so I grabbed a bottle and still have some lingering in my cabinet. it’s ok for the mid-western price point but it is nothing you would ever bring back from MX. will not buy again

This is a great espadin!! A mouthful of agave and just a hint of smoke. Just how I love my Mezcal. Great for crushable cocktails as well.

Yes, this was my first mezcal. …And I do not regret it. Smoke without ego. Easy alone, but still plays well with other flavors.

Not worth buying if you are into Mezcal. Maybe okay as your first Mezcal.

Cool bottle with waxed cork. Light smoke and wood on the aroma, good taste, finish is long, smooth and a little sweet.

An excellent cocktail mezcal, but with the prices in the UK that’s going to be a very expensive cocktail. As a sipper it falls flat – probably the low abv.

It was underwhelming at best. Was referred by a friend, but I wasn’t pleased and just gave it away after trying it. It goes down alright with some lime, but no real flavor, a whole lot of burn and is even lame in cocktails. Wouldn’t recommend.

Meh. Bit of pepper and floral notes. A bit plain, nothing stands out too much

Mild and easy to drink. First impression on the tongue was sweet followed by gentle smoke. There is some subtle fruit but for me the lasting impression is sweet and light smoke.

Good Espadin. The maguey wasn’t listed on the label but I knew it was Espadin just by sniffing from the bottle after opening. There are bottles of Espadin that come before this one regarding price, value, taste. The labeling is a little generic and has clever Spanish that seems to give a little wiggle room as to production.
Bottle 4692/5040
Lot 87

Not my favorite well mezcal. A little overpriced and pretty generic tasting. I definitely prefer mezcal out of Ejutla vs Matatlan.

I’ve had this a few times now. It’ll pass as a base spirit for cocktails but I wouldn’t use the joven for sipping at all, especially if you are really into well crafted mezcals

Tried this once at a friends. The taste profile is really generic and kind of on the cheap side when it came to their production( from the taste). Typical smoky well mezcal. Wouldn’t buy or use this as a sipper. Can be good for cocktails. Not very well balanced as they claim to be. Their reposado is pretty good though.

Lot 06. Very soft and neutral, not much smoke. The typical agave sweetness is dominating; there isn’t much else. In fact, the lack of complexity makes the aftertaste rather too sweet for me. A good mixer but not much of a sipper. And for a low-proof unremarkable espadín, it isn’t that cheap.

Faintly smoky and mild on the palette. It is a decent option at a reasonable entry point for mixing. People who like repesado tequilas may find this a comfortable transition to mezcal as it is so mild. I find myself wanting more flavor.

My favorite part of tasting any mezcal is first smelling it and I get little to nothing on the nose here. I would have liked to have gotten an over cooked agave bouquet. Although, the flavor holds up in cocktails if you are looking for a muted amount of smoke. This to me is a good product in the “entry level” category.

It’s true what they say, don’t judge a book by the cover. Nothing special about this product. The packaging is nice, the price is high, and I’m sure people new to the mezcal world will be tricked into thinking this is a high-end mezcal. It’s my least favorite to date, but I wouldn’t turn it down if offered; it’s still mezcal!

Clean, lightly Smokey, very pure agave flavors.

Meh.

This Mezcal is an exquisite spirit. If I could give half stars I would have rated this 4.5 if possible. Rough and refined at the same time. This is rock and roll to me smoke, energy, sweet vanilla creaminess. This one is great drinking neat at a bonfire with friends and fAmily under the stars and is also equally as good in a mixed drink. This one has a persona. Lite leather lite warming woods. CleAn with just a ghost of earthiness. ?

Not bad but nothing I would buy again. Nose is very perfumed/floral. Plus agave and mild smoke.

Scent: 2/5
Mouthfeel: 2/5

Ilegal Joven Mezcal / 80 proof
Tahona milled, copper still. Rather light agave in the front of the palate, then in the back of my throat I get heat and smoke aftertaste – strange finish that I have not noticed with any other mezcal. Not bad, but I really couldn’t get into it. (Lot 36, bottle 2126/7000)

Floral, dry fruit, light on smoke, fairly complex and long on the finish. Doesn’t smack you like a 45%-50% abv juice does, but it’s a gem for the price.

i agree with another review.the repo and anejo are great.this one is good.perfect for an evening opener.its best to have a fresh pallete to enjoy the subtle notes.the nose is mild with agave and baked sugar.the taste is vanilla,agave and mild green pepper.no smoke or deep flavor but is justified by price.nice flavor but is short.good quality and have no problem sipping.can be overshadowed by more complex (and expensive) mezcals.

Kind of boring. I bought a bottle of this because of good reviews. If smoky mezcals are your thing look elsewhere. This one is is light and at least initially a hair astringent. Also, quite floral but not especially sweet. If light and floral appeal to you it might be a good fit but at least my batch had an astringent quality that no one would desire.

This soft mezcal goes down easy at 40% ABV. Slightly floral on the nose. There are notes of vanilla and pepper. This is a good mezcal to give people new to the spirit who are also not used to drinking liquor neat. It tastes a bit watered down for my taste. Other mezcals do this but manage to retain more complex flavors. This is a decent mezcal to start the night with; if you drink a robust high-ABV mezcal and then return to this you will be disappointed.

Citrus and smoky on the nose. Tasting notes of apple and dates. There’s a good amount of fruit in this, but it doesn’t overpower the rich taste of cooked Agave. This mezcal would get three stars as a sipper, as I prefer to sip their Reposado and Anejo. But it gets four stars as a mixer.

Very neutral with a smooth finish. 4 stars on value

It burns so good. This full body mezcal definitely lingers in the best way possible.