The spirits

These bottles represent a range what’s available, but they barely scratch the surface - especially in the tremendously diverse mezcal category.

El Tesoro de don Felipe’s Reposado: Agave connoisseurs tend to look to silver/blanco iterations as the purest and best expressions of the spirits; the time the booze spends in barrel is not cherished as it is in the world of whiskey. But if you’re sampling, you should throw at least one aged tequila into the bunch. This one lets the agave come through while adding some of the vanilla notes you expect from barreling. It might win over the bourbon drinkers.

Patron: Largely abandoned by agave snobs these days (what’s in the bottle has changed since the brand began making its mark), Patron was the gateway premium tequila for many people whose previous experiences with the spirit had scared them off. Sippable and smooth.

Siembra Azul: A beautiful, more traditional blanco tequila that highlights agave, citrus and bell peppery notes. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the Siembra offerings; for a particularly interesting one, try Siembra Valles Ancestral, which is made using older production processes that industrialized tequilas have abandoned.

Banhez Joven: Mezcal writer Emma Janzen’s go-to, entry-level bottle. It has a nice complexity, surprisingly great price point and the flexibility to work well in most cocktail recipes. Del Maguey’s Vida de San Luis del Rio: The mezcal you’ll see most often behind the bar, even in bars that don’t specialize in agave spirits. It’s great for cocktails - try it in a margarita - and delicious on its own. Founder Ron Cooper specializes in “single village” mezcals named for their place of origin; try the Chichicapa for a mezcal with citrus, smoke and a hint of mint. Mezcal Vago Elote: Made more delicious and strange with an infusion of roasted corn. Imagine the fragrance of a fresh corn tortilla infused into a mezcal with notes of smoke and honey. “That was the bottle that roped me into the mezcal world,” says Janzen. “When it came along, my head just exploded.”