Los Javis Mezcal: Three Generations of Javiers, New US Importer
Los Javis Mezcal has a new US importer. Unity Beverage Group Importing announced on LinkedIn that it is now the American import partner for the Oaxaca brand, which should mean more family-made, traditional mezcal from Santiago Matatlán landing in US bars, restaurants and shops.
If you have never heard of Los Javis, here is the hook: the name honors three generations of men named Javier, and the family does nearly everything itself, from planting agave to bottling by hand.
What Makes This Release Special?
The news here is the partnership, and Unity put it plainly in its announcement: "Some partnerships are about a product. This one is about a family." The company says it wants to connect with bars, restaurants and shops and pour them a taste, which suggests a hands-on rollout rather than a quiet shelf drop.
What sets Los Javis apart is that the Mateo family handles every step, from growing and harvesting the agave to distilling in their own palenque. A palenque is simply a traditional mezcal distillery, and plenty of brands buy their mezcal from someone else's. Here, the family grows the agave and makes the spirit under one roof.
This is not a new bottle but a new route to American shelves. The brand has been seen in the US before, so Unity's role is a fresh chapter in distribution.
Inside the Bottle
The bottle in our photos is the Los Javis Espadín, labeled Mezcal Artesanal, a joven (meaning unaged, bottled without time in wood). It is 100% agave, made in Oaxaca by maestro mezcalero Don Javier Mateo, and double distilled. The bottle is 750 ml at 40.64% ABV (81.28 proof). Each bottle is numbered from a limited batch, and ours shows 2015 on the label.
The process is old school. The agave is roasted in an underground stone oven, crushed by tahona (a giant stone wheel, which Mezcal Reviews says is pulled by a horse), and fermented naturally in wooden vats. It is then distilled in small copper pot stills, and each bottle is numbered by hand.
The brand does not publish official tasting notes in our sources, but reviewers on Mezcal Reviews describe citrus, lemon peel, herbs and cucumber on the nose, with lemon, earth, white pepper and cut grass on the palate. Smoke is gentle, and many call it a friendly starting point for mezcal newcomers and a good fit for cocktails like a strawberry margarita.
Espadín is just one of ten expressions in the lineup, which also includes Reposado, Tobalá, Tepeztate, Cerrudo, Salmiana, Mexicano, Cuishe, Arroqueño and Jabalí.
The Story Behind Los Javis Mezcal
The Mateo family built its palenque in Santiago Matatlán in 1979, in a town often called the heart of mezcal country. The Los Javis brand followed in 2003, founded by Javier Mateo and his wife, who promised to grow the finest agave and make a mezcal worthy of the family name.
That name is the charm. The label honors Javier's first-born son and his own father, all named Javier, so the family tree reads like a roll call.
The brand's US story began small: brothers Javier and Jaime Mateo launched Los Javis in Los Angeles with one case, one restaurant and one liquor store. Javier stayed focused on the distillery in Oaxaca, while Jaime handled distribution from Culver City. Jaime had studied electrical engineering in Mexico before choosing the family mezcal trade and moving to LA to join his brother.
Today the brothers carry the legacy forward, and Unity thanked Javier, Jaime and the Mateo family for trusting it with their mezcal. Misa Villa and Sergio Enriquez of the Los Javis team also got a thank you for their work on the partnership.
Price, Proof and Availability
Official Name: Los Javis Mezcal Espadín, Mezcal Artesanal
Category: Mezcal, joven, 100% agave
Bottle Size: 750 ml
ABV/Proof: 40.64% ABV (81.28 proof)
Year on Label: 2015
US Availability: Unity Beverage Group Importing is now the US import partner; states and retailers have not been specified
Price (SRP): Not stated in the sources
Release Date: Not stated in the sources
Did You Know?
One reviewer's bottle from the 2020 production year was numbered 1849 of 5520 in batch 58, so those hand-numbered bottles really are traceable.
The Espadín and Reposado labels in our photos carry the text "Protected Designation of Origin."
Tonights Poison Take
Family-run mezcal from a producer that grows its own agave is rarer than it sounds, and Los Javis fits that mold. The Espadín looks like a good place to start: approachable, light on smoke, and the kind of bottle a bartender can use in cocktails. The wider lineup, from Tobalá to Jabalí, gives curious drinkers plenty of places to go next. Keep an eye out for Unity's rollout, because this is a brand worth asking your local bar about.
Bar Talk: Los Javis is named for three generations of Javiers, and it started in Los Angeles with just one case.
Know a bartender or a mezcal newbie who loves a good family story? Send them this one and see who finds a bottle first.
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About the author: Jas Sawhney (Tonights Poison) has spent 18 years in the beverage alcohol industry and shares new releases, tastings and spirits news as @tonightspoison on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
Please enjoy responsibly.
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