Tequila and mezcal are not the same thing, and the bottle you pick depends on understanding that difference first. Tequila is made from blue agave, produced in specific regions of Mexico, and ranges from unaged blanco to long-rested extra anejo. Mezcal can be made from dozens of agave varieties, is most often produced in Oaxaca, and carries a smokiness that comes from roasting the agave hearts before fermentation. Some people come in looking for one and leave with the other once they taste the difference.
Quick facts about The Hills Bottle Shop
- Service area: Agoura Hills, CA; Calabasas, CA; Westlake Village, CA; Oak Park, CA
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat 8:30am-10pm, Sun 8:30am-9pm
- Address: 30651 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
- Phone: (747) 222-7237
The Hills Bottle Shop serves Agoura Hills, CA, Calabasas, CA and Westlake Village, CA.
At The Hills Bottle Shop on Thousand Oaks Blvd in Agoura Hills, the tequila and mezcal section goes well past the bottles you already know. The shop carries rare and hard-to-find bottles alongside the everyday staples, which means you can pick up a reliable blanco for margaritas and in the same visit find a small-batch mezcal from a single agave variety you have never heard of.
A few things worth knowing when you are choosing:
Blanco tequila goes straight from distillation to bottle with little or no aging. It is the clearest expression of the agave itself and the one most bartenders reach for in cocktails. If you want to taste what a distillery is actually doing, start here.
Reposado sits in oak for two months to a year. It picks up some color and a softer edge without losing the agave character. A good middle ground if you want something that works both in a glass on its own and in a drink.
Anejo and extra anejo spend longer in barrel, sometimes years. The oak influence is heavier. These are sipping tequilas, not mixing tequilas, and the price reflects the time involved.
Mezcal labeled joven is unaged. Mezcal labeled reposado or anejo follows similar aging logic to tequila but the base flavor is already more complex because of the roasting process. The agave variety matters enormously here. Espadin is the most common and approachable. Tobala, Tepextate, and others are rarer, more expensive, and worth trying if you want to understand what the category can do.
The shop serves customers in Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Westlake Village, and Oak Park, and the selection is built for people who want more than what a grocery store carries. If you are looking for a specific bottle you have seen reviewed somewhere and cannot find locally, this is a reasonable first stop before you start ordering online and waiting for shipping.
There is also a new menu at the shop, so if you want to try something before committing to a full bottle, ask about what is available to taste. Tequila and mezcal are categories where a single sip can change your mind about what you thought you wanted.
The address is 30651 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301.
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