While tequila has been popular forever, mezcal has only found its time in the proverbial sun in the last few decades. It all started in the early aughts when social media and celebrity brands began to hit the market. It’s still gaining in popularity thanks to the rise of cocktail culture and drinkers’ enthusiasm for traditional and artisanal spirits.
Like with all spirits, I didn’t fully understand mezcal right away. It took time (and sampling of many mezcals) to learn the ins and outs of this agave-based spirit. I also learned that, like all spirits, it’s not without its myths and misconceptions.
Before fully diving into the myths, learning some facts about mezcal is essential. First (and most importantly), you should know that all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. This is because the umbrella term for all agave-based spirits is mezcal.
Like tequila, it’s made with agave. However, unlike tequila, which can only be made with Blue Weber agave, mezcal can be made from up to forty different types of agaves. Also, while tequila can only be made in Jalisco (where tequila is) and a handful of other states, mezcal has its heart in Oaxaca. Still, it can also be made in Puebla, Sinaloa, Michoacan, Durango, Guerrero, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, and Tamaulipas.
There are also differences in how it’s made. While many tequilas are made with agave baked in ovens, many mezcals are made with agave baked in underground picks. This often results in a smoky (not always), floral, fruity, complex spirit.
Now that you’ve learned a little about mezcal, it’s time to debunk some of the biggest myths surrounding this lesser-known Mexican spirit. To help us with our quest for answers, we turned to Chris Simmons, Agave Spirits Specialist and National Ambassador for Mezcal Vago. Keep scrolling to learn fact from fiction in the mezcal world, finally.
Mezcal myths debunked
Myth: All mezcal is smoky
There’s no bigger myth about mezcal than the idea that it will be smoky regardless of what bottle you crack open. It’s the same way some drinkers assume that all whisky from Islay is peat-smoked (spoiler alert: it isn’t).
“Whenever I give any type of mezcal education, I let the group know if there is only one thing I’d love for them to take away from today’s class, it’s that mezcal does not have to be smoky,” says Simmons.
“The idea that it’s tequila’s smoky cousin is an outdated and lazy characterization of an enormously complex spirit. Brands like Mezcal Vago have offerings crafted with care, in a slow, traditional manner, with just a whisper of well-integrated smoke.”
Myth: There’s a worm that will make you hallucinate
Another myth is that not only is there a worm in bottles of mezcal, but it will make you hallucinate. Not only do most (if not all) contemporary mezcals not have a worm floating in them, but the ones that do (or ever did) didn’t make the drinker hallucinate. It was all part of a marketing campaign to get drinkers to embrace mezcal.
Myth: Mezcal is a type of tequila
Another myth that we briefly touched on is that mezcal is a type of tequila. As you know, it’s the other way around. All Mexican-made agave-based spirits are mezcals. This includes tequila, raicilla, bacanora, sotol, and of course mezcal.
Myth: Where mezcal comes from
The last myth is more folklore than anything. A story from the Zapotec people of Oaxaca says that the origins of mezcal come from lightning striking an agave plant and the explosion causing the liquid to be released. There’s no proof that this ever happened, but it’s a great story.
What are some misconceptions about mezcal?
According to Simmons, ‘misunderstood’ is probably the most appropriate word to describe mezcal in the majority’s minds.
“As with other complicated things in life, when something is misunderstood, it’s often reduced to a mischaracterization or to a very simple form.”
He adds, “Mezcal is one of the most complicated spirits produced anywhere in the world, so it’s no wonder why it’s challenging for many first-time consumers to understand. Conversely, once someone falls in love with it, there really isn’t anything that can take its place.”
Advice for beginner mezcal drinkers
Simmons says that nothing worth having comes easily.
“In that regard, it takes time to fully understand, appreciate, and embrace what I would consider to be the best distilled spirit in the world.”
He adds, “Start slowly with cocktails that have a familiar context, like a mezcal margarita or a mezcal old-fashioned. As your palate becomes familiar with the spirit, you’ll eventually be able to move into drinking it neat in all its various iterations and falling in love with its complexity. But be forewarned; I’ve never known anyone who fell in love with mezcal that didn’t lose their eye for all others.”
