With all the buzz around popular agave spirits these days, it pays to know a thing or two about the surging category. The last thing you want to do is sell yourself shot at the bar or bottle shop, landing on something that doesn’t agree with your palate. With mezcal, one could spend an entire lifetime learning about the stuff, but let’s start with the essentials.
A sibling of tequila, mezcal is spirit made of agave, indigenous to Mexico and dating back to the 16th Century. Made from the heart of any number of agave plant species, mezcal is distilled in stills and made mostly in Oaxaca. Some modern types are made but generally anything deemed artisanal mezcal is made by way of pit hearths or earthen ovens. Meanwhile, ancestral mezcal honors the process of old, with prep done with age-old tools and no contemporary equipment, not to mention native yeast fermentations.
Like tequila, there are categories like blanco, joven, reposado, and more, but that’s where the comparison halts. While tequila is also made from agave, it can only be made from Blue Weber agave. Mezcal can be made from 30 different species of plants. So, really, tequila is a type of mezcal.
Why is mezcal so special?
That’s a loaded question with a number of answers. For starters, there’s an incredible heritage tied to the spirit, with so many production approaches passed down from generation to generation. These customs affect the flavor and quality of the mezcal, issuing a personalized stamp on each batch. One producer in the high ranges of Mixteca may do something a little differently from one in Sierra Sur. One may use a clay oven for cooking the agave while the other uses brick. Some distill a certain way, while others do things a bit differently. The result is a wide array of options, all fed by history and showing some element of place in the bottle. And that’s pretty special.
Of course, others are prized for being the product of deeply talented mezcaleros (mezcal-makers) with loads of experience or the product of regions known for their remarkable agave. Others are limited edition offerings or one-offs that there simply aren’t many bottles of. And some are aged for extended periods, making them even more coveted.
Is mezcal just smoked tequila?
This is perhaps the most common misconception with regards to mezcal. The short of it is no, as mezcal is much more than tequila’s smoke cousin. Sure, some offerings are decidedly smokey but the flavor spectrum is vast, ranging from delicate and fruity to robust and savory. It all depends on how the agave heart is roasted, which species of agave is used, and how the resulting liquid is aged.
I have had the good fortune to taste a number of mezcals (if you’re ever in Tucson, head over to Sonora Moonshine Company) and can testify that no two are exactly alike and the flavors are all over the board. Mezcal shows terroir more than tequila as it pulls from more plant varieties, as well as a plurality of regions spanning the nine Mexican states. Older mezcals especially tend to balance and even out, showing less smoke and more complex flavors and fragrances.
What does mezcal taste like?
As mentioned above, mezcal can take on any number of flavor profiles. Honestly, overt smokiness among those in the know is more of a flaw than favor. Larger producers sometimes just add flavoring to achieve this and even some smaller producers end up with something too smoke as a mistake, perhaps due to a still’s close proximity to the earthen oven where the agave cooking goes down. A bit of smoke is a hallmark of mezcal, kind of like how some peat usually presents in an Islay Scotch or tobacco notes tend to show up in a great Cabernet Sauvignon.
But the great mezcals have much more than that, with complimentary flavors that round out the smoke and a lengthy finish one might associate with a great bourbon. If you taste around, you’ll get everything from green and grassy notes to cooked meat flavors and some spice. Floral elements can intertwine with cinnamon and even wild fruit characteristics. The best way to familiarize yourself with mezcal is by hitting up your local Mexican-leaning bar or bottle shop and ask and shop around. That, or find a few different styles online and conduct a tasting at home. Just look for traditionally-made or ancestral options from a dew distinctive areas.
How to drink mezcal
Traditionally, mezcal is sipped neat like the fine spirit that it is. Sure, one can mix with mezcal, and while a number of delicious cocktails showcase the stuff, we think the best way to respect and understand mezcal is to enjoy it on its own. In Oaxaca, it’s common to enjoy in a customary cup or jicara, bowl-like and typically made from a Crescentia tree.
Sip the mezcal slowly and cleanse your palate with water or snacks in between tries. Shoot, pair mezcal up with a nice plate of tacos or pozole.
There’s a lot to love about mezcal, from trending mezcal service to some of our favorite bottles of the year. Look out for more and more options, and Americans look to get their hands on more of the stuff. There’s hardly been a better time to explore this outstanding agave spirit.
