We ’re willing to look good money that you ’ve indulged in tequila on more than one juncture — or perhaps even gormandize . But you might not be as familiar with what we like to think of as tequila ’s older , smoky and all - around more mature brother : mezcal . Over the past tense decade , mezcal has experienced a surge in popularity alfresco of its native Mexico , and our cocktails and roof of the mouth are good for it . It ’s quickly gone from behind - the - bar curiosity to top shelf spirit .
A nimble note to call up as we spill the beans mezcal : Technically , alltequilais a mezcal , but not all mezcal is tequila . ( It ’s the boozy version of the old maths adage " All squares are rectangles , but not all rectangle are second power . " )
The History of Mezcal
Mezcal comes from the Nahuatl wordsmetlandixcalli , which together intend “ oven cooked agave . ” Centuries before the Spanish circle foot in Mexico , autochthonal masses were using the agave plant both as a sweetener and to make pulque , a fermented alcoholic drink . When the Spanish arrive , they bring distillation expertise , which came in ready to hand when a trade road between Mexico and Manilla supplied them with hush . But they did n’t have the grapes to make brandy as they were accustomed . Lucky for them , the agave plant was there to offer its succus . After the first mescal were made on the west coast in the 1500s , it did n’t take long for the spirit to spread throughout the state . Where there were Spanish settlers , there was mezcal .
Mezcal did live some singultus over the years . The liveliness was disallow by many Spanish rulers . Some believed it could cause trouble , while others simply believed it was substandard to other deglutition . In the 18th hundred , King Carlos III banned all intoxicant production in the Mexican settlement , hoping to advance the sales of Spanish products rather . The ban was raise some 10 years later when a descendent of the Cuervo family was allow to distill on his place near the township of Tequila .
How Is Mezcal Made?
Whereas tequila must be made specifically from dark agave , mezcal can be made from any of the 150 agave specie aboriginal to Mexico and even a portmanteau word of unlike types . But five kinds are the most ordinarily used .
Espadín : The most plebeian agave , used to produce 90 percent of Lophophora williamsii . Often find in Oaxaca , it ’s the grandpa to puritanic agave ( which is why mezcals made from it might taste familiar to seasoned tequila toper ) and one of the brave species of succulent . It also has a high sugar content , so mezcals made with espadín incline to be nutty and more flowered .
Tobalá : A super - rare character of agave , tobalá only grow on rocky terrain at mellow tiptop in Oaxaca . To make things more difficult , it does n’t multiply on its own . or else , the plant relies on birds and cricket bat to propagate its seed . Mezcals produced from tobalá agave tend to be crude , smokier and pricier because of the flora ’s rarity . Tobalá agave can take up to 15 class to suppurate , with a piña that yields only one or two bottle of mezcal .
Arroqueño : A type of American aloe that produces flowered , dark-green peyote , which sometimes finish on a spicy or bitter coffee note .
Tobaziche : Often glean waste rather than cultivated , this type of agave produces herbal , savory mescal .
Tepeztate : A wild century plant that can take up to three decade to reach full maturity . Tepeztate is clearly ready when bright yellow efflorescence salad days at the tips of its stems .
Some agave is farmed , but most plant life turn wild in the countryside . They take about eight years to senesce . Once they ’re right for harvest home , the leaves are stripped aside , leaving only the heart or piña . Mezcal producer cook the piña in cone - shaped pits lined with stones or brick . As the piñas roast over a wood fire for two to three days , the gelt in the agave caramelize , give mezcal its signature smoky flavor .
Back in your college days ( or in television or movie ) , you may have encountered a bottle of mezcal with a dirt ball at the bottom and wondered , “ What ’s up with that ? ” First off , it ’s not a worm at all . It ’s really a larva ( one of two case find in the agave plant ) , which are considered pesterer . A brilliant marketer started sum up them to bottles in the 1950s as a ploy to betray cheap mezcals . Some claim the larvae mask the taste of a ill - made heart , and you may have hear they ’re hallucinogenic . ( They ’re not . ) Leave these bottles on the ledge .
Where Is Mezcal Made?
Mezcal is produced in seven Mexican state : Oaxaca , Guerrero , Durango , San Luis Potosi , Zacatecas , Tamaulipas and Guanajuato . Most mezcal on the grocery in the United States comes from Oaxaca .
Mezcal Styles
Mixto : The label on a mezcal bottleful should always point whether it is made from 100 per centum agave or mixto . To qualify as a mixto , a mezcal needs to be at least 80 percent agave and is typically blend with cane sugar .
Crema de Mezcal : A mezcal - base cordial flavour with fruit , nuts and/or agave nectar .
Joven : Mezcal that is entirely unaged or aged for less than two months .
Reposado : Reposado mezcals are maturate in oak barrels for two to twelve calendar month .
Añejo : These mezcals are aged for one to three years .
Extra Añejo : so as to be classified as an extra añejo , mezcal needs to be aged for more than three years .
Pechuga : One of the stranger style of mezcal , pechugas are distil with local cereal , nut , fruits and a bare-assed chicken or turkey breast , which is hung above the liquidity in the still . The vaporization steam clean the meat , which , in crook , imparts a full - corporate flavour to the mezcal . Mezcal de pechuga is produced in small wad and typically drunk on special occasions like baptisms , weddings and quinceañeras .
How Do I Drink Mezcal Straight?
Mezcal should be sipped slowly , not shot . In Oaxaca , mezcal is traditionally suffice at room temperature with a tweak of salt and an orangish slice . Sometimes , the salt is mixed with flat coat fried larvae , chili peppers and salt to make sal de gusano , which mean “ worm salt . ” ( It ’s pleasant-tasting , for the record . )
Notable Mezcal Cocktails
Naked and Famous : Bittersweet and citrusy , this new classic made with mezcal , yellow Chartreuse , Aperol and lime tree juice , was invent by mixologist Joaquin Simo for Death & Company .
Mezcal Old Fashioned ( Oaxaca Old Fashioned):This twist on the traditional cocktail stand-in mezcal and tequila for the common whisky to create a punchy , smoky look profile .
Pearl of Puebla : fabled mixologist and cocktail book source Jim Meehan created this potable for Please Do n’t Tell in New York . Made with mezcal , yellow Chartreuse , pastis and oregano , it ’s both herbal and smoky .
Mezcal in Culture
Mezcal is an important part of Mexican life , particularly in Oaxaca . The spirit is almost understand as a member of the family , rather than just something to tope . It ’s massaged onto children ’s rashes , used to receive love ones home and extend a societal mucilage of sorts , help to bring stranger together .
Raicilla
This lesson would n’t be complete without cite an important first cousin of mezcal and tequila : raicilla . What once was a cheap , local moonshine of sorts is now coming into its own as more and more producer are name gamey - end versions for market . get similarly to mezcal ( but without any regime authorization ) , raicilla is distilled from tempestuous agaves roast in belowground pits ( coastal vogue ) or above - undercoat ovens ( sierra style ) . Raicilla ’s elusive smoky flavor make it cracking for sip or mixing in cocktails .
