What is Mezcal?

Ok we’ve discussed at length the more complex parts of making Mezcal — from wild fermentation to ancient techniques. But we often miss the simple question for newcomers: what is mezcal?

Does Mezcal have a worm in it? Not by default. The “worm” (gusano de maguey) is an old marketing tradition found in some bottles, but it’s not required and mostly no longer included. Is Mezcal like Tequila? They’re related, but very different; here’s a blog on Tequila Vs Mezcal we wrote back in 2024.

Do you like asparagus?  No I’ve not gone crazy.  Is Mezcal made from cactus? These two questions are more connected than you think- no agave isn’t a cactus; it’s a succulent in the asparagus family so it’s accurate to say that Mezcal is more closely related to asparagus than cactus!

Ok so Mezcal predates Tequila and is often called tequila’s older cousin. Most mezcal is made “artesanal”: agave hearts (plants) are roasted in earthen pits, crushed by tahona (huge wheels of rock) and naturally fermented.  Mezcal is normally made by families — knowledge passed from generation to generation.  Mezcalero’s children and grandchildren, spend their days making Mezcal.  To sum this up- Mezcal is made without the use of machines or electricity and in a natural and organic setting.

Mezcal is just about a pure as a spirit as you can get- it’s made from just two ingredients- cooked agave and spring water.  Nothing else is added, especially no flavor additives or sweeteners.

Tequila is made in a more industrial process with machines and using electricity to speed up the process. (Today tequila ranges from highly industrial to very artisanal.) Personal take: I much much prefer the taste of Mezcal neat, to almost any Tequila. Because of the craft methods, you can taste the earthy and smoky notes from the craftsmanship in making Mezcal.

If you take a trip to Mexico and are fortunate enough to visit a palenque (mezcal distillery (room made of sticks)), you will find- asking anyone what their favourite drink is 99% of the time, the answer will be “Mezcal”. I also hazard to guess this will become your answer after visiting a family that make Mezcal and getting to know and understand this incredible spirit — the spirit of Mexico.

How does it taste?
Short guide for first sips: try it neat in a small copita at room temperature; notice the smoke level, sweetness, minerality and the long, clean finish.  The first sip is good to set the palette and it’s really the second sip where you really can taste and enjoy the Mezcal. Orange slices and a pinch of sal de gusano (worm salt) are the classic pairing, but mainly for when changing between different Mezcals

Price- Mezcal is normally a little more expensive than Tequila, so when you are paying 2 or 3 bucks more for a Mezcal cocktail or neat pour, please don’t complain- that extra cost reflects hand work, slow roasting, and small-batch production.

What does Mezcal mean?
So Mezcal means "cooked agave". More precisely, it comes from the Nahuatl word mexcalli — metl (agave) + ixcalli (cooked). It’s one of the oldest continuously handcrafted spirits, and it predates tequila. “Maguey” is another word for agave used in Mexico.

Market size ~$1B.
Mezcal is the fastest growing spirit in the US, and whilst there will always be a place for Tequila, many tequila lovers are graduating to mezcal. In fact we are seeing many new tequila producers emulating the Mezcal fundamentals; with the no additive movement, and more obviously some Tequila producers are now offering crushed agave with a tahona; an inherently generational process in mezcal production.

No Hangover?
 Reality check: hangovers mostly depend on how much you drink and hydration. Some people feel 100% agave spirits taste “cleaner,” but there’s no guarantee. Even though Mezcal agave is a probiotic- distillation removes agave fibers, so probiotics don’t survive the process. Best advice: choose 100% agave from trusted producers, sip slowly, and drink water.

In Mexico Mezcal is rumoured not to give hangovers, claims such as “won’t give you that sick feeling” from charlestoncitypaper.com because it’s pure agave (with natural sugars, not grain and additives) but we still recommend that you drink very responsibly, and that there’s no guarantee.

Try bandida here at Drinksupermarket for next day delivery to the UK; https://www.drinksupermarket.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=bandida