MEZCAL — GET FAMILIAR WITH MEXICO’S BAD ASS FIRST SPIRIT

Now that the hullaballoo of Cinco de Mayo has come and gone, we can get down to some real serious agave business! While there are countless stunning Tequilas available in the U.S., over the last year or so, I have developed a deep affinity and true passion for it’s bad ass cousin, Mezcal. So to give Thirsty readers a true look at Mezcal, I turned to my dear friend and Mezcal expert & Brand Ambassador for Ilegal Mezcal, Herminio Torres. Check out his awesome piece and order up some Mezcal the next time you’re at the bar. Trust me, you’ll immediately look & feel more badass!

A LIL ABOUT MEZCAL

Mezcal. The beautifully sweet spirit laced in smoke has had a cloud of misunderstanding shrouding it for years. The questions range from it having lucid or hallucinogenic effects to “Is it Moscato?” Those who enjoy dining out come across the spirit often in cocktails across the world. But what exactly is Mezcal? Is it tequila?

MEZCAL VS TEQUILA

Let’s start off by clarifying that misconception. All Tequila is Mezcal, not all Mezcal is Tequila. Mezcal was Mexico’s first distilled spirit, and the first distilled spirit of the Americas. Mezcal was made all throughout Mexico using the Agave plants that were widely found. The word itself comes from the Aztec word ‘Mexcalli’ which means ‘oven-roasted agave’.

Both spirits are made from the agave plant. Tequila is made from only the Weber Blue agave while Mezcal can be made from over 40 of the 200+ known species of agave. The majority of Mezcal is made from Espadin agave. Both Weber Blue and Espadin have a similar genetic composition and take between 7–10 years to harvest.