Mezcal
Mezcal is a spirit that can be made from many agave species, protected by a denomination of origin since 1994. Its smoky character comes mainly from cooking the agave in earthen pit ovens.
How to describe it to a guest
This is an artisanal mezcal: there's gentle smoke, but what really comes through is cooked agave and a bit of fruit. Enjoy it in small sips.
Origin
The denomination of origin covers several states; Oaxaca is the best known, alongside Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Puebla, Michoacán and others. Each region and producing family brings its own style.
Production
The agave hearts are cooked (traditionally in an underground conical pit with wood and stones), crushed with a stone tahona, wooden mallets or a mill, fermented naturally and distilled in copper or clay stills. The maestro mezcalero decides the distillation cuts.
Flavor
Cooked agave, smoke, and mineral, fruity, herbal or floral notes. The smoke should frame the agave, not bury it.
Styles
- Espadín
- Agave angustifolia, the most widely cultivated for mezcal. Versatile, with cooked-agave sweetness and good balance.
- Tobalá
- Agave potatorum, a small, often wild species. Usually aromatic, floral and delicate.
- Ensamble
- A blend of two or more agave species, cooked or distilled together or combined afterward.
- Mezcal (categoría)
- The broadest NOM-070 category: allows more industrial processes, such as autoclaves and continuous stills.
- Mezcal Artesanal
- Cooked in pit or masonry ovens, crushed traditionally or with a mill, and distilled in copper or clay pot stills.
- Mezcal Ancestral
- The most traditional category: pit ovens, crushing by hand or with a tahona, and distillation in clay pots.
How to serve it
- GlasswareVeladora
- TemperatureRoom temperature.
- Serve in a veladora, jícara or copita. Encourage small sips rather than a shot. Orange slices with sal de gusano are a traditional accompaniment.
Pairings
- Oaxacan tlayudas
- Mole negro
- Chapulines with lime
- Quesillo and chorizo
Reading the label
- Ancestral
- NOM-070 category with the most traditional methods, including distillation in clay pots.
- Artesanal
- NOM-070 category with pit or masonry ovens and copper or clay pot distillation.
- Ensamble
- Mezcal made from two or more agave species; the label usually lists them.
- 100% agave
- Under the current standard, all certified mezcal must be 100% agave.
- Destilado con
- Mezcal distilled with other ingredients such as fruit or meat (for example, the pechuga style).
Cocktails
Tequila · Shaken
Guayaba Ahumada
Blanco tequila and ripe guava with a dry finish and a whisper of mezcal smoke. Fruity without being sweet: the guava brings aroma, not sugar.
Mezcal · Stirred
Mezcal Negroni
The Negroni with an Oaxacan accent: mezcal's smoke and agave replace juniper. It is now a fixture in mezcalerías and bars across Mexico.
Mezcal · Shaken
Naked and Famous
Equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, Aperol and lime. Smoke, honey, orange and acid in one bright drink.
Tequila · Stirred
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
An agave Old Fashioned: reposado as the base and a touch of mezcal for smoke. It opened the door for mezcal in international bars.
Sources
- NOM-070-SCFI-2016 (Mezcal)
- Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) — declaraciones de denominación de origen
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails
Updated October 20, 2026