What is the difference between mezcal and tequila?

All tequilas are mezcals!

Mezcals are any agave-based liquor, and therefore tequila is a subset of mezcal produced in specific regions of Mexico and made only from the blue agave. Tequila is made in 5 specific regions: Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Jalisco is definitely the center of the tequila universe and where the town of Tequila is located.

Mezcal is made in 8 specific regions of Mexico: Oaxaca, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, and the recently approved Michoacan. Oaxaca is the center of the mezcal world, as 80-90% of mezcals are made in Oaxaca. Mezcal can be made from up to 28 varieties of agave, including the Blue agave, but most often the espadin agave. Some mezcals are blended to create a distinct flavor.

Furthermore, the production process is different. For both tequila and mezcal, the agave plants are harvested, the leaves sheared off, and the remaining part (the “piña”) is cooked. With tequila the piñas are cooked in large industrial ovens and crushed, shredded and fermented. With artisanal mezcal, the process is more handcrafted and steeped in tradition. Typically they are cooked in an underground, earthen pit, lined with volcanic rock, on a wood fire. This underground oven smokes, cooks and caramelizes the piña over a multi-day cooking process, imparting the mezcal with its unique smoky flavor.

Mezcal is awesome, hand-crafted stuff! Created on a farm (or “palenque”) and is overseen by a Master Mezcalero. When you see a premium mezcal, know that you are paying for a bottle of drinkable art that has been made this way since the 1600’s.

 Try some Mezcal Today!