What Is Mezcal, and Why Is It Better Than Tequila?

On one of my recent trips to Mexico, I had an incredible tasting experience showcasing a lineup of several different agave spirits, including tequila, mezcal and raicilla. While they’re all made from the same type of plant, they’re pretty unique; sipping them next to each other, you can really taste the nuances of each. What surprised me most is that mezcal isn’t all smoke and fire. You taste earthy, savory, fruity, herbal and spice notes. Like a fine wine, well-made mezcals directly represent their region, location and maker. That’s why I love it—maybe even more so than tequila.

I’m not alone. Mezcal production is high in Mexico, and its popularity continues to grow in the U.S. and around the world. Why? This super sippable spirit packs a flavor punch and is excellent on its own or in cocktails, from mezcal margaritas to heady mezcal old-fashioneds. It’s gained steam with mixologists and bartenders all over the country, and more and more people interested in Mexican culture and traditional food and drink are traveling there, and coming home with their favorite bottles. Still, while you can enjoy mezcal at many restaurants and bars today, it remains a mystery to many.

What is mezcal?

Let’s start with the basics. Long thought of as tequila’s smokier cousin, mezcal is actually the OG agave spirit—the word mezcal combines two Nahuatl words metl (“agave”) and ixcalli (“cooked”). All mezcals derive from the agave plant, but not all mezcals are smoky. For instance, tequila is a type of mezcal, but it’s made from a specific variety of agave plant and is processed differently (more on that below).

To make mezcal, the heart of an agave plant—the piña—is harvested and roasted in underground earthen pits or wood-burning ovens. This is what gives mezcal that deep, smoky flavor that makes it so distinctive and delicious. After roasting, the hearts are mashed, added to barrels with water and left to ferment. It’s then distilled, bottled and sold around the world.

It’s also strictly regulated to ensure authenticity. In Mexico, certified mezcal must be made from agave grown in nine specific states, contain between 35% to 55% alcohol by volume, and follow one of three traditional production methods. Most mezcal sold internationally comes from Oaxaca

One important note: If you’ve avoided mezcal because you were afraid of a worm in the bottle, know that the worm was a marketing ploy started in the 1950s to get more people to try the spirit. You won’t see it in most mezcals today.

Mezcal vs. Tequila

Mezcal and tequila are both made from agave plants, but tequila is very distinctive. To be called tequila, it must be made with blue agave and produced in Jalisco (that’s where you’ll find the town of Tequila) or certain towns in four other states. After harvesting the pinãs, the tequileros cook them in large ovens or steam them in autoclaves before fermentation. This is the main difference between mezcal and tequila as far as taste goes; tequila doesn’t get those smoky qualities that most mezcals have. Tequila has its own set of designations (blanco, reposado and añejo), as does mezcal.

Are both great in margarita recipes? Absolutely! While tequila for margaritas is classic, mezcal gives them a serious flavor boost.

Types of Mezcals

There are many ways to categorize mezcal based on the agave type used, and where and how it’s made, but there are three main types: mezcal (sometimes classified as standard or industrial), mezcal artesanal and mezcal ancestral.

In general, standard mezcal employs more modern equipment, like stainless-steel stills. It’s still authentic mezcal, but is often less smokey and not super nuanced. This standard type of mezcal is a good starting point for someone new to the spirit. Mezcal artesanal is the most common style, always made with agave roasted in pits and distilled in copper or clay stills. This type of mezcal balances tradition with small-scale production; it’s the kind of mezcal you’d find at good mixology-focused tequila or cocktail bar. Mezcal ancestral is the most labor-intensive, where everything is done by hand, from the crushing of the agave to the fermentation and distillation. These are often intensely smoky and complex, rarer and pricier—great for a true mezcal lover.

Other things you might see on a label are age statements—joven, reposado, añejo—and other method statements, like madurado en vidrio (“aged in glass”), abocado con (“infused with”), and destilado con (“distilled from”) plus the type of agave used (espadín, mexicano and arroqueño are just a few).

How do you drink mezcal?

The traditional way to drink mezcal is to sip it neat at room temperature. This is not a shooter; savor it. In Mexico, mezcal might be served in a small clay cup or glass, sometimes with an orange slice and a sprinkle of sal de gusano, a smoky salt made with chile and roasted agave worms that dates back to pre-Colombian times.

Of course, just like tequila, mezcal cocktails are excellent. A mezcal negroni balances out the smokiness with sweet vermouth and Campari, and the savory notes work beautifully in a mezcal Bloody Mary. Those smoky, spicy notes are just the thing for fall drinks, like this apple-based harvest mezcalita or a mezcal old-fashioned. Add it to hot coffee, and you have an Oaxacan coffee ready to sip fireside. Me? Give me a mezcal paloma any time of year, and I’m a happy girl.