Mezcal is not tequila. In fact, sometimes referred to as the “mother of Tequila”, Mezcal is the first spirit to be made from the agave plant. While Tequila can be made from only one varietal of agave plant, the Blue Weber. Mezcal, though typically made from Espadin agave, can be made from a much larger variety of agave plant types. while both are made from extracting juices from the agave plant, the way the plant is treated differs greatly. Tequila is generally produced by steaming the plant, while Mezcal gets its smokier, complex flavor profile from cooking the plant in earthen pits lined with lava rocks. While the fire-roasting specifics can change from distiller to distiller, the method of cooking the agave’s piña (core) to unlock its smoky and floral qualities is what makes Mezcal an unmistakable sip.
