Are you an alcohol fanatic and have a taste for alcoholic drinks? Do you spend your evening hanging out at the bar, chilling and having drinks with your friends? And on top of that, are you from a Mexican origin? If so, then you probably would have come across Mezcal, somewhere in your life. If not, you need to book those flights to Mexico City, and try one out – with your friends!

What is a Mezcal?

Mezcal is an alcoholic beverage made from Agave distillate. Agave is a plant and is native to the arid and semiarid regions of America, particularly Mexico and Caribbean. Around one hundred and fifty species of Agave exist that are native to Mexico, and the taste of Mezcal depends on the type of Agave distillate used to make that Mezcal. Mezcal lies in the umbrella category (drinks that use a cocktail umbrella)

Types of Mezcal:

Different types of Mezcals are differentiated from one another according to the type of Agave used to manufacture them.

• Espadin: this type of Agave accounts for approximately 90% of all the Mezcals produced. Slight change of taste might occur as one moves from brand to brand but the basic taste of this Mezcal stays the same.
• Tobala: the Mezcal produced from Tobala is very expensive as this is a very rare species of the Agave. Tobala usually grows in the wild and at high altitudes. Mezcal made from Tobala has a fruity blend to it.
• Tobaziche: this variety of Agave can look and taste very different depending as to where it is grown. Different regions have their own different names for this kind of Agave. This Agave too is harvested in the wild.
• Tepeztate: this form of agave can take up to thirty years to grow fully, hence, Mezcal made from Tepeztate has most irregular supply in the market. However, a Tepeztate Mezcal has a very intense flavor.
• Arroqueno: Mezcal made from this Agave has a spicy and bitter chocolate taste to it.

Mezcal is first cooked in earthen pits and then distilled in clay pots.

Mezcal is not a Tequila!

Tequila too is an alcoholic drink and it is commonly confused with Mezcal, owing to a similar origin. It is said that every tequila is a Mezcal, however, every Mezcal is not a Tequila. Why is this so? This is so because tequila specifically is made from a special kind of Agave plant, that is, the Blue Agave. Drinks made from all other distillates of agaves are Mezcals.

Even though both of these drinks originate from the agave plant, they have a slightly different manufacturing process. Tequila is first steamed inside industrial ovens and then distilled several times inside copper pots. Whereas, Mezcal is first cooked in earthen pits and then distilled in clay pots.

Mezcal is one of the most common alcoholic drink served in America. With several kinds of Mezcals existing, owing to different kinds of Agave plants, one can enjoy a Mezcal that suits his or her taste. After a hectic day, one can sit in a bar and give their taste buds a smoky twist with the Mezcal of their liking. Oh, and one can enjoy this on another of those flights to Mexico city the next time they come here.

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