When you rad Mezcal, don’t confuse it with tequila. Distilled from the same plant – agave, these both liquors are from the country of Mexico. Well for the uninitiated both mezcal and tequila are different. These both white alcohol are everything but same. The word Mezcal comes from the Nahuatl words ( metl and ixcalli), which when combined means “oven cooked agave.” Agaves are found in many parts of Mexico, and indigenous people used this plant both as a sweetener and also to make pulque. Pulque, happened to be a type of fermented alcohol which can still be enjoyed today.
The Spanish brought their distillation expertise along, but they missed the grapes. The agave plant came to rescue. The first Mezcal were made in 1500’s in the West coast. The spirit soon spread across the country too. This one though faced many roadblocks too as many Spanish rulers believed it was an much inferior drink. Mezcal is made 150 agave species that is available. The most common agave is the Espadín and is used to produce 90 percent of mezcals. This one also has high sugar content. The super-rare type of agave is tobalá and grows best in rocky terrain. Mezcals from this agave type has a much smokier and pricier. Then comes the Arroqueño, and the Mezcal sees a spicy or bitter chocolate note. While the wild agave Tepeztate takes three decades to be full grown. These agave plants take a minimum if eight years to mature.
This spirit the Mezcal come in different styles
Mezcal Styles
Mixto: A mixto is a type of mezcal needs to have 80 percent agave and is typically blended with cane sugar.
Crema de Mezcal: This mezcal is flavored with fruits, nuts and/or agave nectar.
Joven: This one is totally unaged or only aged for less than two months.
Reposado: This type of mezcals are aged in oak barrels from anywhere between two to twelve months.
Añejo: These mezcals are aged for one to three years.
Extra Añejo: This mezcal needs to be aged for more than three years.
Pechuga: Distilling this lesser known type is is nothing less than a drama as it sees local grains, nuts, fruits and a raw chicken or turkey breast, and is hung above the liquid in the still.
Today Oaxaca (a southern state of Mexico) has the status and the unofficial title of “The World Capital of Mezcal.” Perfect on its own and also an essential in many cocktails, mezcal Mezcal is just not simply made. It’s crafted and is soon becoming the new age gin.