Tequila vs Mezcal: What's the Difference?
The short answer: tequila is made from one agave variety, blue Weber agave, in a defined area centred on Jalisco. Mezcal can be made from many agave varieties, mostly in Oaxaca and other designated states, and the agave is traditionally roasted in earth pits, which gives many mezcals their smoky character.
Agave: one variety or many
Tequila must be made from Agave tequilana Weber, blue variety. Mezcal can use dozens of agave species. EspadΓn is the most widely used, and it is the agave behind 400 Conejos EspadΓn Joven.
Where they are made
Tequila's protected designation of origin covers Jalisco and named municipalities in Guanajuato, MichoacΓ‘n, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. Mezcal has its own designation of origin, covering Oaxaca, where most mezcal is made, and several other Mexican states.
How the agave is cooked
To turn agave starch into fermentable sugar, the harvested hearts (piΓ±as) are cooked. Most tequila is cooked in above-ground ovens or autoclaves, giving a cleaner, cooked-agave flavour; 818 Tequila, for example, uses traditional brick ovens. Traditional mezcal is roasted in stone-lined earth pits over wood. 400 Conejos, for example, roasts its espadΓn in a stone pit oven and crushes it with a horse-drawn tahona.
Is mezcal always smoky?
Often, but not always, and not equally. Smoke depends on the producer, the agave and how long it roasts. If you are new to mezcal, a joven (young, unaged) espadΓn is a good first bottle.
Reading the label
- Blanco / joven: unaged or very briefly rested.
- Reposado: rested in oak for at least two months and less than a year.
- AΓ±ejo: aged in oak for at least a year.
- 100% agave: on tequila, this means no other sugars were used. Tequila labelled only 'tequila' may contain up to 49% sugars from other sources.
What about the worm?
A larva in the bottle is a marketing tradition associated with some mezcals. It has never been part of tequila, and it says nothing about quality.
Which should you try?
- For Margaritas and Palomas: a blanco tequila such as 818 Blanco or Casamigos Blanco.
- For sipping tequila: a reposado or aΓ±ejo, such as Clase Azul Reposado or Casamigos AΓ±ejo.
- For your first mezcal: 400 Conejos EspadΓn Joven or Casamigos Mezcal; try a smoky mezcal Margarita too.
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