Mezcal and Tequila: A Guide to Mexico's Spirits

Tequila and mezcal are both agave spirits with Denomination of Origin protections — but they’re not the same product. Understanding the difference makes the experience of drinking either significantly more interesting.

The basics

Both tequila and mezcal are distilled from agave — a succulent plant native to Mexico. The agave hearts (piñas) are harvested, cooked, fermented, and distilled. The crucial difference is:

Tequila: can only be made from blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber azul), in Jalisco and specific permitted municipalities in four other states. Production is heavily regulated and largely industrialised.

Mezcal: can be made from 40+ varieties of agave, primarily in Oaxaca (85%+ of production), with permitted production in Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, and several other states. Production ranges from industrial to entirely artisanal (made in small batches in remote villages using traditional methods).

The word “mezcal” means “cooked agave” in Nahuatl. Tequila is technically a type of mezcal — but commercially and legally they’re treated as separate categories.

Why mezcal tastes different from tequila

The defining characteristic of traditional mezcal is the cooking method: agave piñas are roasted in underground pits lined with volcanic rock, which imparts a smoky character. This is not present in tequila, where the agave is steam-cooked in ovens.

Additionally, the diversity of agave species used in mezcal produces a much wider range of flavour profiles than blue agave alone. Tobalá (a wild agave that takes 15+ years to mature), tepeztate (25+ years), and arroqueño each produce spirits with completely different flavour characters.

How to drink mezcal

Straight, at room temperature, in small sips. Mezcal glasses are small (2–3 oz) because the spirit is meant to be sipped slowly. The tradition is “sip, not shoot.”

Some traditions hold that sliced orange with worm salt (sal de gusano — ground dried larva) should accompany mezcal, particularly espadín. This is a genuine regional custom, not a tourist gimmick.

A mezcal flight in a Oaxacan bar lets you compare different agave species and production methods side by side — an efficient way to understand the range.

Where to experience mezcal

Matatlán, Oaxaca (30 km southeast of Oaxaca City): the self-proclaimed “world capital of mezcal.” Small and medium palenques (distilleries) throughout the valley. Most welcome visitors; it’s informal — turn up and ask. The process (pit roasting, stone milling, fermentation, distillation) is visible at every stage.

Oaxaca City bars: bars on Calle Macedonio Alcalá and nearby streets stock single-village, single-agave mezcals from small producers — many of which aren’t exported. This is where you’ll find tobalá and tepeztate.

Tequila, Jalisco (for tequila): the Cuervo and Herradura distilleries offer formal tours. Smaller producers like G4 and Fortaleza are also visitable and give a more complete picture of artisanal production.

Buying to take home

Mezcal: duty-free limits apply (typically 1–3 litres for most countries). Small-producer mezcal from Matatlán or Oaxaca city shops is significantly cheaper than the same product bought internationally. Look for mezcal artesanal (traditional methods) rather than mezcal industrial.

Tequila: similarly, buying at source in Tequila or at airports in Guadalajara/Mexico City is cheaper than imported prices. Tequila Fortaleza and Siete Leguas are among the most respected mid-range options available at duty-free prices.