Mezcal and Tequila: A Guide to Mexico's Spirits

Tequila and mezcal are both agave spirits with Denomination of Origin protections - but they are not the same product. Understanding the difference makes the experience of drinking either significantly more interesting, and Mexico is the only place in the world to experience both at source.

The basics

Both tequila and mezcal are distilled from agave - a succulent plant native to Mexico. The agave hearts (piñas) are harvested, cooked, crushed, fermented, and distilled. The crucial differences are in the species of agave used, the cooking method, and the geography.

Tequila: Can only be made from blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber azul), grown primarily in Jalisco and specific municipalities in four other states (Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Tamaulipas). Production is heavily regulated and largely industrialised - the major brands (José Cuervo, Sauza, Patrón) produce in volume. Blue agave takes 6–8 years to mature.

Mezcal: Can be made from 40+ varieties of agave, primarily in Oaxaca (which produces approximately 85% of all mezcal), with permitted production in Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Michoacán, Puebla, and several other states. Production ranges from large-scale industrial to entirely artisanal - made in small batches in remote villages using methods that have not changed in centuries.

The word “mezcal” comes from the Nahuatl metl (agave) and ixcalli (cooked). Tequila is technically a type of mezcal - but commercially and legally they are treated as separate categories.

Why mezcal tastes different from tequila

The cooking method

The defining characteristic of traditional mezcal is the pit-roasting process: agave piñas are roasted in underground pits (hornos) lined with volcanic rock for 3–5 days. This slow underground roasting caramelises the agave sugars and imparts the characteristic smoky flavour. Tequila, by contrast, steams the agave in above-ground brick ovens or autoclaves (pressure cookers) - a faster, cleaner process that produces a lighter, less smoky spirit.

Agave diversity

Tequila uses one agave species. Mezcal uses dozens, each producing a spirit with a completely different flavour profile:

Agave variety	Maturation	Flavour notes
Espadín	6–8 years	The most common mezcal agave. Smooth, sweet, moderate smoke
Tobalá	12–15 years	Wild agave. Floral, complex, fruity. Often expensive
Tepeztate	25–35 years	Wild. Vegetal, mineral, intensely complex
Arroqueño	15–25 years	Large piña. Rich, sweet, earthy
Madrecuixe	10–15 years	Herbal, citrus, green
Cuishe	10–14 years	Mineral, clean, structured

The wild agave varieties (tobalá, tepeztate) cannot be cultivated - they grow on hillsides and in difficult terrain, are harvested by hand, and take decades to mature. This scarcity explains the price difference: a bottle of espadín mezcal costs approximately MXN $300–600, while a tobalá or tepeztate may cost MXN $1,500–4,000 or more.

Production categories

Mexican law defines three categories of mezcal production:

• Mezcal: The broadest category. May use modern equipment and methods
• Mezcal Artesanal: Traditional methods - pit-roasted, stone-ground (with a tahona or mano de piedra), copper or clay pot distilled. The minimum standard for quality-focused drinkers
• Mezcal Ancestral: The most traditional. Clay pot distillation only (no copper stills). The rarest and most labour-intensive. Produced in very small quantities

How to drink mezcal

Straight, at room temperature, in small sips. Mezcal glasses are small (typically 2–3 oz jícaras or copitas) because the spirit is meant to be sipped slowly and contemplatively. The tradition is “kiss the mezcal” - touch the liquid to your lips, breathe in the aroma, and take a small sip. Let it sit on your tongue before swallowing.

Do not shoot mezcal - this wastes the complexity that took decades of agave growth and days of production to create.

Accompaniments: Some traditions hold that sliced orange with sal de gusano (worm salt - ground dried maguey larva mixed with chile and salt) should accompany mezcal, particularly espadín. This is a genuine regional custom, not a tourist gimmick. The salt enhances the smoke and sweetness.

A mezcal flight (vuelo de mezcal) in an Oaxacan mezcalería lets you compare different agave species and production methods side by side - the most efficient way to understand the range. Flights typically include 3–4 mezcals and cost approximately MXN $150–400 depending on the rarities included.

Where to experience mezcal

Oaxaca City mezcalerías

The best place in the world to drink mezcal - bars stock single-village, single-agave mezcals from small producers, many of which are never exported:

Bar	Location	Notes	Flight price
In Situ	Morelos 511	Most knowledgeable staff, extensive collection	~MXN $150–300
Mezcaloteca	Reforma 506	Educational tastings, appointment recommended	~MXN $250 guided
Los Amantes	Alcalá 503	Upscale, good food pairings	~MXN $200–400
El Cortijo	Reforma 512	Casual, local crowd, great value	~MXN $100–200
Archivo Maguey	Porfirio Díaz	Research-focused, rare bottles	~MXN $200–350

Matatlán, Oaxaca (distillery visits)

Santiago Matatlán (30 km southeast of Oaxaca City, approximately MXN $30 by colectivo from the second-class terminal) is the self-proclaimed “world capital of mezcal.” Small and medium palenques (distilleries) line the road through the valley. Most welcome visitors informally - turn up and ask. The production process is visible at every stage: the horno (earthen pit) where agave roasts for days, the tahona (stone wheel drawn by a horse) that crushes the cooked agave, the fermentation vats (wooden or stone), and the copper or clay pot stills.

Free tastings are standard. Buying a bottle directly from the producer (approximately MXN $200–600 for espadín, MXN $800–3,000+ for wild agave varieties) ensures authenticity and supports the maker directly.

Organised tours from Oaxaca City to Matatlán cost approximately MXN $500–1,200 per person (half day) and typically visit 2–3 palenques with guided tastings and transport included.

Tequila, Jalisco (for tequila)

The town of Tequila (1.5 hours from Guadalajara by bus, approximately MXN $80–120) is the heartland of tequila production:

• José Cuervo (La Rojeña distillery, the oldest in Mexico, tours approximately MXN $200–600): the commercial experience - polished, well-produced, good for understanding industrial-scale tequila production
• Fortaleza (tours approximately MXN $300–500): a family-owned distillery using traditional tahona methods. The tequila is exceptional and the tour gives genuine insight into artisanal production. Advance booking recommended
• G4 / Terralta (limited tours): small-batch production, highly regarded by tequila enthusiasts

The Tequila Express tourist train from Guadalajara (approximately MXN $1,500–2,500 including tastings, music, and food) is a more festive way to visit - mariachi, unlimited tequila, and a distillery tour.

The surrounding agave landscape (the blue agave fields stretching across the hillsides) is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape - one of the most striking agricultural sights in Mexico.

Buying to take home

Mezcal: 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. Check the label for the specific agave variety, producer name, village of origin, and alcohol content. Quality mezcal ranges from 42–55% ABV.

Tequila: Buying at source in Tequila or at airports in Guadalajara and Mexico City is cheaper than imported prices. Look for 100% agave on the label - mixto tequila (which can contain up to 49% non-agave sugar) is the cheap stuff to avoid. Blanco (unaged) shows the purest agave flavour; reposado (2–12 months in oak) adds smoothness; añejo (1–3 years in oak) is richer but the agave character recedes.

Duty-free limits: Most countries allow 1–3 litres. Check before purchasing. Pack bottles in checked luggage, well-wrapped. Mexican airports sell mezcal and tequila at duty-free shops, but prices are higher than buying in Oaxaca or Tequila town - buy at source and carry it with you.

Book a Mezcal Distillery or Tequila Tour

Reading the label on a bottle of tobalá is not the same as watching the agave harvested from a hillside, roasted in a pit for three days, and distilled in a clay pot at a family palenque in Matatlán. Guided mezcal distillery tours from Oaxaca City to the Valles Centrales cover two or three palenques over a half day, explaining the distinction between espadín, tobalá, and ancestral agave varieties through side-by-side tastings that make the differences tangible. For tequila, the Tequila Express train from Guadalajara combines a distillery visit to the agave fields near the town of Tequila with mariachi and included tastings — the most enjoyable way to understand industrial-scale production in contrast to Oaxacan artisanal methods. Browse mezcal tours in Oaxaca or tequila tours from Guadalajara for current options.

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• Oaxaca City Travel Guide

• Guadalajara Travel Guide

• Mexico City Travel Guide

• Guanajuato Travel Guide

• Puebla Travel Guide