How Is Mezcal Made? 5 Mezcal Cocktails

Mezcal is a distilled spirit produced in Mexico made from the fermented juice of agave plants. Mezcal is known for its distinct smoky flavor. Mezcal is similar to tequila because both are made from agave plants, but there are differences in production (mezcal ferments in the agave heart, while tequila doesn’t), region (mezcal can be made in many more regions than tequila), and taste (mezcal is smoky, while tequila has a clean taste).

Mezcal can be made from a number of kinds of agave, including espadín, tobalá, tobaziche, tepeztate, and arroqueño. As stipulated by the Denomination of Origin for Mezcal—which is an geographical indication certifying that this product possesses certain qualities—mezcal can be legally made in nine Mexican states: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Zacatecas, San Luís Potosí, Tamaulipas, Durango, and Puebla.

Mezcal’s origins can be traced back to around the year 250, when the Incas would use the juices of the maguey plant, a cousin of the agave, to make an undistilled alcoholic beverage called pulque. The Spanish conquistadors began to distil the juices of the agave to make it into mezcal, when they arrived in the sixteenth century. The word “mezcal” comes from the Nahuatl word mexcalmetl, which means “oven cooked agave plant.” In the mid–twentieth century, distillers started including a worm at the bottom of the mezcal bottle, called a gusano, which became a well-known novelty around the world.

Modern mezcal production varies in its techniques, but the fundamental, traditional method for making mezcal involves four steps.

• Harvest the agave. The agave plant is harvested by cutting the outer leaves away from the heart of the agave plant—or the piña—which the palenques—or distillers—use to make mezcal.
• Cook the piña. The piñas are then roasted in an underground pit covered with hot rocks for several days. The long roasting time gives mezcal its smoky flavor.
• Ferment the agave juice in the piña husk. The piñas rest for up to a month, as the juice is left to ferment inside the piña husk.
• Distill the agave juice into Mezcal. The juices inside the piñas are distilled twice to create the final product of mezcal. Certain distilleries will also age their mezcal in barrels after distilling, which produces a darker spirit called añejo mezcal. Unaged or young (joven) mezcal will be clear (blanco).

Mezcal is great for adding some heat to these classic cocktails:

1. 1. Mezcal Margarita: This smoky take on the classic Margarita uses mezcal instead of tequila, which is then mixed with orange liqueur, freshly squeezed lime juice, and agave syrup to taste.
2. 2. Oaxaca Old fashioned: Use smoky mezcal to substitute the whiskey in a classic Old Fashioned, then add reposado tequila, agave syrup, and cocktail bitters to make this twist on the popular mid-century cocktail.
3. 3. Mezcal Mule: Add heat to a Moscow Mule by replacing the usual vodka with mezcal, and adding ginger ale, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
4. 4. Mezcal Sunset: Combine mezcal, sparkling wine, and orange juice to make this well-balanced, sweet and smoky cocktail, a take on the Tequila Sunrise.
5. 5. Paloma: While the Paloma is normally made with mezcal, you can certainly use mezcal to mix it up. This cocktail combines mezcal, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and agave syrup.

Learn more about mixology from award-winning bartenders Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana. Refine your palate, explore the world of spirits, and shake up the perfect cocktail for your next gathering with the MasterClass Annual Membership.