What does mezcal taste like?
Mezcal tastes smoky and earthy, like tequila that sat by a campfire, with roasted agave sweetness, a peppery bite and sometimes a wild, funky or fruity edge.
Mezcal
smoky, earthy agave
Mezcal is a Mexican spirit made from agave, the spiky plant tequila also comes from. The difference is the cooking: mezcal makers roast the agave hearts in earth pits over wood, which soaks them in smoke. So you taste smoke first, then roasted, slightly sweet agave, then something earthy, mineral or even funky. Some mezcals are gentle and fruity; others taste like a campfire. Many are made in small batches in Oaxaca from different wild agaves, so bottles vary a lot. Sip it slowly: it's often 40 to 50% alcohol.
Where you’ll see it
In smoky margaritas, mezcal Negronis, Oaxaca old fashioneds and the Naked and Famous, as a smoky swap in almost any tequila drink, and sipped neat, traditionally with orange slices and a chili salt.
Order it if you like smoky things like Scotch, barbecue or chipotle, and want a margarita with more going on.
Quick questions
- Is mezcal the same as tequila?
- Tequila is technically a type of mezcal, made only from blue agave and usually steamed. Most mezcal roasts its agave in pits, so it tastes smoky where tequila is clean.
- Is mezcal stronger than tequila?
- Usually a little. Most tequila is bottled at 40%, while many mezcals sit between 40% and 50%.