MEZCAL
Mezcal is a Mexican agave spirit, and the broad family that tequila belongs to — the old saying goes "all tequila is technically mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila." Where tequila uses one agave and steam ovens, mezcal can be made from dozens of agave species and roasts the hearts in underground wood-fired pits, which is where its smoke comes from. It is centred on Oaxaca, made mostly as unaged joven, and governed by its own council, the CRM, under NOM-070. This is the home for mezcal in the vault; for its blue-agave cousin, see our tequila pages.
- A Mexican agave spirit, traditionally pit-roasted — the broad family that includes tequila.
- Made from dozens of agave species (espadín is ≈90%), unlike tequila's blue Weber only.
- The smoke comes from roasting the agave in underground wood-fired pits.
- From a nine-state Denomination of Origin, with Oaxaca the heartland; certified by the CRM under NOM-070.
- Three production categories: Mezcal · Artesanal · Ancestral.
- 100% agave, most often unaged (joven), often bottled at ≈45–48% ABV.
Two things set mezcal apart from tequila: the plant and the fire. Mezcal can be distilled from any of dozens of agave species — cultivated espadín most of all, plus wild tobalá, tepeztate and madrecuixe — where tequila is restricted to blue Weber. And the agave hearts are roasted in underground pits over wood and hot stones, which gives mezcal its smoke; tequila steams its agave in ovens instead. How that's done is written into law as three categories — Mezcal, Artesanal and Ancestral — from more industrial to strictly clay-pot traditional. Smoke level, worth knowing, is a style choice, not a measure of quality.
Most mezcal is bottled joven — unaged — and often at a higher proof than tequila, so the agave and smoke stay front and centre. The tradition is to sip it neat and slowly at room temperature rather than shoot or mix it, letting the agave, the smoke and the maker's method show. The label usually names the agave and the state, which is the best guide to what's in the glass. For the steam-cooked, blue-agave side of the family, compare our tequila collection, or see what's pouring most.
What Defines Mezcal
| The spirit | |
| Agave | Any of dozens of species — espadín ≈90%, plus wild tobalá, tepeztate, madrecuixe (vs tequila's blue Weber only) |
| Roasting | Traditionally underground wood-fired pits → the smoke (ovens/autoclaves allowed for the industrial category) |
| Origin | Nine-state Denomination of Origin, Oaxaca the heartland; CRM/NOM-070 certified |
| Categories | Mezcal · Mezcal Artesanal · Mezcal Ancestral (legal production-method tiers) |
| Make-up & strength | |
| Spirit | 100% agave (no "mixto" category as in tequila) |
| Aging | Most often joven (unaged); reposado and añejo exist but are less common |
| ABV | NOM range 35–55%; often bottled ≈45–48% (higher than tequila) |
| Label | Names the agave species, state, category and lot number under the CRM |
Mezcal is the agave family's wilder, smokier branch — for its blue-agave cousin and the aging ladder, see the tequila category.
Collector Note
Mezcal's interest sits with the agave and the maker: single-village and single-agave bottlings, wild varieties like tobalá or tepeztate that take decades to mature, and Ancestral production distilled in clay pots. Because most mezcal is unaged, what's in the glass is the agave, the roast and the still — there's nowhere to hide. The marks worth reading are the agave species, the state, the production category and a CRM/NOM number; condition still matters, so store bottles upright, cool and out of direct light. A bottled mezcal does not change with time the way a barrel-aged spirit would.
How Mezcal Is Made
Mezcal begins with mature agave — often grown or foraged over many years — whose hearts, or piñas, are harvested and roasted. In the artisanal and ancestral traditions this is done in conical underground pits lined with hot stones and wood, where days of roasting both convert the agave's starches to sugar and lend the smoke mezcal is known for. The roasted agave is then crushed — by a stone tahona, a mill, or in the ancestral method a wooden mallet — fermented (often with wild yeast in wood, stone or clay), and distilled, in copper or, for ancestral mezcal, wood-fired clay pots. NOM-070 sorts this into three categories — Mezcal, Artesanal and Ancestral — by how traditional the method is, and the CRM certifies the result, with the agave species, state and category shown on the label.
Authentication & Vault Preservation
Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authorized, authentic retailer, vault-stored and insured under controlled conditions, shipped with protective handling and age-verified 21-and-over signature on delivery, and authenticated by our concierge before it ships — including a check that each tequila carries a NOM number and, where stated, the "100% agave" mark. For the details, see the provenance and authenticity checks, secure vault storage and concierge, and how we ship and store.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between mezcal and tequila?
Both are Mexican agave spirits — the old line is that "all tequila is technically mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila," though today they're governed as separate Denominations of Origin. Tequila must be made from blue Weber agave, mostly in Jalisco, with the agave steam-cooked in ovens; mezcal can be made from dozens of agave species, is centred on Oaxaca and eight other states, and roasts the agave in underground wood-fired pits — which is where its signature smoke comes from. They also answer to different regulators: the CRT and NOM-006 for tequila, the CRM and NOM-070 for mezcal.
Why is mezcal smoky, and how should I drink it?
The smoke comes from roasting the agave hearts in earthen pits over wood and hot stones before fermenting and distilling — a step tequila skips. Smoke level is a production choice rather than a mark of quality: espadín tends smokier, while some agaves stay savoury and herbal. Most mezcal is bottled joven (unaged) and often at a higher proof than tequila, so the agave and smoke lead; it's traditionally sipped neat and slow, at room temperature, with the agave and state usually named on the label.
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