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Is Mezcal the same as Tequila?

When ordering a drink we have our certain known liquors right? Tequila, Vodka, Run, bourbon, whiskey, scotch, etc. Right? Well what about mezcal? Most of us have never heard of mezcal or maybe have, but just have never tried it. So what is mezcal and where did it come from? When trying mezcal we recommend that you try out up and coming mezcal producer rosaluna, as their mezcals are oh so good you’ll keep wanting to make those yummy mezcal margaritas. 

Strong Mexican roots

Mezcal comes from mexicali and means oven cooked agave. Mezcal is mostly made in Oaxaca Mexico, but can also be made in San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Durango, Guanajuato, Zacatecas. There is a saying about mezcal that is “para toda mal, mezcal, y para todo bien , tambien”. which means for everything bad, mezcal, as for everything good also. Back in the days of the Spanish conquest, the conquistadors started to experiment with the agave plant to see what they could all do with it. The result that came out of it was mezcal. It has been used by many cultures throughout history including the Aztecs. In fact, there were so many different types of mezcal that people had no idea where one type ended and another began. So when someone says something like “Mexican mezcal” or even “tequila mezca”, these two words mean completely different. But if you know anything about mezcal, you will understand this statement. A lot of things go into making a great mezcal. Some say that it’s very sweet while others. Others say it’s spicy. And others say it’s just right. You need to add other ingredients to make an (onions, garlic, cumin, jalapote, cilantro, salt, vinegar, lemon juice, chipotle de coco, etc. etc.)

Mezcal vs Tequila

You may not know, but yes mezcal and tequila are related. They are both made from agave. A plant that you can find in South America. When an agave plant matures it creates a “pina.” or heart in the center of the plant where the juice comes from. We are going to look at the differences between mezcal and tequila.

Production- While the geographic location to production of mezcal and tequila are a bit similar, mezcal is produced in nine different area of mexico which include Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Puebla and Oaxaca, which is where nearly 85percent of all mezcal is made. As where tequila is produced in 5 different areas Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Tamaulipas and Jalisco, which is where the actual town of Tequila is located.

So what is the difference in their production? Mezcal and tequila are both created from the harvested core of the agave plant. Although tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave in industrial ovens before being distilled two to three times in copper pots, Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots.

Taste factor- The main difference between tequila and mezcal is in the taste. Mezcal is much sweeter than tequila. The reason for this is because the agave plant is much more sweet than tequila. Also , tequila is made from the fermented juice of the agave plant while mezcal is made from the raw agave juice.

We hope that you were able to get some ideas about how mezcal and tequila are different although they are cousins they have their own similarities. We recommend getting a group of friends together and trying out a delicious mezcal drink or several! Just remember to always drink responsibly and have fun!

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