Cocktails with Mezcal
Mezcal is a Mexican agave spirit, made from dozens of agave species, far more than tequila’s single blue agave, under its own denomination of origin. In the traditional styles its signature is smoke: the agave hearts are roasted in earth-and-stone pits before fermenting and distilling, and that fire is what you taste.
ABV35–55%And the traditional ones run strong — a good mezcal is often 45–48%, which carries its smoke and agave through a cocktail without thinning out.
Substitutes for Mezcal
Tequila blanco is the nearest swap, one for one, though the drink loses its smoke. For some smoke back, replace a barspoon of the tequila with peated Scotch, though the smoke will be peat rather than wood. Where mezcal is only a small accent, it can be left out or replaced with tequila.
Blue agave only, usually cooked in ovens or autoclaves instead of pits.
On the label
- Espadín / Tobalá / ensamble
- The agave. Espadín is the common, cultivated one (approachable, affordable); wild agaves like tobalá grow slower and cost more; "ensamble" is a blend of several.
- Artesanal / Ancestral
- How it’s made, under NOM-070: "artesanal" allows a tahona or mill and clay or copper pot stills; "ancestral" is the oldest way — clay pot only, with the agave fibers left in during distillation. Plain "mezcal" permits industrial methods, and far less smoke.
