Mezcal, the pride of Oaxaca

What's Mezcal?

Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage that, like tequila, is made from the agave plant. But where tequila is only made from the blue agave, mezcal can be made from up to 30 varieties. Depending on the type of agave used, it can take 8 to 25 years for a plant to ripen. Mezcal has a high alcohol percentage and a predominantly smoky taste.

The drink can be divided into 4 categories:

• Blanco: this mezcal is bottled for consumption immediately after the distillation process. The drink is colourless and you can taste light citrus aromas;
• Reposado: after the distillation process, the mezcal is kept in oak barrels for at least 2 months. The colour is yellowish or golden and you will find hints of cinnamon in the taste;
• Añejo: this mezcal is aged for at least a year in wooden barrels. The drink has a brown color and you taste notes of coffee, chocolate and vanilla;
• Oro: this kind of mezcal is made for tourists, so you should never taste it.

My trip through the land of the Mezcal

Last December I visited both the city and the state of Oaxaca and although there is a lot more to do, Mezcal should not be missed during a tour of Oaxaca.

Mezcal tasting in a Mezcaleria

In Oaxaca we had a mezcal tasting in one of the many mezcalerias. We visited a small mezcaleria that specializes in local and artisanal brews that are still produced in the traditional way. Here we got more information about the production process and in the meantime, there were three small glasses with different types for us to taste. We got a mezcal of 5 to 8 years old, the other one was made from a wild agave that grows for about 25 years. The last one was a mezcal in a barrel which was covered with cowhide during the second distillation round for an extra smoky taste. It was a nice experience to learn more about this drink in this way.

A visit to a Mezcal farmer

The next day we were on our way to Hierve el Agua (a hot spring that has created waterfalls of lime over the years) when we drove past a local mezcal brewery. The terrain looked out over a valley where the agave is collected for the mezcal. Truly a beautiful place. When we drove onto the terrain, we were warmly welcomed by four tough Mexican mezcal farmers.

What's a good Mezcal?

As with other drinks, you have mezcal of good quality, but also of poor quality. If you want to try this drink once, make sure you buy a mezcal that meets the following requirements for the right quality:

• Mezcal with 100% agave is the best, other types have additives and that is not the intention for a drink like mezcal. It should be as pure and natural as possible;
• The alcohol percentage should be between 36 and 55%;
• The label must state the state of origin and the type of agave used;
• Finally, a mezcal certified by the Mexican government has a unique NOM number on the bottle. When the NOM number is followed by a code with an O, you know that this mezcal is produced in the state of Oaxaca.