You’re not mistaken if you think that mezcal is on the rise. Staits Research estimates that the global mezcal industry was worth USD 338.9 million in 2022, and will reach USD 2115.9 million by 2031. This market is expected to grow at a 22.6% CAGR during the forecast period. North America is the biggest market for mezcal, which can be produced from more than 36 different species of Agave.
What is Mezcal?
Mezcal, in its broadest sense, is a spirit made from Agave ( maguey, in Spanish), which is grown in Mexico. Tequila, then, is a form of mezcal. We know, it isn’t very clear! While tequila is only made with one type of Agave (cultivated blue-weber agave), the mezcal plant can be either wild or farmed. The majority of mezcal comes from the espadin plant.
How is Mezcal Made
Mezcal can be made by roasting the massive core of the Agave, called the pina (or core), buried underground. Tequila doesn’t roast the Agave. The Agave is first roasted and then mashed into a pulp. It is then fermented with yeast and water. Sugars are then converted to alcohol, and it is distilled twice. It is then distilled into a joven mezcal (young mezcal), which is a clear spirit. Mezcal reposado can be aged from two months up to one year in wooden or steel barrels. To create mezcal aejo, it must be aged longer than a full year to give it a deeper caramel colour. Farmers in Mexican villages make many mezcals in small batches. Still, in recent years, a number of American companies have built large factories to produce the spirit on an industrial scale.
Mezcal Tasting Notes
Mezcals are usually roasted and have a spicy, smoky flavour. However, since the laws for mezcal are more relaxed than those of tequila, there are many different types of mezcal. Some mezcals can taste bright, while others may be herby. This is because of the agave variety, as well as the soil where the mezcal was grown. Mezcal is a good quality liquor that can be enjoyed neat or in cocktails like margaritas and negronis. The mezcal that you choose is important, whether you are sipping it straight or mixing it into a cocktail. We did the dirty work to determine which mezcals are available right now in the U.S..
Ten Great Mezcals You Must Try
1. Tres Papalote Mezcal Wild Cupreata
This mezcal is unique because it uses the cupreata wild agave (instead of the espadin, which is usually farmed) and a family recipe. This completely handcrafted mezcal has a rich and smooth flavour with an herbaceous, citrus, and lightly smoked accent. Tres Papalote may be best known for being associated with Cheech Marin, the star of Cheech and Chong. Cheech is both a partner and an ambassador for this brand. The colourful image on this bottle comes from Cheech Marin’s art collection.
2. Montelobos Ensamble
Ensambled mezcal is a mixture of different types of Agave. Montelobos Tobala is made with 53% agave Cupreata and 35% maguey. Montelobos Mezcal is a mescalero, which is Ivan Saldana’s creation. He met with the Alva family of Puebla, who grow agaves and supply the plants to this mezcal. This mezcal is fruity and has a light smoke. It also has leathery notes. Montelobos uses only farmed Agave and never wild Agave. It also partners with the Wolf Conservation Centre, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to conserving wolf populations in North America.
3. Sombra Mezcal Joven
Sombra Mezcal Joven has a smooth taste with a fruity, spicy and smoky aroma. It has a citrus note that warms up the palate. This single-village mezcal, founded by Richard Betts, uses sustainable distillation techniques. The organically grown espadin maguey pias are roasted over hot rocks in earthen pits and then crushed with a solar-powered limestone mill (tahona) before being fermented using native yeast. Since 2017, Sombra has been produced by a single palenque owned by the company, where the agaves grow organically at 8,000 feet in the Oaxacan mountains. This imparts a unique terroir. The company has also launched the Sombra Adobe brick Project. This Project uses spent agave fibres to make upcycled bricks, which are used to build homes in Mexico for those who need them.
4. Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas
Del Maguey, founded in 1995 as one of the very first organic mezcals outside of Mexico by Ron Cooper, was the first to name each product after the village where the mezcal was produced. Each expression is created by family palenqueros from Mexican villages, and named after the town. Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas is a product of the high mountain village of Santo Domingo Albarradas in Oaxaca. It’s perched near a lush cloud forest. This Agave, called espadin, is naturally fermented in copper stills and then twice distilled. It has a tropical taste, with a light aroma and a lot of citrus notes. There is also some salinity, which gives it a dry finish, as well as a lingering, smoky aftertaste.
5. Mezcal Anejo Illegal
Ilegal Mezcal Anejo barrels are aged for 13 months to achieve the perfect taste. They can be used in new American oak barrels with medium char. The anejo, which is richer and softer than the reposado, has maple, clove and dark chocolate flavours with a hint of orange. Ilegal was founded in 2005 by John Rexer. All expressions are made by Alvaro & Armando Hernandez, using espadin roasted over mesquite & eucalyptus. Gilbert Marquez, brand ambassador of Ilegal.
6. Mezcal Union Uno
Mezcal Union Uno, made from wild Cirial and Espadin Agave grown in Oaxaca, is herbaceous and sweet with fruity notes (pears and apples), and a woody, smoky taste. It’s great for cocktails. Union is a collective of several mezcal-producing families, each with generations of experience. Pedro Hernandez is the mescalero master, but a collective of Oaxacan family members makes every bottle.
7. Mezcal Amaras Espadin Reposado
Mezcal Amaras Espadin Reposado, an excellent entry-level Mezcal, is smooth and soft, with aromas of oak and smoke, as well as strong notes of caramel, sugar and roasted hazelnut on the palate. It also has a hint of pineapple. The reposado has a beautiful golden colour because it was aged in barrels of lightly charred French or American Oak for three months. The mezcal, which six producers make from San Juan del Rio and other towns in Oaxaca, is committed to sustainability. Meet Othon Caales Albarran Mezcal Amaras.
8. Rey Campero
This highly respected brand has so many expressions that we couldn’t choose which one was our favourite. The Sanchez family has been producing mezcal at Candelaria Yegole, in the foothills of the Oaxacan Sierra, for four generations. The family grows more than 10 agave varieties, including Tobala, Cuishe, Tepextate, Mexicano, Espadin, Cuishe and Arroqueno. Many of these are made into single-agave expressions or limited edition ensembles. Pechuga is another product they make. It’s made with quail, pineapple, banana and corn cobs that are grilled on top of the pina. This ancient process was reserved for holidays.
9. Pierde Almas Tobala
The wild tobala plants grown in San Baltazar take 12 years to reach maturity. This mezcal is sweet and floral, with vegetal notes from fresh Agave and herbs, as well as hints of clove and marshmallow. Jonathan Barbieri founded this brand, which Diageo acquired in 2018.
10. Salmiana, the Lost Explorer
The Lost Explorer is a collection of four expressions made with a single agave. As the name suggests, this one is made from maguey, a less smoky variety. This mezcal is herb-forward, with notes like watermelon and grapefruit. It also has a hint of green chilli. Don Fortino Ramos is The Lost Explorer’s master mescalero. He has spent the last 40 years perfecting the art and science of mezcal distillation. Ramos personally selects each Agave in the palenque located in Oaxaca’s Valles Centrales. For each wild Agave they harvest, they plant three new ones.
