The Culture of Mezcal: From Oaxaca to British Bars

The Spirit That Smoke Built

If tequila is Mexico's most famous spirit, mezcal is its most fascinating. Where tequila is regulated, industrialised and globally distributed, mezcal remains - for the most part - artisanal, small-batch and deeply connected to the communities that produce it. Where tequila is made from a single variety of agave in a defined region, mezcal can be made from over 30 different agave species across nine Mexican states. And where tequila's flavour profile ranges from clean to oaky, mezcal opens up an entire universe of smoke, earth, fruit, mineral and floral complexity.

Over the past decade, mezcal has undergone one of the most remarkable transformations in the drinks world. It has gone from a spirit that most British people had never heard of to a fixture on the cocktail menus of London's best bars, with specialist mezcalerias opening across the country and premium bottles commanding prices that rival single malt whisky.

This is the story of how that happened, what mezcal actually is, and how to navigate the increasingly crowded mezcal market in Britain.

What Is Mezcal, Exactly?

Mezcal is any spirit distilled from the cooked hearts (pinas) of agave plants. Technically, tequila is a type of mezcal - it is mezcal made specifically from blue agave in designated regions. But when people say "mezcal," they generally mean the broader category of agave spirits produced using traditional methods, most notably the roasting of agave hearts in underground pit ovens, which gives mezcal its characteristic smoky flavour.

The production process is ancient and labour-intensive:

1. Harvesting: Wild or cultivated agave plants are harvested after 7-25 years of growth (depending on species). The leaves are cut away to reveal the pina.
2. Roasting: The pinas are placed in a conical pit dug into the earth, lined with hot rocks, covered with agave leaves and earth, and slow-roasted for 3-5 days. This underground roasting is what creates the smoky flavour - the agave caramelises and absorbs smoke from the wood and earth.
3. Crushing: The roasted pinas are crushed, traditionally using a tahona (stone wheel) pulled by a horse or donkey.
4. Fermentation: The crushed agave and its juices ferment naturally in wooden vats for 1-4 weeks, using wild yeasts from the environment.
5. Distillation: The fermented liquid is distilled twice in small copper or clay pot stills. Many producers use clay stills that have been in their families for generations.

Oaxaca: The Heartland

While mezcal is produced across Mexico, Oaxaca is its spiritual and commercial centre. The state produces approximately 90% of all mezcal, and the culture of mezcal production is woven into Oaxacan identity in ways that outsiders sometimes struggle to appreciate.

In Oaxacan villages, mezcal production is often a family affair stretching back generations. The mezcalero (mezcal maker) is a respected figure in the community, and the palenque (distillery - often a simple open-air setup) is a gathering place where decisions are made, stories are told, and community bonds are strengthened. Mezcal is served at births, weddings, funerals and fiestas. It is offered to the earth before building a house. It is medicine, celebration, and social glue.

This cultural context is important because it explains why many mezcal producers resist the industrialisation that has transformed tequila. For them, mezcal is not simply a product - it is an expression of place, family and tradition.

Types of Mezcal

Mexican regulation defines three categories of mezcal:

• Mezcal: The basic category, allowing industrial production methods.
• Mezcal Artesanal: Made using traditional methods - pit-roasted, stone-crushed, fermented in wood, distilled in copper or clay stills.
• Mezcal Ancestral: The most traditional category - pit-roasted, hand-crushed or tahona-crushed, fermented in stone, wood or earth, distilled in clay pot stills only.

For drinking quality and cultural authenticity, look for Artesanal or Ancestral on the label.

Understanding Agave Varieties

One of mezcal's greatest attractions is the diversity of agave species used:

• Espadin: The most common (about 80% of production). Cultivated, relatively quick-growing (7-8 years). Produces approachable, versatile mezcal with balanced smoke and sweetness. The best entry point.
• Tobala: Wild agave that grows in the shade of oak trees in mountainous terrain. Small pinas produce a mezcal of extraordinary complexity - floral, fruity, mineral. Limited quantities, premium prices.
• Tepextate: Wild agave that takes 25-30 years to mature, growing on rocky cliff faces. Produces mezcal with intense mineral and herbal character. Rare and expensive.
• Madrecuixe: Semi-wild agave with distinctive vegetal, green and slightly savoury character.
• Arroqueno: Large agave producing rich, full-bodied mezcal with notes of chocolate and tropical fruit.

How Mezcal Arrived in British Bars

Mezcal's journey to Britain began in London's cocktail bars around 2012-2014, when adventurous bartenders started using it as a smoky alternative to Scotch whisky or Islay peated whisky in cocktails. The combination of smoke, agave sweetness and citrus acidity proved irresistible in drinks like the Mezcal Negroni and the Oaxacan Old Fashioned.

By 2018, specialist mezcal bars had opened in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Today, you would struggle to find a serious cocktail bar anywhere in Britain that does not stock at least two or three mezcals. The UK has become one of the most important export markets for premium Mexican mezcal.

How to Drink Mezcal

Neat (The Traditional Way)

In Oaxaca, mezcal is sipped slowly from a small clay cup (copita) or a halved jicara gourd. The smoky aroma rises gently, and each sip reveals different layers of flavour. Good mezcal has a finish that evolves for 30 seconds or more.

To taste mezcal properly: pour a small measure into a wide-mouthed glass or copita. Kiss the surface of the mezcal with your lips to acclimatise your palate. Take a small sip and let it rest on your tongue. Breathe out gently through your nose. Notice the smoke, the sweetness, the fruit, the mineral notes.

With Orange and Sal de Gusano

A traditional Oaxacan accompaniment: slices of orange dusted with sal de gusano (worm salt - a mixture of ground chilli, sea salt and dried agave worm). The sweet-salty-spicy orange between sips of smoky mezcal is extraordinary. Sal de gusano is available from Mexican shops in the UK and online.

In Cocktails

Classic mezcal cocktails include:

• Mezcal Margarita: 50ml mezcal, 25ml lime juice, 20ml agave syrup, 15ml Cointreau. Shake with ice, strain into a salt-rimmed glass.
• Oaxacan Old Fashioned: 45ml mezcal, 15ml reposado tequila, 5ml agave syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Stir with ice, strain over a large ice cube.
• Mezcal Negroni: 30ml mezcal, 30ml Campari, 30ml sweet vermouth. Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Where to Buy Mezcal in the UK

• Specialist retailers: The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt and Amathus Drinks stock excellent ranges of artisanal mezcal.
• Supermarkets: Waitrose carries a small selection. Tesco and Sainsbury's have begun stocking entry-level mezcal.
• Mexican shops: Some Mexican shops in Britain stock mezcals not found elsewhere.

For food to pair with mezcal - and mezcal pairs magnificently with food, particularly grilled meats, mole and chocolate - explore our recipe collection. For mezcal-focused bars and Mexican restaurants in the UK, check our restaurant guide.

The Sustainability Question

Mezcal's growing popularity has raised important sustainability concerns. Wild agave species - tobala, tepextate, madrecuixe - take decades to mature and are being harvested at rates that may not be sustainable. Some species are already under pressure, with wild populations declining in parts of Oaxaca.

Responsible mezcal brands are addressing this through cultivation programmes, replanting initiatives and sustainable harvesting practices. As a consumer, you can contribute by:

• Choosing espadin mezcal (cultivated, not wild) for everyday drinking
• Saving wild-agave mezcals for special occasions and drinking them slowly
• Looking for brands that communicate their sustainability practices
• Being willing to pay fair prices - extremely cheap mezcal often indicates unsustainable production

The mezcal industry is at a crossroads: the same international demand that provides income for rural Mexican communities also threatens the agave ecosystems that mezcal depends on. Drinking mezcal thoughtfully - appreciating the decades of growth that went into each bottle, sipping rather than shooting, choosing producers who respect the land - is the best way to enjoy this extraordinary spirit while ensuring its future.

Pairing Mezcal with Food

Mezcal is a magnificent food pairing spirit, particularly with Mexican cuisine. The smokiness of mezcal complements grilled meats, mole sauces, charred vegetables and chocolate-based desserts beautifully. Some suggested pairings:

• Espadin joven with ceviche: The bright agave notes and gentle smoke complement the citrus-cured fish
• Espadin joven with tacos al pastor: Smoke meets smoke, with the pineapple in the al pastor echoing fruity notes in the mezcal
• Tobala with mole negro: Two of Oaxaca's greatest creations, each complex enough to match the other
• Aged espadin with dark chocolate: The vanilla and oak from barrel ageing harmonise with cocoa

For Mexican food to pair with your mezcal explorations, browse our recipe collection. For mezcal-focused dining experiences, discover Mexican restaurants and bars across Britain.

The world of mezcal is deep, rewarding and endlessly surprising. Every bottle tells the story of a specific plant, a specific producer, a specific place and a specific moment in time. No two batches of artisanal mezcal are identical - even from the same producer, using the same agave variety, the flavour varies with the season, the weather, the wood used for roasting and a hundred other variables. This unpredictability is, for mezcal lovers, its greatest charm.