Mezcal vs Tequila: Differences, How to Drink Them and Where to Buy Them

"All tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila." This phrase is the foundation for understanding the relationship between Mexico's two most famous spirits. And yet most people outside Mexico (and many within it) do not know the fundamental differences between the two. Mezcal is enjoying a worldwide boom, European cocktail bars have embraced it enthusiastically, and in Spain you increasingly see bottles in specialist shops. It is the perfect moment to understand what you are drinking.

What is mezcal?

Mezcal is an agave distillate - any species of agave. It is produced mainly in Oaxaca (90% of production), although it is also made in Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí and other Mexican states. The word "mezcal" comes from the Nahuatl "mexcalli", which means "cooked agave".

What sets mezcal apart is its artisanal production method: the agave is cooked in conical earthen pits dug into the ground, which gives it that characteristic smoky flavour. It is then crushed (traditionally with a stone tahona pulled by a horse or donkey), fermented in wooden vats and distilled in clay or copper stills.

Mezcal can be made from more than 40 different species of agave (espadín, tobalá, cuishe, madrecuishe, arroqueño, tepeztate and more), each with a different flavour profile. Some take 15 to 25 years to mature before they can be harvested. This diversity makes the world of mezcal infinitely more varied than that of tequila.

What is tequila?

Tequila is a specific type of mezcal that follows strict rules:

• It can only be made from one species of agave: blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber var. azul).
• It can only be produced in five states of Mexico: Jalisco (where the town of Tequila is located), Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.
• It has an internationally protected Denomination of Origin.

Unlike mezcal, the agave for tequila is cooked in industrial steam ovens or autoclaves (not in earthen pits), which gives it a cleaner, less smoky flavour. Tequila production is far more industrialised than that of mezcal, with large distilleries producing millions of litres a year.

Key differences: mezcal vs tequila

• Agave: Mezcal uses 40+ species; tequila only blue agave.
• Cooking: Mezcal in an earthen pit (smoky); tequila in a steam oven (clean).
• Flavour: Mezcal is smoky, complex and earthy; tequila is cleaner, vegetal and sweet.
• Production: Mezcal is mostly artisanal; tequila is mostly industrial.
• Region: Mezcal mainly from Oaxaca; tequila from Jalisco.
• Price: Artisanal mezcal tends to be dearer because of its limited production.

Categories of tequila

Tequila is classified by how long it rests in oak barrels:

• Blanco (or plata): No resting or less than 2 months. Clear, pure agave flavour. Ideal for cocktails (margaritas) and for drinking neat if it is good quality.
• Reposado: 2 to 12 months in barrel. Soft golden colour, smoother flavour with notes of vanilla and wood. The most versatile.
• Añejo: 1 to 3 years in barrel. Amber colour, complex flavour with caramel, chocolate and spices. For sipping slowly, neat.
• Extra añejo: More than 3 years. Dark, complex, expensive. For special occasions.

Important: "100% agave" on the label means it is made only with blue agave. If it does not say this, it is a "mixto" - it contains up to 49% other sugars (cane). Mixtos are lower quality and responsible for tequila's bad reputation (the brutal hangovers). Always buy 100% agave.

Categories of mezcal

Mezcal is classified by production method:

• Mezcal: Production that may include industrial methods.
• Artisanal mezcal: Produced with traditional methods (earthen pit, tahona, copper still).
• Ancestral mezcal: The most traditional (earthen pit, hand crushing, clay still). Very limited production.

It is also classified by resting: joven (unaged, the most common and recommended for appreciating the agave), reposado (2 to 12 months) and añejo (more than 12 months).

How to drink tequila properly

Forget the shot with salt and lime. That is for bad tequila. A good tequila is drunk like this:

Neat (caballito): In a small shot-style glass but without downing it in one. Small sips, letting the liquid travel across your whole mouth. A good blanco 100% agave tequila has flavours of cooked agave, pepper, herbs and a long, clean finish.

Classic margarita: 50ml blanco tequila + 25ml fresh lime juice + 25ml triple sec (Cointreau). Shake with ice, serve in a glass with a salted rim. It is the quintessential Mexican cocktail and one of the most popular in the world.

Paloma: Blanco tequila + grapefruit soda (Squirt or grapefruit Fanta) + lime + salt. It is the most-drunk tequila cocktail in Mexico (far more than the margarita, which is more popular outside Mexico).

How to drink mezcal properly

Mezcal is sipped even more slowly than tequila. It is a spirit to savour, not to get drunk on.

Neat (in a jícara or wide glass): Ideally in a wide vessel that lets you appreciate the aromas. First smell it (without putting your nose into the glass - the vapours are strong). Then a small sip, holding it in your mouth for 3 to 4 seconds. The smokiness arrives first, then the notes of the agave species. Every mezcal is different - espadín is herbal and smoky, tobalá is fruity and floral, cuishe is mineral and spiced.

With orange and worm salt: The traditional Oaxacan way. Orange slices dusted with sal de gusano (salt mixed with ground maguey worm and chilli). You alternate sips of mezcal with bites of orange. Sal de gusano can be found in specialist Latin American shops.

In a cocktail: Mezcal works brilliantly in cocktails - the smokiness adds an extra dimension. A Mezcal Negroni (mezcal instead of gin) or an Oaxaca Old Fashioned (mezcal + reposado tequila + agave + Angostura) are transformative experiences.

Where to buy tequila and mezcal in Spain

The selection has improved enormously in recent years:

Supermarkets: El Corte Inglés has the best selection of premium tequilas (Patrón, Don Julio, Herradura, Clase Azul). Carrefour has decent mid-range options. Mercadona and Lidl only have basic options (mixtos - to avoid).

Specialist shops: In Madrid, shops such as Lavinia, La Casa del Tequila and Spirits & Co have impressive selections of artisanal tequila and mezcal. In Barcelona, Bodega Maestrazgo and Vila Viniteca.

Latin American shops: Some Latin American shops carry tequilas and mezcals you will not find anywhere else. Ask for Oaxacan brands of artisanal mezcal.

Online: TopDrinks, Bodeboca, Mezcalia (a specialist in artisanal mezcal in Spain).

Recommended brands by price range

Tequila (always 100% agave):

• Good (€15 to €25): Olmeca Altos, Espolón, Pueblo Viejo
• Very good (€25 to €50): Don Julio Blanco, Herradura, Fortaleza
• Premium (€50+): Patrón, Don Julio 1942, Clase Azul, G4

Mezcal:

• Starter (€25 to €35): Vida de Mezcal, Montelobos, Quiquiriqui
• Artisanal (€35 to €60): Del Maguey Vida, Alipús, Mezcal Unión
• Premium artisanal (€60+): Del Maguey Tobalá, Real Minero, Lalocura

Myths about tequila and mezcal

• "Mezcal has a worm in it": The worm (a butterfly larva) is added to some cheap mezcals as a marketing gimmick. Quality artisanal mezcals never have a worm. It is a sign of low quality, not authenticity.
• "Tequila gives you a worse hangover than other spirits": Only if you drink mixto (not 100% agave). Tequila that is 100% agave, drunk in moderation, produces hangovers comparable to any other quality spirit.
• "Mezcal is stronger than tequila": Both usually have 38 to 45% alcohol. The sense of "strength" in mezcal comes from the smokiness and complexity of flavour, not from a higher proof.

Both mezcal and tequila are expressions of the soul of Mexico. Try them with respect, enjoy them slowly, and discover why we Mexicans say "para todo mal, mezcal; para todo bien, también" (for everything bad, mezcal; for everything good, mezcal as well). Find the best bottles in our recommended shops and pair them with our favourite Mexican recipes.