Mezcal vs Tequila: A Guide to Understanding the Differences

Although both come from the agave, mezcal and tequila are very different drinks in process, flavor and culture. Understanding their differences is like understanding the difference between wine and champagne: one is the broad category, the other is a specific denomination.

The Fundamental Difference

Tequila is a type of mezcal. All tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. It's exactly like the cognac-brandy relationship: cognac is a brandy from a specific region and grape, and tequila is a mezcal from a specific region and agave.

Tequila

• Agave: only blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber). A single species.
• Region: mainly Jalisco, with small zones in Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Tamaulipas.
• Production: the heart of the agave (piña) is cooked in industrial steel ovens, crushed mechanically, fermented and distilled. Production is generally industrial and standardized.
• Flavor: cleaner, herbal, with notes of cooked agave, citrus and pepper. The reposados and añejos acquire notes of vanilla and wood.
• Types by ageing:
  • Blanco/Plata: unaged. Pure agave flavor.
  • Reposado: 2-12 months in barrel. Softer, woody notes.
  • Añejo: 1-3 years. Dark, complex, vanilla notes.
  • Extra Añejo: 3+ years. Premium, very smooth.

Mezcal

• Agave: more than 30 different species (espadín, tobalá, madrecuixe, tepextate...). Each species gives a completely different flavor.
• Region: mainly Oaxaca (90%), but also Guerrero, Durango, Puebla and other states.
• Production: artisanal and ancestral. The agave piñas are cooked in earth ovens (dug pits, lined with hot stones and covered with earth). This underground cooking over 3-5 days is what gives the characteristic smoky flavor. It's ground with a tahona (a stone wheel pulled by a horse) or by hand, fermented in wooden vats and distilled in copper or clay stills.
• Flavor: complex, smoky, earthy. Each mezcal is unique because it depends on the agave, the terroir, the maestro mezcalero and the artisanal process. There are fruity, floral, mineral ones, and intensely or subtly smoky ones.
• Types:
  • Joven: unaged. The most common and the one that best shows the agave's flavor.
  • Reposado: aged in barrel. Less common because it can hide the natural flavors.
  • Ancestral: produced with completely traditional methods (distilled in clay pots).

Comparison Table

• Agave: Tequila = blue only | Mezcal = 30+ species
• Region: Tequila = Jalisco | Mezcal = mainly Oaxaca
• Cooking: Tequila = industrial ovens | Mezcal = earth ovens
• Key flavor: Tequila = herbal, clean | Mezcal = smoky, complex
• Production: Tequila = industrial | Mezcal = artisanal
• Price: Tequila = from £12 | Mezcal = from £25

How to Drink Them Properly

Tequila

Forget the shot with salt and lime. That's a student tradition, not a Mexican one. A good tequila is drunk like this:

• In a caballito or glass: at room temperature, in small sips.
• With sangrita: a drink of tomato, orange, lime, chile and salt that you alternate with the tequila. It complements without hiding the flavor.
• In cocktails: Margarita (tequila + Cointreau + lime), Paloma (tequila + grapefruit soda + lime), Tequila Sunrise.

Mezcal

Never as a shot. Mezcal is savoured slowly:

• In a jícara or wide glass: let it aerate. Take a small sip, hold it in your mouth a moment.
• With orange and worm salt: orange slices sprinkled with worm salt (salt + chile + ground maguey worm). The combination with mezcal is magical.
• Neat: a good artisanal mezcal needs nothing more. Each sip reveals new layers of flavor.

Where to Find Them in the US

Tequila

Easy to find in any supermarket and off-licence:

• Basic: Jose Cuervo Especial (£15-18, supermarkets). Works for margaritas.
• Good: Olmeca Altos Plata (£20-25). Excellent value for money.
• Premium: Patrón Silver or Don Julio Blanco (£30-40). For drinking neat.

Mezcal

Harder to find, but the range is growing:

• Latin shops: some have basic brands.
• Specialist sections: premium spirits sections sometimes have Del Maguey or Montelobos.
• Online: Amazon, Master of Malt, online merchants. Search for "artisanal mezcal".
• Mexican restaurants: many have a mezcal list. It's the best way to try different varieties before buying a bottle.
• Price: a decent artisanal mezcal starts at £25-30. Those from rare agaves (tobalá, tepextate) can exceed £80.

Which to Choose?

• For cocktails (margaritas, palomas): blanco tequila. There's no point using expensive mezcal in cocktails.
• For drinking neat: a young artisanal mezcal if you like the smoky, complex flavor. A reposado or añejo tequila if you prefer something softer and woodier.
• To give as a gift: an artisanal mezcal in a nice bottle always impresses. It's a unique and sophisticated gift.
• To start: a reposado tequila (smooth, easy to drink). When you feel adventurous, try a young espadín mezcal.

Where to Buy Quality Mezcal and Tequila in the US

Finding good mezcal and tequila in the US has improved enormously in recent years, but there's still a big difference between what you find in a supermarket and what specialist shops offer.

Supermarkets: The Basics

In the big supermarkets you'll find commercial tequilas such as Jose Cuervo Especial, Olmeca and similar. They're fine options for cocktails (margaritas, palomas) but don't represent the real quality of Mexican tequila. Prices: £15-25 a bottle. For mezcal, the supermarket offering is practically non-existent — you'll have to look elsewhere.

Specialist Spirits Shops

The bigger cities have specialist drinks shops with premium tequila and artisanal mezcal sections. Here you'll find brands such as Fortaleza, G4, Pasote (tequila) and Del Maguey, Bozal, Montelobos (mezcal). Prices range from £30 to £150+ a bottle, but the difference in quality justifies every pound. The staff usually know the product and can make recommendations to suit your tastes.

Online

Sites such as Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange and shops specialising in Mexican spirits deliver nationwide. The advantage of buying online is the variety — you can find mezcals from rare agaves (tobalá, madrecuixe, arroqueño) you'd never see in a physical shop. Tip: look for shops that import directly from Mexico, as the prices will be better and the selection more authentic.

Bars and Restaurants with a Good List

Some Mexican restaurants in the US have impressive mezcal and tequila lists — 30, 50 or even 100+ references. It's an excellent way to try before buying. Order a "tasting" or "flight" of 3 different mezcals to discover which flavor profile you like best. The price per measure is usually £6-15 depending on the brand.

Tasting Guide: How to Enjoy Mezcal and Tequila

Both mezcal and tequila deserve to be tasted with attention, not knocked back with salt and lime (that's a foreign tradition, not Mexican).

The Correct Ritual

• The glass: use a veladora glass (tall and narrow) or a Glencairn-style glass. The traditional Mexican caballito also works. Avoid shot glasses — they don't let you appreciate the aromas.
• Temperature: always at room temperature. Never cold, never with ice. The cold kills the subtle aromas and flavors.
• First step — smell: bring your nose to the glass without putting it inside. Breathe gently. In a good mezcal you'll detect smoky, fruity, herbal and earthy notes. In a good tequila, cooked agave, pepper, citrus and vanilla.
• Second step — kiss: take a small sip and let it travel all round your mouth. Don't swallow immediately. Feel the texture, the complexity, the finish. A good Mexican spirit has a long, elegant persistence.
• Accompaniment: in Mexico it's served with orange slices and worm salt (salt with chile and ground maguey worm). Some mezcals go well with dark chocolate. For tequila, the classic is sangrita (tomato juice, orange, lime, chile and onion).

Common Mistakes When Drinking Mezcal and Tequila

• Drinking it as a shot: quality tequila and mezcal aren't downed in one. They're savoured slowly, like a good whisky or cognac.
• Salt and lime: this custom was born to mask the flavor of cheap tequila. With a quality tequila or mezcal, you need nothing.
• Mixing it all: artisanal mezcal doesn't go in a cocktail. Save the premium spirits for drinking neat and use the commercial ones for margaritas and palomas.
• Comparing price for price: a £60 artisanal mezcal represents years of agave growth (8-25 years) and a completely manual process. It's a luxury product for good reason.

Classic Cocktails with Tequila and Mezcal

For when you fancy cocktails at home, these are the essential recipes:

• Classic margarita: 50ml blanco tequila + 25ml Cointreau + 25ml fresh lime juice. Shake with ice, serve in a salt-rimmed glass. Use 100% agave tequila — the difference is enormous.
• Paloma: 50ml reposado tequila + the juice of half a grapefruit + a splash of lime + grapefruit soda (Jarritos or Squirt if you find them). Over ice in a tall glass with a salt rim. Mexico's favorite drink, far more popular there than the margarita.
• Mezcal Negroni: swap the gin in a classic Negroni for young mezcal. The result is smoky, bitter and absolutely delicious. 30ml mezcal + 30ml Campari + 30ml red vermouth.
• Oaxaca Old Fashioned: 40ml mezcal + 15ml reposado tequila + 5ml agave syrup + 2 dashes of Angostura. Stir with ice, serve with a flamed orange peel.

Both tequila and mezcal are deep cultural expressions of Mexico that deserve to be known, respected and enjoyed. From the US, it's increasingly easy to get hold of quality spirits that used to be found only in Mexico. See our recipes to find the perfect pairing, and visit the Mexican restaurants with the best spirits list in your city.