To a gardener or a landscape architect, agave is a mainstay of desert and tropical foliage, but to a bartender, these natural bouquets of green leaves, which are fleshy and come to a sharp point, are the stuff of cocktail dreams.
Agave and its two primary spirits, the specific tequila and the more general category of mezcal, are inextricably part of Mexico and central to its culture. It is the subspecies of agave, called blue agave and native to Mexico, that is used in the production of tequila. (Blue agave has a blue-gray color compared to its cousins.) In contrast, mezcal can be derived from any type of agave—which means that tequila is a category of mezcal. The popularity and appeal of agave spirits is nothing new: People of pre-Columbian cultures such as the Zapotecs and Aztecs enjoyed a precursor to tequila called pulque, a fermented agave drink, as a sacred rite and for healing purposes.
Of course, tequila is the most prevalent type of mezcal. Named for the Spanish colonial-era city where it was born, tequila and its signature good-time tropical cocktail, the margarita (concocted from tequila, orange liqueur, line juice), are ubiquitous in every bar in the country. The visual of the salted rim is iconic—the margarita even has its own glass, in the shape of a wide, shallow bowl atop a tiny bowl. The frozen margarita—in the form of a slushie—has its own varieties, such as strawberry, mango, blueberry, pineapple and peach. Also popular—so much so that it inspired the title of a movie starring Mel Gibson and Michelle Pfeiffer—is the Tequila Sunrise, made with orange juice and grenadine.
But increasingly, sophisticated drinkers are opting for super-premium tequilas that are usually sipped neat. Such consumers learn to discern among tequila’s main categories: the unaged blanco (white, such as Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco); plato (silver, such as the ever-present Patrone Silver); joven (young, such as Viva XXXII Tequila Joven); reposado (rested—that is—aged two months to one year, such as Don Julio Reposado); and añejo (aged one to three years, such as Fortaleza Añejo). There is also the coveted extra-añejo category, which is aged three or more years (sample the Tears of Llorona).
While tequila comes from the Mexican state of Jalisco, mezcal is generally associated with one region, Oaxaca, and while tequila relies on blue agave for distillation, mezcal can be crafted from a rich array of varieties, including the espadin and prized, wild-harvested tobala. Sample a premium mezcal—such as Del Maguey, Dos Hombres Espadin, Convite Mezcal Coyote—and the palate is introduced to a new menu of notes, flavors, and finish.
Thanks to a reliance on centuries-old methods and different agave varietals, expect to experience flavors ranging from earthiness, green pepper and florals to pine, mango and citrus. From Cabo resorts to Brooklyn gastropubs, bartenders are reporting that consumers are becoming more adventurous, more apt to giving mezcal a try, and even becoming aficionados. Because it embodies a range of notes, mezcal can find its footing with an array of mixers. For the tart but sweet Rising Sunrise, for example, the spirit mixes well with grapefruit juice, lime juice, and maraschino (and a pinch of salt and a lime garnish). There are even chocolate-based mezcal beverages, both hot and iced.
So while mezcal that is not tequila may never be the go-to that tequila is, no matter—that just means it will hang onto its reputation for exclusive connoisseurship a bit longer.
