mezcal

mezcal, distilled alcoholic beverage derived from the fermented juice of the baked core of the agave plant and traditionally made in Mexico. The word mezcal comes from the Nahuatl word mexcalli, which roughly translates to “cooked agave.” Although mezcal has traditionally been used to refer to any spirit made entirely from agave, it has come to be associated—at least outside Mexico—with a clear- to gold-colored smoky-flavored liquor (tequila, which is made from the blue agave plant, is a form of mezcal). In recent years mezcal has become increasingly popular outside Mexico.

History

Agave (also called maguey in Mexico) has been used in a variety of applications by Indigenous American peoples for millennia. Some Mesoamerican cultures used the plant’s leathery exterior and fibrous interior to fashion traditional paper, rope, cloth, and other materials. The Aztec people considered agave to be a sacred plant and used it in a number of religious ceremonies. They used juice harvested from the plant’s core to make pulque, a fermented alcoholic beverage which saw a resurgence in popularity in Mexico in the 2010s. Although some have suggested that Mesoamerican peoples distilled beverages in pre-Columbian times, the evidence for this production is minimal. Distillation methods likely arrived with the Spanish, who may have imported their own techniques. Alternatively, agave distillation techniques may have come from methods used by migrants from the Philippines, who arrived in Mesoamerica with the Manila Galleon trade route, to distill a coconut-based liquor. Mezcal’s popularity was immediately apparent to the Spaniards, who sought to stamp out its production. In 1585 the Spanish colonial government issued a ban on alcohol production in Mexico to prop up sales of European spirits. However, Indigenous distillers continued to produce mezcal despite its prohibition, and its production became legal again in the mid-19th century.

Although agave liquor continues to be produced all over Mexico, in 1994 the spirit received a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which strictly defined the ingredients and processes that can be used to make mezcal while confining its production to a geographical region: the Mexican states of Durango, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. The Mexican government hoped that the PDO would lead to better regulation and, in turn, boost international recognition and sales, as it had done for tequila (designated in 1974) and champagne in France (1936). The government has mostly been successful in its endeavor—those who qualify for the mezcal designation have seen their profits increase as mezcal’s popularity grows, particularly in the United States. Between 2011 and 2020 mezcal production increased from one million to eight million liters, more than four million of which were exported. The economy of Oaxaca, the Mexican state where most mezcal is produced, saw an influx of money as the increasing popularity of mezcal attracted both tourists and investors. However, some producers have found the PDO and accompanying certification process to be cumbersome. Some disagree with the changes to their mezcal that the process requires and accuse the PDO of creating a homogenized product instead of protecting local traditions. Producers who run small palenques, a colloquial term for mezcal distilleries, that employ traditional distilling methods are often unable to afford the certification costs, which may be as high as $10,000. Such producers see the PDO as primarily benefiting large, industrial producers.

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Distillation and distribution

Many species of agave can be used to make mezcal, each of which has different attributes that can affect the flavor and color of the final product. Mezcal is traditionally made in small palenques using family recipes. Production begins with harvesting the heart of the agave plant—called the piña (“pineapple”) in Mexico because of its resemblance to the tropical fruit. Harvesting piñas is an arduous process, as they can weigh as much as 300 pounds (135 kg). Producers, called mezcaleros, then roast the piñas over hot rocks in earthen pits or ovens. This roasting process lasts a few days and forces the agave to release its natural sugars and gives the final product its smoky flavor. Once the piña is removed from the oven, it is cut into smaller pieces with a machete and crushed with a large, circular stone called a tahona that is pulled by an ox or donkey. The resulting mash is combined with yeast and water before fermenting for a number of days, often in clay or copper pots. The liquid is then distilled at least twice before being bottled. Small differences in the production process and ingredients can greatly change the taste of mezcal. Some types of mezcal, called joven, are not left to age at all and are clear. Other types of mezcal are aged. Reposado mezcals are aged in oak for a few months, while añejo mezcals are aged for between one and three years. These latter variations are less common and take on an increasingly golden color. Some mezcaleros place a single maguey moth larva, or gusano, in their bottled mescal. There are a number of stories regarding the gusano’s presence in mezcal—better flavor, proof of high alcohol, good fortune—but many producers simply include it for marketing purposes.