Mezcal: Naturally Nuanced, Sophisticatedly Smoky

Mezcal: Naturally Nuanced, Sophisticatedly Smoky 2560 1920 Jesse Squier

Mezcal_Agave_Wine4Food

Mezcal’s that liquor you might’ve seen added to the spirit selection at the bar, with bottles sitting out that catch your attention. Or possibly you’ve seen it at the local liquor/wine shop where a whole Mezcal section has been added. If you’re lucky a Mezcaleria has even opened up in your neighborhood. This increasingly popular spirit is catching the attention of both bartenders and spirit drinkers alike. So what exactly is it?

Mezcal. This complex spirit’s origin has a mythology all its own. Before being featured in craft-cocktails, Mezcal was a traditional agave spirit made by families and towns throughout Mexico. It was not uncommon for there to be religious rites performed during the making process, such as warding off evil spirits, as it was used for a variety of celebrations like marriages, births, deals, and even the occasional religious ceremony. Now with its growing popularity, it’s quickly becoming a craft spirit that can really showcase the nuance of a distiller, or in this case The Mezcal Maestro.

Production

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The first thing to talk about when discussing Mezcal is agave. You’ve probably heard of blue agave before. The plant used to make Tequila, blue agave is one of the many agave varieties which can be used to make alcohol. Of the approximately fifty varieties, all of them can and are used to make Mezcal. Traditionally they were harvested wildly, as an agave plant can take anywhere from five to thirty years to grow to maturation. This made normal farming practices impractical but also served to increase the reason why Mezcal was considered so great for special occasions. It took a lot of time and plenty of work to make it.

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Once the agave is harvested, it is trimmed down to the core, aka the piña, and slowly roasted in an earthen oven to soften the fibers and break down the complex sugars. This is where Mezcal gets its smoky flavor.  

The piña fibers are then broken up with wooden mallets or traditional stone mills before fermenting with wild yeasts in a variety of containers such as wood, clay, underground pits, or animal hide. At this stage, many Maestros tend to allow the mash to ferment longer than needed, like with sour beer or sourdough, to promote more complex flavors to develop. When deemed ready, this mixture will be distilled twice in either clay or copper stills, cut to the desired proof (or level of alcohol), and then left in glass bottles to allow the flavors to settle and fully express themselves without actually aging the spirit.

Purchasing & Navigation

So how do you navigate purchasing a bottle of this popular spirit? Most good Mezcal producers will provide you with all the information you need, right on the label. Here’s a breakdown of the information that’ll tell you the most about the Mezcal you’re buying, and how it may affect the quality of the spirit.

Mezcal_Label_Detail_Wine4FoodLikely the first piece of information you’ll notice is the varietal of the agave. It’s not uncommon to be in a larger font than the rest of the text, and on occasion, a bottle may include a picture of the particular agave plant. Likely you’ll see Espadin named, as it is a quicker growing agave, and considered a great starting point in your journey into Mezcal. However, if you can’t find a listed varietal and see the word Ensamble, that means it is a blended Mezcal. Those can be a lot of fun as they can really show you the Maestro’s style.

Legally Mezcal can only come from one of nine regions: Oaxaca, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, or Puebla. Currently, the majority of Mezcal in the US is from Oaxaca. Be sure to keep an eye out for the less common regions. You may even see the town, distillery, and Maestro listed on the bottle.

If you find a bottle labeled Pechuga then you’ve found a special expression, as the spirit was distilled with botanicals, fruits, and even meat. The meat can be deer, iguana, chicken, or whatever the Maestro feels will be a good savory counterbalance to the sweetness of the fruit. For those of you that are vegetarian, look for the Maestros that produce non-meat Pechugas, they’re out there!

Mezcal_Distillation_Method_Wine4FoodAs of 2017, all bottles are required to be labeled based on the legal definition of how they were produced. These include Traditional, Artisanal, or Industrial. Traditional follows the historical method of production described above involving in-ground roasting, wooden mallets, and fermenting with the piña fibers. Artisanal allows for different types of ovens, mechanical shredders, and fermenting without the fibers. Industrial is a mass production method and is similar to the normal production standards for Tequila involving steaming the piña and column-still distillation.

Some bottles list the year the Mezcal was made on the label. Year statements let you compare two bottles from the same Maestro from two different years, and see how they’ve come to express themselves. This is comparable to wine vintages or, more closely, to the recent trend in whiskey to sell bottles from single batches or single barrels.

With mentioning year statements it is advisable to be careful with Mezcal labeled Reposado and Añejo. These statements denote that the spirit is rested in a barrel for several months or has been aged for at least a year, respectively. There are a couple producers that are doing good things with aged Mezcal, but it’s a technique that can be used to hide flaws in a bad mezcal as the flavor of the casks can cover up bad flavors in the Mezcal.

Mezcal_Agave_Cultivation_Sustainability_Wine4FoodSustainability is also something to consider. Perhaps you’ll find this information on the label. If so, look up the producer to see if they have information on their website about it. With the growing popularity of mezcal and the slow-growing nature of agave, sustainability is a valid concern. Most producers are looking into ways to cultivate and farm agave, and some are looking into starting agave sanctuaries. There are many ideas popping up, and it never hurts to support producers with the future in mind.

Lastly, when you’re looking at a bottle you should always find a Norma Oficial Mexicana number (NOM). Every bottle should have this listed. If it doesn’t have one, it’s a fake. The NOM is an identification number linking it to the distillery where it was made. For bottles that have less information listed, you can use this to find out about exactly where it comes from.

Tasting

Now with all this information, you may still be wondering – is Tequila a type of Mezcal? The answer is: kinda, but not really. It comes down to a few extra laws and lots of stylistic differences. The spirit Tequila is limited to being produced only in the region of Jalisco and can be made only from the tequila agave. The agave is cooked in ovens, without smoke, and is distilled a minimum of two times. All in all, bottles of Tequila tend to be more consistent than bottles of Mezcal, but that comes at the cost of not being able to be as diverse. If you do find a bottle of Mezcal made from tequila agave I recommend trying it. If possible sip it next to a glass of your preferred Tequila to see how the same plant tastes with different production methods.

Mezcal_Tasting_Wine4FoodNow, hopefully, this has inspired you to go grab a bottle, so let’s drink! There are a variety of drinking vessels available, but a whiskey or wine glass will work well. It’s encouraged to pour it neat and sip it slowly. The Maestro works hard to balance the complexity of flavors and the alcohol proof in order to create an excellent drink. Diluting the mezcal or sitting it on rocks can unbalance the harmony they’ve built, but experiment to see how you like it. Be warned though, mezcal ranges from 80 to 100 proof with a focus towards 100 proof so it’s best not to drink it too quickly. In comparison, most spirits people drink tend to be around 80 proof. This is a strong spirit meant for a slow enjoyable drink.

Mezcal is a relatively new spirit to the international drinking world as a whole, but it’s truly a drink for those that love exploring nuances. Many producers are embracing this growing thirst and are providing many different styles to try. So dive in, but drink safely!

Bottles to try:

Quierme Mucho Espadin Mezcal*

QuiereMe_Mucho_Mezcal_Bottle_Art_Hand_Painting_Wine4FoodThis artisanal bottle of espadin is a great bottle to start with. When it hits the palate it is clean with a touch of citrus. As it coats your tongue, the mezcal begins expressing lightly smokey agave sweetness before transitioning to savory, roasted herbaceous notes. After swallowing the sip, you’re left with the light smoke flavor with hints of citrus. Don’t let the sweet notes fool you, this mezcal is completely dry. It’s easy to drink and fun to explore its bright flavor profile.

*Bonus: Every bottle is a hand painted piece of art and is completely unique. The fact that no two are exactly alike makes it a fun collector’s item too!

Ilegal Reposado Mezcal

If you’re used to your spirits being aged in a barrel and want a recommendation for Mezcal within this vein, this is the brand to try. With your first sip, you’ll find that this is unmistakenly Mezcal with a prominent agave flavor profile that smoothly transitions to a rounded bouquet of sweet notes including vanilla, pear, and watermelon rinds. There’s a light smoke throughout every sip accompanied by a pleasant persistent heat. If aged Mezcal is what you want, this what to drink. It stays true to being Mezcal while skillfully incorporating the flavors of slight aging without any sacrifice to flavor.

Don Mateo de la Sierra Pechuga

If the bit about Pechuga caught your attention then this Pechuga made from Cinzano is a get starting point. Pechuga tend to be quite expensive so this could be considered cheap in comparison, but this is truly everything a Pechuga should be. When drinking you’ll first be met with a light almost creamy palate before it turns into a complex and layered drink. The first profile will be similar to pine resin followed by an array of fruits, vanilla, and almond. This is followed by a noticeable salty minerality before settling on lighter notes, such as cherry. My advice would be to grab a bottle, or two before they start charging more!

 

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