Traditional mezcal, made from all-natural ingredients using centuries-old methods, ticks all the boxes for conscientious drinkers, says Joe Mortimer.
Demonised for years as the raucous, roguish, and unrefined cousin of tequila has been largely overlooked by spirit connoisseurs outside Mexico. But for the past decade, it’s been making a quiet comeback and is now the darling of hip cocktail bars from New York to Hong Kong.
Infused with a smokiness reminiscent of an Islay whisky; an elegance that befits an aged wine; and a balance of complex, aromatic flavours that will turn gin-lovers goggle-eyed, the world of traditional mezcal is a wonderful rabbit hole that begs to be explored.
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Born from the humble agave cactus, mezcal has been around for centuries. In villages all over Mexico, agave is harvested, baked, smashed, mixed with pure spring water and left to ferment, before being distilled in clay or copper stills. Most traditional mezcal doesn’t leave the village in which it’s made.
The spirit’s renaissance in recent years is a knock-on effect of the world’s growing desire for natural, authentic products, says Silvia Philion, co-founder of Mezcaloteca, an agave-spirit tasting room in Oaxaca, Mexico. “Around 10 years ago, we got bored of monochromatic products and people started looking at things that are handmade. Mezcal fits in perfectly with that change of cultures in the consumer,” she says.
Mezcaloteca works with ‘Maestros Mezcaleros’ – farmers who make mezcal – from all over Mexico, to assist in bottling, marketing and distributing traditional mezcal, ensuring they receive a fair price for their products. The second goal is to educate visitors about the spirit: the manufacturing process, the different styles and flavours and the various types of agave plant from which it is made.
“The complexity of mezcal comes from the plant,” explains Silvia. “Mezcal has a lot of terroir like wine because the plants take so long to mature; up to 35 years. They absorb water and grow with other vegetation in different soil and weather conditions. So the complexity of a mezcal starts with a plant.”
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Learning what type of mezcal you prefer requires dedication, says Silvia, who advises trying as many varieties as possible. It’s a steep order, but one with a silver lining: all-natural, traditional mezcal doesn’t give you a hangover, as long as you don’t mix it with other drinks. Apparently. There’s only one way to find out.
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