Mezcal
Mezcal is a Mexican agave spirit traditionally roasted in earthen pits before distillation, which gives it a smoky character quite different from tequila's cleaner agave notes. It can be made from many agave varieties beyond blue agave, most commonly espadín. Its earthy, smoky intensity has made it a fast-growing favourite for spirit-forward and citrus-driven cocktails alike.
Common uses
- base spirit for smoky agave-forward cocktails
- smoky substitute or float in tequila drinks
Buying & storage
Keeps more or less indefinitely: Alcohol is preserving it. An open bottle keeps for a very long time, though aromatics do fade slowly.
Buying: look for '100% agave' on the label; single-village or single-producer bottlings show the most character
Storage: keeps indefinitely unopened, store upright away from light
In depth
Understanding mezcal
How it is made, where it comes from, what it pairs with, and how it behaves in an alcohol-free drink.
Origin
Made from roasted agave in Oaxaca and other Mexican states, using traditional pit-roasting and often stone-mill crushing.
Recipes
Cocktails containing this ingredient
Stand-in
Where mezcal is a recommended substitute
Recipes that name it as a swap for something else, with what it replaces.
- Margaritain place of tequila blanco
- Palomain place of tequila blanco
- Bloody Mariain place of tequila blanco
Swap it
Possible substitutions
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