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1. Mezcal Is Not Always Smoky
One of — if not the — defining stereotypes surrounding mezcal is that it always tastes smoky. This ashy reputation has given birth to a subgenre of memes decrying the spirit as tequila's "cigarette-smoking cousin," usually accompanied by complaints that mezcal tastes like barbecue, firewood, gasoline or some combination of the above. Many brands, particularly those labeled "artesanal" or "ancestral," cook their agaves in underground pits lined with volcanic rocks and wood, usually letting piñas sit for days on end. The presence of smoke in the production process is unavoidable. Its presence in the end result, however, is debatable. Some argue the ashy flavor in low-grade mezcals can be chalked up to rushed production, whether it be overcooking, underripe agaves or a lack of robust flavors developed in their own right. Other brands opt to highlight smoke as a distinguishing factor. The craft cocktail boom has given rise to many a mezcal-tinged twist on classic cocktail recipes: the mezcal margarita, mezcal negroni, mezcal espresso martini and so on and so on. Since many of these cocktails are billed for their signature smoke factor, mezcal brands geared toward mixology have adjusted accordingly. Beyond that, flavors can zigzag in just about any direction. If heavy-handed smoke isn't to your liking, consider checking out our mezcal review database and seeking descriptors like floral, funky, savory or mineral-forward. Many brands advertise themselves as such, shoring up confusion for anyone looking to broaden their palate.2. It's Often More Expensive — But For Good Reason
The most common (and cheapest) form of mezcal you'll find on liquor store shelves is distilled from Agave Espadin. These lanky plants populate the fields of Oaxaca and beyond much the same as how Blue Weber Agave dominates the landscape of Jalisco. That is to say, they're everywhere. Agave Espadin typically takes around eight to 10 years to reach maturity and can easily be mass cultivated, making it the perfect varietal for distillers pumping out bottles in the $50 range. So why do many mezcals cost $200 and up? It all comes down to the plants. Taking a look at the other 40-some varietals that can be used to produce mezcal, the math starts adding up to gargantuan proportions. Agave Cuishe takes 12-15 years to reach maturity; Agave Salmiana, otherwise known as the "Green Giant" due to its towering 10-foot height, can take up to 25 years. The ever-popular Agave Tepeztate can take up to 30. Many of these plants can only be found in the wild and require literal bulldozers to be hefted from the dirt. As if these quarter-century-long growing periods wasn't enough, some plants are outright dangerous to distill. By far the most notorious example is Agave Jabali, a varietal native to Oaxaca that's known to foam, sputter and expand inside the still. Under the worst of circumstances, these plants can literally explode during processing, leaving shreds of distillation equipment in their wake. Agave Jabali is to mezcal what pufferfish is to sushi — a revered delicacy that must be handled with the utmost care before it can be served to consumers. This is why — among other reasons, namely distribution — you'd be hard-pressed to find a bottle of the volatile spirit at anything less than $100.3. The Infamous 'Worm'
Prior to the mezcal boom of the late 2010s, many consumers in the U.S. associated the spirit with those critters found at the bottom of many budget-friendly bottles. The first thing to know about the sunken bugs is that — despite their nickname — they're not actually worms. In truth, they tend to be larvae of the agave redworm moth, known within scientific circles as Comadia redtenbacheri. These larvae infest the succulent leaves of naturally occurring agave Americana and Salmiana throughout Mexico, adding up to a centimeter-sized hassle for anyone harvesting and distilling the plants. But they're not entirely without their uses. Maguey larvae, alongside dried chapulines (grasshoppers) and escamoles (ant larvae), are a treasured centuries-old culinary staple, often found atop tacos and ground into dust for sal de gusano, or worm salt. When it comes to mezcal, however, the maguey larva is almost certainly not much of a tradition. At least not historically. A commonly repeated version of the story goes something like this: Distillers would allegedly drop a living maguey larva into each batch of mezcal as a litmus test — if it was still wriggling by the time it reached the bottom, the liquor was safe for human consumption. If the larva had perished, the mezcal was deemed unfit for sale. This tidbit of folklore has been debated endlessly over the years, with many positing it's a complete myth. The consensus now largely agrees the "tradition" began in the 1940s as a clever marketing ploy to distinguish low-grade brands on American liquor store shelves. In hindsight, it's hard to deny that the schtick accomplished the goal and then some. Many drinkers still associate their first sip of mezcal with these oft-misunderstood bugs. If you're the adventurous sort, you may even have been dared to eat one whole.4. Can Mezcal Have Additives?
Few topics have dominated the agave spirits discourse over the past few years quite like additives. Tequila additives — specifically glycerin, oak extract, caramel coloring and sugar syrup — can purportedly be found in anywhere from 70% to 85% of brands. It's turned into a make-or-break issue for many enthusiasts within the community, some of whom have sworn off tequila entirely and moved onto the rich, varied world that is mezcal. However, mezcal is not entirely devoid of these sneaky substances either. The Mezcal Regulatory Council allows the inclusion of 60 grams per liter of sweeteners, coloring agents and flavorings so long as they're declared "abocantes con" in the relevant bylaw. NOM 070 lists a few examples including the maguey larva, damiana, lemon, honey, orange and mango. Typical suspects like glycerin and oak extract do not appear to be permitted, nor is the overall ratio of "abocantes con" nearly as egregious as other spirits types. While mezcal is limited to 60 grams per liter, tequila is restricted to 75 grams per liter of sugars and 85 grams per liter of dry extract. Generously speaking, mezcal de pechuga could also be lumped into the additive discussion, though they don't qualify as "abocantes con" that are macerated after distillation. These expressions, usually inspired by regionality and seasonality, include a variety of produce, grains and proteins added directly to the still. The possibilities are near limitless. We once interviewed Kaya, an Orlando-based restaurant that collaborated with La Luna to uncork a "Florida-inspired Mezcal" — the batch included alligator meat, orange blossoms, coconut and platanos. Not exactly the first ingredients that leap to mind when you imagine additives.5. The Hurdles of Certification
The mezcal industry is, for the most part, overseen by the Mezcal Regulatory Council, variously referred to as either the CRM or COMERCAM. Headquartered in Oaxaca, the organization throughlines mezcal much the same as how the Tequila Regulatory Council oversees spirits made with Blue Weber Agave. The CRM is responsible for overseeing production, labeling and certification, oftentimes placing a silver sticker of authenticity on bottles that pass its criteria. Whether or not that criteria is desirable to Mexico's thousands of mezcal distillers is where issues begin to arise. For one, the CRM charges a fee for its services — a de facto price of entry for any spirit hoping to label itself as "mezcal." This is especially troublesome to some considering that the CRM is not a government organization but rather a private enterprise that acts as an extension of the government. Over the years, those certification fees have compounded with a size and scale issue. The CRM was established in 1997, a full two decades before mezcal emerged as a trendy liquor of choice north of the border. As demand for mezcal skyrocketed in the late 2010s, many producers — particularly those based outside of Oaxaca — felt that the organization was spreading its resources thin. In a piece urging local appellation, Pensador Mezcal wrote in 2021,"Many mezcalero can trace their trade back 5 generations, some further. Mezcal is their profession, their passion, and their heritage. Then, 20 years ago, they were duly informed that they could no longer call it mezcal unless they agreed to pay an annual fee and adhere to the rules of an unelected body with no local representation. This ruffled some feathers - many mezcaleros refused on principle."Setting aside fees and locality, myriad issues can arise in the finer details. Most famously, the CRM has strict requirements for how agave varietals should be termed on the label. In 2018, regulators informed Real Minero that its Cuishe expression had to be renamed Mexicano — what others might call Espadillón or Ixtero Amarillo, depending on the region or town. Real Minero eventually decided it wasn't worth the hassle. A few years later, the brand quietly phased out the word "mezcal" and replaced it with the generic term "agave spirits," otherwise referred to on other labels as "destilado de agave." They're not alone. Brands like NETA, Paquera and Rezpiral have since taken on the mantel, ditching certification on some their bottlings in favor of housemade rules and traditional production methods. [callout-app-promo]