Is Mezcal Stronger than Tequila?
People often ask if mezcal is stronger than tequila, and what the other differences are between tequila and mezcal, so here’s where you find out.
Is Mezcal Stronger than Tequila?
So, is mezcal stronger than tequila? No, not necessarily. It just has a reputation as one of the stronger spirits. Many people find that the taste of mezcal is usually stronger than that of tequila, but that’s another matter.
Tequila and mezcal are both in the range of about 38% to 55% ABV (Alcohol by Volume), which is 76-110 proof. So yes, a particular mezcal may be stronger than a particular tequila, but it can also be the other way round. If you order a mezcal or a tequila in a bar, either neat or on the rocks, chances are you’ll get a spirit that’s about 40% ABV, which is the same strength as the vast majority of spirits sold around the world.
Where are Mezcal and Tequila Made?
Most people know that tequila gets its name from the town of Tequila, which is in the Mexican state of Jalisco, about an hour’s drive northwest of Guadalajara. This is where most tequila is produced though under Mexican law it can also be made in certain places in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas as well. If it’s made anywhere else you can’t call it tequila.
Mezcal, on the other hand, is made in a wider area, although again Mexican law dictates where you can make the spirit and still call it mezcal. The biggest production area is Oaxaca, but it can also be made in Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacan, and Puebla.
How is Mezcal Different from Tequila?
Apart from where it’s made, what other differences are there between tequila and mezcal? The first answer is what it’s made from. Tequila can only be made from the blue agave plant. It must be made up of at least 51% blue agave to be called tequila, but the best tequilas are 100% blue agave. If it doesn’t say that on the label then you don’t know what else is in there.
Mezcal can be made from any type of agave plant. This means that tequila is technically a mezcal but it’s a spirit that has very much gone its own way and created its own identity. There are almost 200 different types of agave plant, of which about 30 are suitable for distilling into mezcal, although just seven varieties are used for the majority of mezcals.
How Are Mezcal and Tequila Made?
Another difference between tequila and mezcal is the production process. Both spirits are made from the hearts of the agave plants, known as piñas. For tequila, these are baked in ovens, but for mezcal they are baked in underground pits, which tends to give the drink a smokier and more intense flavor.
Another difference between mezcal and tequila is that tequila can be aged in barrels, like whiskey, producing different styles of tequila (see my Mexican Spirits 101 page). Mezcal is traditionally bottled immediately for drinking young.
A final difference is that mezcal has traditionally been made in small batches by family-run distilleries. Each town or village would have one or more mezcal makers, and consumption would be mainly local. Tequila can also be made this way but many distillers like Patron are huge operations whose tequilas are sold all over the world.
Why is Mezcal More Expensive than Tequila?
Mezcal does tend to be more expensive than tequila because of the way it’s made, mostly in small batches by small distilleries. It not only makes it more expensive to produce, it’s also more expensive to export in relatively small quantities compared to tequila.
Is Mezcal Better than Tequila?
Mezcal is not better than tequila. It’s just different. A good tequila is better than a bad mezcal, and vice versa. It also depends on your tastes. Mezcals tend to be smokier, like an Islay whisky compared to a Speyside whisky. If you prefer Islay whiskies then you should certainly give mezcal a try. Some people have compared mezcals to whiskies in their complexity.
Is Mezcal Stronger than Tequila?
To repeat, mezcal is not stronger than tequila. Nor does ir make you hallucinate. That’s the drug, mescaline, and the fact that they sound similar is all they have in common.
Buying Mezcal and Tequila
There is a wide choice of both mezcals and tequilas at Caskers.
Buying Mezcal and Tequila
There is a wide choice of both mezcals and tequilas at Caskers.
Recent Posts
