Tequila vs. Mescal: Waiter, There's a Worm in My Drink!
Tequila and its lesser-known cousin, mescal, have much in common. Both are made exclusively in Mexico, and both are produced from the cactus-like agave plant, similarities that lead some people to confuse the two. One thing is for certain, however: If there's a worm in the bottle, it's not a bottle of tequila.
The term "mescal" describes any agave-based liquor, making tequila a form of mescal. Tequila is made only in the city of Tequila, Jalisco, however, while mescal is produced throughout Mexico. Most mescal exported to the US comes from Oaxaca, where it was made first by Zapotec and Mixtec Indians, after they learned distillation from Spanish conquerors in the 1500s.
Tequila and mescal can be distinguished by ingredients and manufacturing processes. There are more than 100 types of agave, but tequila is made from just one: Tequiliana Weber, or blue agave. Mescal, however, can be made from several varieties. While makers of tequila steam the agave's piρas (main stalks), mescal producers bake them in underground ovens, giving the liquor a smoky flavor. And while tequila is made in a modern factory, mescal is typically handmade by local artisans.
Americans have considered mescal inferior to tequila for years, but its quality has improved since a 1994 trade regulation dictated Oaxacan mescal be between 80 and 100 percent agave (tequila must be 51 percent agave). As water, cane sugar, and colorants are often added to inexpensive tequilas, it is becoming more likely to find a "purer" mescal.
Finally, worms are unique to mescal. In 1950, Mexican entrepreneur Jacobo Lozano Paez added gusanos, worms that live in the agave plant, to his mescal. Although some believe
the worm is an aphrodisiac or a flavor enhancer, mescal connoisseurs say it is only a marketing ploy. Premium mescals, which are 100 percent agave, are never sold with worms.
The term "mescal" describes any agave-based liquor, making tequila a form of mescal. Tequila is made only in the city of Tequila, Jalisco, however, while mescal is produced throughout Mexico. Most mescal exported to the US comes from Oaxaca, where it was made first by Zapotec and Mixtec Indians, after they learned distillation from Spanish conquerors in the 1500s.
Tequila and mescal can be distinguished by ingredients and manufacturing processes. There are more than 100 types of agave, but tequila is made from just one: Tequiliana Weber, or blue agave. Mescal, however, can be made from several varieties. While makers of tequila steam the agave's piρas (main stalks), mescal producers bake them in underground ovens, giving the liquor a smoky flavor. And while tequila is made in a modern factory, mescal is typically handmade by local artisans.
Americans have considered mescal inferior to tequila for years, but its quality has improved since a 1994 trade regulation dictated Oaxacan mescal be between 80 and 100 percent agave (tequila must be 51 percent agave). As water, cane sugar, and colorants are often added to inexpensive tequilas, it is becoming more likely to find a "purer" mescal.
Finally, worms are unique to mescal. In 1950, Mexican entrepreneur Jacobo Lozano Paez added gusanos, worms that live in the agave plant, to his mescal. Although some believe
the worm is an aphrodisiac or a flavor enhancer, mescal connoisseurs say it is only a marketing ploy. Premium mescals, which are 100 percent agave, are never sold with worms.
(Brexians lair)
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