Too often in the shadow of tequila, its famous “big sister”, mezcal is trying to carve out a place for itself on the spirits market outside Mexico’s borders. A fine challenge for this agave-based product, which deserves its place on the mixology scene.
In the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi, the small town of Ahualulco, founded in 1542, has been inhabited since pre-Columbian times by the Chichimeca people. In this region steeped in history, a few Jurame employees are busy splitting agave hearts so that they can be ground by a gigantic stone wheel. A rudimentary process, but still the prerogative of these traditional mezcal producers. This is the style of production most faithful to tradition, where agave hearts are cooked only in earthen pits, and then ground by hand or using a tahona (a process in which the mill is powered by a horse or donkey). The whole is then fermented in stone or earthen pits or vats and distilled over direct fire in clay or wooden pots. In contrast, the most modern distilleries use stainless steel vats and autoclaves. Nothing very traditional, but it does allow for large-scale distribution.
La production artisanale de mezcal chez Jurame
Mezcal is generally considered to have been introduced to Mexico by the Spanish conquerors. If we’re talking about the famous worm that some tourists recognize in mezcal bottles, you should know that modern producers of high-end mezcal do not include this “worm” in their bottles. Most mezcals are produced in the state of Oaxaca, and most of them are made from a single agave, espadin.
Different from tequila
For Elisa Villareal, sommelier and mezcal designer and expert in the wine and spirits trade, the main difference between mezcal and tequila is the raw material. “The difference is that tequila can only be distilled from one variety of agave, whereas mezcal can be made from dozens of different varieties, which we continue to discover over time.”
The smokiness of mezcal is usually the first clue for a drinker wondering what the difference is between mezcal and tequila. It comes from the fire-roasting of agave and can vary in strength and sweetness.
Elisa Villareal, sommelière et experte du commerce de vins et spiritueux
As with tequila, there are different types of mezcal, depending on the length of maturation. There’s mezcal joven (meaning “young”), bottled immediately after distillation, or at least two months later. Then there’s reposado, aged for at least two months, but no more than a year, in oak casks. Finally, the añejo, which remains in oak casks for at least a year and up to a maximum of three years.
“Those who call themselves mezcal purists don’t like reposado so much, for example,” says Elisa Villareal, “because the plant has been exposed for so many years in nature that I think these are natural tools that don’t need anything else to age them or make them more expressive.”
La production artisanale de Jurame dans l’État de San Luis Potosi
Mezcal by numbers
- 408 mezcal brands exported to foreign markets
- 265,000 people employed directly or indirectly in the industry
- 125,000 families involved in the sector
- 12,239,655 liters of mezcal produced in 2023
The “mezcaleras”, women of mezcal
Janette Lamas’ family has been making mezcal for three generations at Casa Huitzila in Guadalajara. “We started with a totally artisanal process, then we modernized a bit or started making more technical products. Why did we do this? Because of strong demand in the domestic market”.
Janette Lamas de la Casa Huitzila
Working in the family operation with her 4 siblings, she explains that she uses all-natural yeast for fermentation, which lasts around five to seven days, again to best represent the local environment and nature of the region.
Very active in the industry, she has become president of the Mexican Association of Women Mezcal Producers, Zacatecas section. “This shows that women have capabilities and can make breakthroughs in mezcal, we are passionate about talking about mezcal, passing it on, educating the consumer.” She believes that women today are strategic allies in ensuring that this Mexican industry or culture develops even further.
Popular but expensive in Mexico
“Among young people, there’s a massive trend towards a healthier lifestyle that’s happening all over the world,” explains Carlota Montoya, sommelier and member of the Mexican Academy of Tequila, Wine and Mescal tasters. “The 30-40 generation are very interested in mezcal, but they don’t necessarily have the budget because mezcal is expensive due to its production process.”
Indeed, to obtain a liter of alcohol, you need between 10 and 25 kilos of agave, depending on the variety and the process used by the mezcalero.” That said, mezcal is very popular with mixologists,” continues Carlota Montoya, “so they use it all over the world, as it’s very useful for creating these cocktails.”
What does the future hold for mezcal outside Mexico? “The trend is for growth,” believes Carlota Montoya. There are around 300 different varieties and each mescalero has its own recipe, so the portfolio of options is very vast but also very complex. And of course, it’s all about training, education, learning.”
A sentiment shared by consultant and sommelier Elisa Villareal, “The most important thing is that once they have a product, mezcal producers need to make sure they have enough budget for at least a year or two of travel or training for the person who will be their brand ambassador,” explains Villareal. It’s like having to train your final salesperson first, who in some restaurants is the waiter or bartender, for example.”
Sur le site de production de mezcal de Jurame
Janette Lamas of Casa Huitzila believes that producers and entrepreneurs need to educate new generations of consumers, because they only drink mezcal in cocktails. “Nobody tastes it neat, so we need to teach how to appreciate the very expressive agave flavors.”
Maybe it’s a sign of the time, but Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston, the two protagonists of the mythical series Breaking Bad, decided to go into business in real life and founded Dos hombres, and created an artisanal mezcal made with the best Espadín agave from a village in Oaxaca.
As Jurame employees finish their day’s hard work, the sun sets over Ahualulco. It’s time to open a bottle of this mezcal joven to appreciate the terroir of the state of San Luis Potosi. A small production, certainly, in the Mexican context, but aficionados of this spirit appreciate its specificity. The latest edition of Mexico Selection awarded prizes to the best spirits, including mezcal: the results are available here. Salud!
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