Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant a form of agave, native to Mexico. The name literally translates into Oven Cooked Agave.

The plant grows in most part of the country. It is Oaxaca in Mexico that is given the credit for the liquor. It is a little less known cousin of Tequila, which is widely consumed in other parts of the world, however, the sales of Mezcal is gradually on the rise, over the past few years.

The agave

Maguey plant is part of the Agave family, which has many subspecies. The mezcal maguey has very large, thick leaves with points at the ends. When it is mature, it forms a "piña" or heart in the center from which juice is extracted to convert into mezcal. It takes between seven and fifteen years for the plant to mature, depending on the species. The maguey species known as "espadín" is one of the most widely used species to produce mezcal in Oaxaca, Mexico.

How is it made?

The maguey was one of the most sacred plants in pre-Hispanic Mexico, and had a privileged position in religious rituals, mythology and the economy.

Cooking of the "piña" or heart of the maguey and fermenting its juice was practiced. It is said that a lightning bolt struck an agave plant, cooking and opening it, releasing its juice. For this reason, the liquid is called the "elixir of the gods". However, it is still not known if the natives of Mexico distilled the beverage before the Spanish conquests. Similar to how tequila is made, Mezcal is made from the heart of the maguey plant, called the "piña". The piña is then roasted, juice is extracted and fermented.

The resultant pulque I distilled to make Mezcal.

Mezcal is highly varied, depending on the species of agave or maguey used, the fruits and herbs added during fermentation and the distillation process employed, creating sub-types with names such as de gusano, tobalá, pechuga, blanco, minero, cedrón, de alacran, creme de café and many more.

A special recipe for a specific mezcal type known as pechuga uses cinnamon, apple, plums, cloves, and other spices that is then distilled through chicken, duck or turkey breast. It is made when the specific fruits used in the recipe are available, usually during November or December.

Other variations flavor the mash with cinnamon, pineapple slices, red bananas and sugar, each imparting a particular character to the mezcal. Most mezcal, however, is left untouched, allowing the flavors of the agave used to come forward. Not all bottles of mezcal contain a "worm" (actually the larva of a moth, that can infest maguey plants), but if added, it is added during the bottling process. There are conflicting stories as to why such would be added. Some state that it is there to prove that the mezcal is fit to drink while others state that the larva is there to add on to the flavor.

Mezcals like tequila are sometimes aged to give you the Reposado and sometimes unaged to get the name Bianco. Over 6-7 million liters of Mezcal is produced annually, either for consumption within the state or for exports to other parts of the world, predominantly the United States and Japan.

To truly be called mezcal, the liquor must come from certain areas. States that have certified mezcal agave growing areas with production facilities are Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.

How is Mezcal drunk?

Mezcal is generally drunk straight, not mixed in a cocktail. Mezcal is generally not mixed with any other liquids, but is often accompanied with sliced oranges sprinkled with a mixture of ground fried larvae, ground chili peppers, and salt called "sal de gusano", which literally translates as "worm salt".

Well- think I need to definitely meet the other cousin of Tequila soon. The last time that I savored it was in 2008 and it has been 7 long years. When I had the same, the bartender served it in a shot glass from a bottle that had the worm in it, but I was not really adventurous to try with the fried worm. Unfortunately, this drink is not available to purchase in Bangalore, but would definitely be a worthy collectors piece.

Drink responsibly! Socialize liberally!!