Ever since Americans found out that mezcal exists, and that it’s different from tequila, it has become increasingly popular in American bars and restaurants. While all tequilas are mezcals, not all mezcals are tequilas. If this seems a little confusing, read on to find out what makes them different.
Tequila vs. Mezcal
Tequila is a type of mezcal in the same way that bourbon is a kind of whiskey. The definition of mezcal is any type of agave-based liquor. Tequila is made only in certain regions of Mexico from blue agave.
Types of Agave
You can make mescal from 30 different types of agave, though about 90% of mezcals are made from the espadín variety. It can only count as tequila if it is made from 100% blue agave. Therefore, a tequila can be a mezcal (it’s made from the agave plant) but a mezcal can’t be a tequila (it’s made from another type of agave than blue agave).
Location, Location, Location
Tequila and non-tequila mezcals are made in different regions of Mexico. Tequila is generally produced in Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and Jalisco. Jalisco is the place where the town of Tequila is located, and from where the spirit gets its name. Mezcal, on the other hand, is produced in Durango, Guanajuato, Gurrero, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Puebla, and Oaxaca.
Different Distilling Processes
Tequila is usually produced by steaming the agave inside of large industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mescal is cooked inside earthen pits lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal. It is then distilled in clay pots.
They Have Different Labels
After the distilling process is complete, both tequila and mezcal are aged inside of oak barrels. The different aging categories of the two spirits are defined a bit differently. The three varieties of tequila include blanco (silver or plato, aged for up to two months), reposado (aged for two to twelve months), and añejo (aged one to three years). Mezcal is also grouped into three age brackets, including joven (blanco or abacado, up to two months), reposado (two to twelve months), and añejo (at least a year).
Tequila El Rey – The King
Our tequila begins with pure Blue Weber agave grown in Jalisco’s Valley of the Tequilas, imparting a unique, signature smoothness and spice. We take great pride in the flavor and quality of all of our tequilas. We take every painstaking step to ensure that a tequila stamped with El Rey is worthy of its name in both flavor and quality.
Now that you know the difference between tequila and mezcal, it’s up to you to understand the subtle nuance in flavors that each can provide. Share a bottle or two of our tequila with some friends and find out how quality tequila tastes.