When it comes to tequila and mezcal, there are three major differences that we are going to cover.

1. SMOKINESS​: Mezcals are usually smokey, and at times it can be incredibly smokey, while tequilas are mostly not smokey at all.

2. AGAVE SPECIES: Mezcal producers use several different agave species, while tequila producers use only one.

3. REGION:​Tequila and mezcal are produced in different regions and by different producers.

The confusion around this topic comes from an interesting fact: t​equila and mezcal are historically related​.

While the word Tequila derives from the town, the word mezcal is a reference to the agave plant from the Nahuatl words “Metl” and “Ixcalli” which is identified as cooked agave. Mezcal vino or in English “mezcal wine” was the term to refer to agave distillates.

Mezcal has a documented history from the 16th century from the Spanish conquest naturally attributing the technology to be brought by them, however some recent archeological research may suggest that mezcal vino production could be a lot older than that. But due to the lack of written evidence prior to the Spanish conquest, we will not cover such theories and they are not supported by the CRT either.

So how do we get from mezcal to tequila?

The best answer to this question is through technological and commercial evolution.

The ​technological evolution is evident if we think about the word “cooked agave”. For mezcal production, producers needed to find a way to cook the agave, so in the 16th century they were using the most high-tech resource that was available to them: fire. They were using local firewood as the source and covered it with volcanic rocks that could keep the heat inside. Then they rounded the agaves around this temporary fire-powered-hut and covered them with dirt and agave fibres. After a couple of days the agaves were cooked and its sugars were ready to ferment. The most artisan mezcals still use the same approach to cook the agaves and this is what makes mezcal to taste smokey!

Now let’s see the commercial aspect of how mezcal was sold. With the new Spanish administration, the king wanted to sell Spanish liqueur and brandy to the locals and so mezcal production was banned. However the imported booze was extremely expensive, and only the wealthiest citizens were able to afford it, mezcal became the poor men’s drink. Producers built their operations in derelict regions, no man’s land to hide their production from the authorities.

Evolution usually starts with a commercial aspect and tequila was no different.

The Cuervo family is quoted as the first to begin the commercialization of the industry. The Spanish king granted the family several farms in the region where the town of Tequila is located.

By the end of the 18th Century, the ban on the production of mezcal was lifted as the producers agreed to pay a tax. Throughout the 18th and 19th century, the town of Tequila became a hub for commercial mezcal producers, and they were able to build up legal capital to invest in technology and to further expand their lands for agave farming.

This legalization effort reached its conclusion in ​1974, when the Mexican government issued a decree that Tequila is a Denomination of Origin protected spirit with its special rules on production.

In ​1995​, when even mezcal became a denominated spirit, the separation between tequila and mezcal became complete which leads to our 3. Point: Mezcal & Tequila are ​geographically separated.

Tequila can be made in territories of states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Tamaulipas, while Mezcal can be made in Oaxaca, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacán and Puebla.

SUMMARY #1

Mezcals are smokey as the agaves are cooked on firewood whereas the tequila industry uses steam and this approach creates a smoke-free character for the spirit.

NOTE: ​there are some rare, notable exceptions to this rule.

SUMMARY #2

Mezcal production is smaller and traditionally no agave cultivation was necessary, so producers were harvesting wild agaves, while the tequila industry is larger and it requires a constant source of agave plants in the most economically viable way so they use cultivated blue agave exclusively.

NOTE: With the growth of the mezcal industry, most of the agaves are cultivated and the majority of mezcals is made from one particular species “agave angustifolia” - this species too is excellent for cultivation just like agave tequilana.

SUMMARY #3

The mezcal and tequila industry has similar roots, both were mezcal and literally they both are as they are distillates of the cooked agave. However in order to avoid confusion, they are legally separated, so a bottle cannot legally qualify as both tequila and mezcal and a producer can only make tequila or mezcal at their premises. Also, the denomination territories, the States producing tequila or mezcal are different with only a few exceptions.

NOTE: While we name and highlight the states that are included in the denomination, it does not necessarily mean that 100% of each state’s territory belong to a denomination. For accurate info on the exact municipios (counties) please visit www.crt.org​.mx for tequila and ​www.crm.org.mx for mezcal.

This feature is brought to you by Tequila Stop and the International Tequila Academy.

Tequila Stop aims to share is love for Mexico and its beloved Spirit with fans in Asia Pacific, bringing fans the best that Tequila has to offer, through an extensive catalogue of premium Tequilas and Mezcals straight from the source. Tequila Stop works closely with Mezcaleros across Mexico, and is also partners with the International Tequila Academy.