(Photograph = Agave tequiliana production farm, Jay8085)
Introduction
Tequila is a distilled spirit made from Agave tequiliana, a narrow-leaved blue agave. Mezcal (mescal) is made from fermented and distilled agave too, but it can be made from various agaves.
The Details
Mescal is made from agaves grown in multiple parts of Mexico. Much, but not all, mezcal is made near Oaxaca, either from a single agave distillate or a blend of distilled spirits. Most commonly, mezcal is made from the espadín agave (A. angustifolia or A. vivipara?). Tequila is made only from A. tequiliana mostly grown in Jalisco state (a few areas outside of Jalisco are allowed to call their product tequila too). Thus, all tequilas are mescal, but not all mezcals are tequila.
Tequila can be 110 proof (55% alcohol) but is sold at about 80 proof in the United States. Mezcal can also vary in alcohol content, but it is similar to tequila. The various liquors must adhere to certain standards to be marketed. For instance, mescal must be made from 80% agave sugars, whereas tequila is only required to contain 51% agave sugars.
Mezcal types vary according to where and how the plants were grown: high altitude, shale soil, wild, etc. In addition to espadín, there are several other “flavors” or types of mezcal including tobalá, tobaziche, and tepeztate. The mescal types seem to be analogous to wine varieties.
Flavor is affected by several factors such as percent agave sugars, ageing, and smokiness.