Mezcal



The gods of the 
pre-Hispanic world 
gave men and women of this 
earth countless gifts;
among them was the agave, 
every part of which 
they learned to use.  
That’s why the Spanish, 
surprised by it’s 
multiple uses, 
called it tree of wonders 
and named it maguey.
It was later called mezcal 
from the Nahuatl word 
mexcalli, 
which means, 
“heart of the maguey”.

In the modern-day 
state of Oaxaca, 
an alcoholic beverage 
called mezcal 
is made from the maguey 
that grows there, 
just like the agave from 
Jalisco produces tequila.

Mescal is the final result 
of distilling 
the trunk—or “pina” 
( pineapple )- 
of the agave 
mezcalero that 
was first cooked in an 
earthen oven 
lined with stone.  
That is why mescal has an 
earthy, smoky flavor.

The drinking of mescal 
has grown from it’s 
ritualistic beginnings 
to international markets 
were it has won 
worldwide popularity.  
Mescal now has an 
official Mexican 
standard and appellation, 
and is considered
another of 
Mexico’s contributions 
to the world.

Men and women drink mescal 
in ceremonies 
and social activities.  
They drink to find courage 
or swallow betrayal.    
They toast health or sip 
when they’re 
feeling poorly.  
Mescal is drunk 
in sorrow and in joy, 
in poverty 
and in wealth.  
That is why the old adage 
explains all it’s 
qualities and 
contradictions: 
for every misfortune 
mescal; 
for all good fortune 
‘ pour me another’!





The legend of mescal 
says that there was once 
a very cold but 
generous goddess 
whose body 
was like the trunk 
of the agave 
but instead of leaves, 
she had 40,000 breasts.  
From her breasts flowed 
the elixir drunk by those 
who venerated her; 
she was Mayatl, 
Zapotec goddess of mescal.  
Cold and untouchable, 
she first came in touch 
with her feelings 
when some worms 
burrowed into her breasts 
and were trapped forever.  
She fell in love with a 
brave warrior 
but he did not 
feel worthy 
of her favors.  
In desperation the goddess 
offered him the most 
beautiful and luxuriant 
of her breasts for him 
to drink the elixir 
that poured 
from her heart.  
He drank and drank until 
in a drunken 
despair begged her to 
“make me a god 
or become a woman”-  
Unfortunately for the 
romantically inclined, 
the legend ends here.   







It is important 
to point out that 
pre-Hispanic mescal 
was different 
than that produced after 
the arrival of 
the Spaniards.  
Distilling processes 
were unknown 
in pre-Columbian times.  
Drunkenness was 
penalized by death, 
so alcoholic beverages 
were very low grade 
and drunk almost 
exclusively for 
religious ceremonies.  
Alcohol was produced by 
simple fermentation.  
So mescal was simply 
the fermented 
juice or tepache 
from the cooked 
heart of the maguey.  
The Spaniards 
introduced stills and 
started to produce 
beverages with a 
high alcohol content.  

There is a long journey 
between 
planting the maguey 
and a glass of mezcal.  
It goes through 
a series of steps 
combining 
ancient techniques 
and modernized processes. 
Maguey plants take 
7 to 9 years 
to mature.  
Rows of agave plants 
cover 
the landscape of Oaxaca.  
In general, 
this is 
a mountainous terrain, 
making mechanized farming 
nearly impossible.  
Farmer’s hand cut 
the mature 
trunk or “pina”.  
Then the maguey is baked 
in a circular 
earthen oven 
lined with stone.  
Then crushed so that 
the juices may 
be extracted by 
grinding in an 
old-fashioned mill 
and grindstone. 
Modern distillation 
is mostly in 
wooden tubs and 
copper stills, 
but very traditional 
earthernware pots and 
reed pipes are also used.  





Types of Mezcal:


·Mescal with a worm, 
in which a red 
maguey worm 
is added to the 
bottling process.

·Mescal de pechuga 
is distilled 
with a chicken breast

·Tobala mezcal, 
made from the heart 
of the tobala maguey 
that grows wild and 
is only distilled 
in earthernware pots.

·The purest form 
of the liquor, 
miner’s mescal, 
the product of the 
first distillation.  
Paid, in the past, 
as part of the 
miner’s salary 
to ease the pain of 
the back-breaking labor.

·Others have names 
of herbs, 
flowers and fruit, 
which were added during 
the distillation process.

·Mescal liqueurs are also 
manufactured with mescal, 
sugar syrup, 
honey and fruit.




Mezcal is a 
handcrafted beverage, 
a family and 
community tradition.
Along with tequila 
and pulque, 
mezcal forms the nation 
of Mexico’s trilogy 
of drinks produced 
from the maguey.  
All three were regional 
beverages whose 
production 
and consumption 
were seriously 
restricted for over 
two hundred years.

Perhaps its 
ritualistic use, 
especially in the case 
of mezcal, 
created its popularity.  
Mezcal is used to bless 
the planting of crops, 
new arrivals to the family, 
a few drops are 
even sprinkled 
on the grave of loved ones 
to send the soul 
on its way.  
On patron saints’ days 
it is served according 
to local hierarchy 
and to refuse a cup is 
tantamount to sacrilege.

It is most often 
served straight 
but can occasionally 
be used in cocktails.  
Mezcal is strong 
and overdoing 
will put one 
in a state of 
permanent stupor.
It is highly recommended 
that one stop 
before reaching this state.