Mezcal guides

How to drink Mezcal

In this guide, we’ll teach you several wonderful ways to drink mezcal.

Whether you’re already a fan or you’re anxiously awaiting your first sip, we’re confident you’ll learn something from the following handbook to get the most out of a delicious spirit with heaps of character.

Jump to section

Author:

Reading time: 6 minutes

Understand the category and learn your tastes

There’s more than one type of mezcal, which means there’s more than one way to drink the stuff. Our guides cover just about everything you need to know about the spirit and it’s truly worth getting to know mezcal and its various styles first.

If you’re a whisky drinker who likes the taste of oak-aged spirits, you may prefer an añejo to a joven. But, if you’re a whisky drinker because you like bold, diverse flavours driven by interesting production methods, then you probably would appreciate a good joven (unaged spirit).

Taste is subjective, so you need to know your palate and what you find appealing. It might sound like homework, but a little bit of research goes a long way to unlocking whole new worlds of flavour. Trust us. There’s a reason we’re big drink nerds. And it’s not because girls didn’t talk to us at school. It’s really not. Did somebody tell you that? They’re lying. You’ve been talking to mother, haven’t you? You know what, let’s move on.

Drink it neat

Up first we have the simplest and perhaps the finest way to enjoy mezcal: on its own. Traditionally how mezcal is consumed in Mexico, this is a spirit of enough quality and personality that it can be savoured neat, as you would a fine Scotch, to appreciate its character. If you want to do a very professional tasting, then follow these steps:

Glassware: You want something with a tulip-shaped rim to concentrate the aromas. Wine glasses and Champagne flutes are surprisingly good for Tequila and mezcal at a pinch. A Glencairn glass isn’t just for Scotch, and Denver & Liely actually makes a dedicated Agave Glass. If you really want to do it right, a clay copita is traditional.

Nosing: Bring the glass to your nose slowly. This is a high-ABV spirit, neat. Take your time and let the aromas come to you. Inhale lightly. Don’t expect to immediately identify an array of flavours. At first, you’ll probably detect the classic agave aroma and perhaps mezcal's signature smoky notes. Take a deep breath, then nose again. Repeat the process, from time to time taking the spirit from one nostril to the other. With patience, you’ll soon pick out other aromas such as citrus, floral, or herbal notes.

Tasting: You’ve whetted the palate enough it’s time to wet the palate with some tasty liquid! Take a small sip at first to let yourself adjust to the spirit because, once again, this is a high-ABV spirit, neat. It’s okay if it feels like a lot at first. You want to become comfortable enough to take a sip that will let the mezcal coat your palate. Then you can breathe through your mouth slightly to experience the full range of flavours. The initial taste will again most likely be agave and smoke, but as your palate adjusts, more flavours will come to the fore, from sweetness to earthiness, or spice.

Savouring: Mezcal has a complex finish. Pay attention to the lingering tastes in your mouth and the warmth in your chest. A good mezcal’s finish can be long and evolving. Savour it.

Mezcal is poured into a traditional clay copita. Image credit: iStock.

Cocktails

While mezcal is traditionally enjoyed neat, it does make for a superb cocktail ingredient. Classic mezcal cocktails tend to be twists on Tequila cocktails, or even cocktails that usually feature rum or whisky. The Mezcal Margarita is a winner, as is a nice Smoky Paloma.

But we’re also partial to a Mezcal Negroni or a Oaxaca Old-Fashioned. Gin cocktails are a good one to play with, substituting the spirit with mezcal to bring a new dimension to the drink. Be creative. Why not replace the Scotch with mezcal in a Penicillin?

The long drink is also a category where mezcal can shine. The simplest form of cocktail (some people wouldn’t even consider these cocktails frankly), but popping mezcal in a glass and glugging something fizzy over it can work a treat. A nice smoky mezcal makes a great Highball base, for example. Or you could upgrade your G&T game. Some mezcals will work brilliantly with ginger ale, others with cola. Mix and match to your taste.

It’s also worth considering what kind of flavours exist around mezcal. “If you zero in on Oaxaca, pineapple, passion fruit, chocolate and coffee are all key crops so learn how to accentuate those notes that are present in the mezcal itself with ingredients like these and you’re onto something,” says founder David Shephard in an article we did on Corte Vetusto mezcal.

Mezcal is a fantastic cocktail spirit. Image credit: Ilegal Mezcal.

With food

In Mexico, mezcal is rarely consumed on its own. In Oaxaca, for example, an order of mezcal will frequently be accompanied by some fresh fruit ( pineapple, oranges, mango, papaya…) with a bit of sal de gusano (worm salt) or sal de chapulin (grasshopper salt). As with most spirits, it’s hard to go wrong with chocolate or cheese. Seafood is also a great mezcal pairing, as are spicy/salty bar snacks. Plenty of rich, sweet desserts can be lifted by the bright and sharper flavours in a bold mezcal too.

Mezcal is often consumed alongside food. Image credit: iStock.

Mezcal ceremonies

Drinking mezcal is often a communal and ceremonial experience, reflecting its cultural significance. There are villages where mezcal is specifically distilled to cater for weddings and funerals. Common mezcal toasts include “Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien también” or, “For everything bad, mezcal; for everything good, the same”.