Mezcal is a distilled drink made from the maguey plant (also known as agave). This Mexican libation is mostly made in the region of Oaxaca, where there is a saying, "for everything bad, mezcal, and for everything good, too." It's an amusing saying, but perhaps symptomatic of a deeper-rooted problem. Mezcal is usually consumed neat, and it can boast a marvellous variety of flavours, from floral and herbaceous, to rich and smoky, and beyond. It is quite similar to Tequila in many respects, though they are both made from different varieties of agave. Mezcal is also produced to a much smaller scale. First the maguey plants are harvested, and the hearts (or "piñas") are extracted. These are then cooked, sometimes in open pits in the ground lined with rocks, then agave, and then earth, which can impart a distinctive smokiness. They are then crushed, mashed and fermented prior to at least two distillations. Mezcal will rarely feature a small larva/worm in the bottle (the bottles will be labelled "con gusano" - "with worm"), which is most likely a marketing ploy invented in the mid 20th Century. Typically the bottle will be drunk, and the left over worm will be eaten. In Mexico the drink is enjoyed neat, though there are many cocktails to which it is suited.