Mezcal

Mezcal

Bottles at a factory in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca
Type	Distilled beverage
Country of origin	Mexico
Introduced	17th century
Alcohol by volume	40–55%
Proof (US)	80–110°
Color	Clear or golden
Flavor	Sweet, fruity, earthy, smoky
Ingredients	agave
Related products	tequila, bacanora, raicilla, pulque

Mezcal (/mɛˈskæl/, Latin American Spanish: [mesˈkal] ^ⓘ), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave.

Agaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. Native fermented drinks from maguey plant, such as pulque, existed before the arrival of the Spanish, but the origin of mezcal is tied to the introduction of Filipino-type stills to New Spain by Filipino migrants via the Manila galleons in the late 1500s and early 1600s. These stills were initially used to make vino de coco, but they were quickly adopted by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific coastal regions of Mexico and applied to the distillation of agave to make mezcal.

Mezcal is made from the heart of the agave plant, called the piña. The agave plant is part of the Agavaceae family, which has almost 200 species. Mezcal is made from over 30 agave species, varieties, and subvarieties, in contrast with tequila, which is made only with blue agave. 90% of Mexican mezcal comes from Oaxaca. In Mexico, mezcal is generally consumed straight and has a strong smoky flavor. Though other types of mezcal are not as popular as tequila, Mexico does export the product, mostly to Japan and the United States, and exports are increasing as the liquor grows in popularity.

Despite the similar name, mezcal does not contain mescaline or other psychedelic substances.