Photo by Janaap Dekker

Tequila, Mexico’s national drink is an alcoholic spirit made in Central Mexico from the distilled sap of the Agave tequilana Weber, blue variety.

Tequila owes its existence to the evolution of mezcal, a drink that originated when the conquistadors were in search of a stronger beverage than pulque. So they began distilling it.

The most pronounced difference between mezcal and tequila is that mezcal offers a bold smoky flavor — a result of roasting the agave before distillation. With tequila, the plant is steamed before distillation, allowing the agave itself to be the prominent flavor.

An often misunderstood technicality is that all tequilas are mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequilas. Mezcal describes and defines an entire family of distilled spirits made in Mexico from the agave. Hence, tequila is a kind of mezcal. In the late 19th century, distinctions defining tequila began to be put into law.

Today tequila can only be produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco and specified counties of Tamualipas, Guananjuato, Nayarit and Michoacán.

As legislature further defines these spirits, tequila and mezcal are being viewed as distinct products, differentiated by production methods and taste.

• How Tequila and Mezcal are Made
• Know Your Tequilas & Mezcals
• Tequila Differences
• Mezcal Types & Classifications