Mezcal: The Essential Guide to Buying and Drinking the Spirit

On a sunny Friday afternoon at Leo Hernández’s mountaintop distillery in San Baltazar Guelavila in Oaxaca, the mezcalero breaks a sweat as he loads the molino, or stone mill, with cooked piñas. His son Juanito, a serious fellow sporting a pair of tired Nikes and a cobalt blue Superman T-shirt, watches with eyes wide. When he comes of age, Juanito will represent the sixth generation of mezcaleros in the Hernández family.

The rites and rituals of mezcal production are passed down through the generations as living history in Mexico. Yet as the international thirst for mezcal grows, Hernández and other legacy mezcaleros face pressure to change their heritage practices. A cadre of actors—from the Mexican government and official regulatory bodies to international brand owners, importers and distributors—are often, knowingly and unknowingly, prioritizing standardization and profit over diversity and ancient customs. 

In the middle of this crossroads stands you, the drinker. How does a conscious consumer make choices about what brands to buy, if the goal is to honor the roots of this historic spirit and keep authority with the producers? Of course, U.S. consumers can’t “save” or “protect” mezcal—that mentality would skew a little too close to a shade of white saviorism everyone would be smart to avoid—but as individuals, we do have an opportunity to make calculated decisions about what we buy. And, like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripple effect of our dollars and demands has the potential to travel back to the producers in impactful ways. Below, we offer an essential guide to drinking mezcal in five steps, plus what to buy and where to drink it.

Before formal commercialization of agave spirits began with tequila in the 1970s, all production was what we’ve come to describe as traditional—i.e., crafted in small batches and with respect to local customs. It was consumed socially, medicinally and ritually. And because each region has different varieties of native maguey plants (more commonly known in English as agave), different materials to craft tools from and different techniques for crushing, fermenting and distilling, the character of every producer’s mezcal differs from the next. This incredible diversity still exists, but not all mezcal is made in a way that speaks to tradition today. 

Three official categories differentiate styles of mezcal under the denomination of origin: ancestral, artisanal and “mezcal,” the latter of which is usually an indication of industrial processes. Ancestral mezcal features the most ancient methodologies, with the maguey cooked in earthen pit ovens; broken down by a tahona (a massive stone wheel), mill or mallet; fermented in wood, clay, stone, tree trunks or animal skins; and distilled via direct fire in clay pots with maguey fibers. Artisanal mezcal production allows for a few modern updates, like the use of above-ground masonry ovens, mechanical shredders to break down cooked maguey, and stainless steel or copper stills. The easiest way to identify industrial mezcal is to look at the label. If the words “artisanal” or “ancestral” (or even “destilados de agave,” which some producers now bottle under instead of “mezcal” in a rebuke of the certification process) are absent, there’s a good chance it’s industrial. Does the bottle have the name of the mezcalero, of the production process, of the place where the distillates are made? If not, that’s a potential red flag. If you have only your senses to work with, rub the distillate in your hands and smell it. If the aromas scream of vanilla, cotton candy, artificial fruit or burnt rubber instead of agave—that is, herbaceous, peppery, earthy, vegetal—that’s an indication that industrial processes are at play.

Eco-friendly sustainability starts with the maguey plant. Unlike other annual crops used to make distilled spirits, magueys take five to more than 30 years to come to maturity before they can be harvested to make mezcal, which poses a unique challenge in meeting current demand. It also takes an enormous amount of maguey to make mezcal, in some cases 9 to 15 tons per batch (the mass of about one to two large male African elephants, for scale). Before commercialization, mezcal was made seasonally with wild maguey, and while there are still many wild varieties across Mexico that are harvested to make mezcal, it is no longer a viable source to meet the scale of an industry that operates year-round and produces almost 8 million liters of certified mezcal a year. 

For a while, many industry types suggested adopting a liquid diet that centers mostly around cultivated espadín to help take the pressure off the wild maguey supply. But high demand for espadín has prompted farmers and mezcaleros to clear enormous amounts of land for more espadín, which isn’t great for biodiversity, soil health, deforestation or other environmental issues. It also sets an expectation for all mezcal to be lower in cost, because the espadín variety takes less time to come to maturity (about five to seven years at minimum) and costs less to produce. A better practice would be to adopt a diverse mezcal diet to help prevent dangerous monocultures. Brands like El Jolgorio and Mezcal Amarás have started cultivating and semi-cultivating a large number of varieties they didn’t think would flourish in this manner before, like tepeztate, sierra negra, mexicano and cupreata. The flavor of the final distillate is not impacted by cultivation, so it’s good for the agave supply, at no cost to the drinker. 

Another way to prevent the over-farming and -harvesting of a single maguey variety: Turn toward ensamble mezcals, or field blends. Before the single-varietal mezcal craze emerged in the United States, mezcaleros would historically make mezcal del campo, using varieties that came to maturity on their land around the same time. Ensambles like those under the labels Mal Bien, Koch, Mezcalero and Rey Campero are often made in small batches, and feature two to four different varieties so that no single one bears the full burden.

These days, most mezcal brands will tell you they replant a certain number of magueys for every one harvested, a solid (if not minimal) baseline for ensuring good agave supply for the future. But as “sustainability” has become cemented as a buzzword in the industry over the years, almost every brand has made vague claims about planting magueys. Seek out companies that provide tangible proof—facts and figures, records or visual evidence—of creating robust nursery programs. 

When seeking out this information, keep in mind that the way in which cultivation happens also matters. High demand for fast and cheap mezcal discourages producers from letting plants flower and go to seed in favor of using hijuelos, or genetically identical clones that grow from the base of a plant, to maximize the number of maguey plants in a crop. However, the hijuelo method makes for a less-diverse crop that is more susceptible to disease. In contrast, when the plants flower and bats or hummingbirds carry the pollen and seeds to new territories, good genetic diversity is maintained. Look to support producers who bear a “bat-friendly” label or are explicit in their work generating magueys from seed, like Lalocura and Real Minero, as well as those making mezcal at Rancho El Limón for Don Mateo and Siembra Metl.

Environmental sustainability also extends beyond maguey cultivation, treading into issues of pollution, deforestation and water conservation. For instance, making mezcal demands an enormous amount of wood to be burned during the distillation process; not only does that put a strain on supply, it also releases carbon into the environment. Brands like Los Javis and Don Amado have switched to gas-fired distillation to conserve wood. Others, including Vago and Los Danzantes, plant trees or participate in reforestation efforts with certified organizations to offset carbon footprints and ensure a healthy supply for the future.

Several brands have also taken steps to certify production as organic (such as Del Maguey, Wahaka, Montelobos) to communicate their avoidance of herbicides and pesticides. Outfits such as Sombra have developed systems to repurpose liquid and solid waste generated during the distillation process, and brands like The Lost Explorer are working on rainwater-harvesting initiatives to bring safe water to underserved communities. Generally speaking, most brands that are implementing or participating in programs that benefit the environment will give explicit information about their efforts on websites and social media platforms, so look beyond vague statements like “sustainability” in favor of detailed data. 

Today, more than 400 brands are exported from Mexico. Only a very small number of those are run by mezcaleros; the rest are owned and operated by businesspeople (from Mexico and abroad) that source and bottle liquid from one or more producers. 

Some brand structures benefit the producer economically and culturally, but far more do not. For instance, many brand owners will negotiate below-market prices for high-quality distillates, or offer exclusive contracts at low rates for high volumes. Other times, they will suggest alterations to methodologies to acquire a style of distillate more “suitable” for international markets, whether that is for the purpose of certification or to meet an imagined vision of what drinkers in the U.S. want (for example, about 80 proof and exceptionally smoky). This intervention is why, if you line up bottles from different brands made by the same mezcalero, sometimes you’ll find differences in proof, aroma and flavor. 

Buying mezcal from producer-owned brands—such as Dixeebe, Grulani, Macurichos and Tosba—is not a perfect model, but it is a step toward keeping money and power with mezcaleros, so they can create a viable infrastructure for production. It also encourages them to continue carrying on their heritage processes without interference, setting a stronger foundation for future preservation of tradition, no matter how you choose to define the term. With so many brands flooding the market, it can be tricky to sift through the marketing jargon to identify producer-owned brands, which is why resources like the database compiled by Mezcalistas and the mezcaleropedia by Maguey Melate are invaluable.

When one considers the costs, paperwork, export logistics and language barriers at play, the logistics of getting mezcal from small rural villages to the international market can prove almost impossible for many mezcaleros. An intermediary is often necessary, but these arrangements are complex and varied in praxis. Without a formal Fair Trade system in place, many rural mezcaleros don’t know the value—within an international context—of the spirits they produce, and brand owners tend to keep a tight lid on financial information. The key is to look for brands that provide transparency about business practices and implement initiatives that benefit producers.

A handful of foreign-owned brands are working to create more equity for the producers they source from. For instance, Maguey Melate lists in its monthly newsletters how much the company paid for each batch and whether or not that price was negotiable. Owner Dalton Kreiss has also launched GoFundMe campaigns to help producers finance various projects when he cannot provide capital himself, and started a digital “tip your mezcalero” program. With uncertified brand Rezpiral, owner Alex White implemented a 10 percent profit-share system, which he upped to 30 percent when the pandemic hit. Since 2017, the program has redirected $86,000 back to producer families.

Information can also be gleaned by looking at the retail price of the bottle. High-quality traditional mezcal made ethically tends to land in the premium price range, more like a great bottle of Scotch than an entry-level bourbon. Mezonte and Siembra Spirits have worked to demystify the breakdown of costs to educate consumers. Mezonte founder Pedro Jiménez explains that most commercial brands pay between $3 and $11 per liter for mezcal—a rate that forces producers to prioritize high volumes over quality, “and I don’t only mean quality in terms of the distillate but in their agricultural, social and environmental practices,” says Jiménez.

Look for explicit and tangible examples of ways brands are working to support producers on their websites and in their messaging, and supplement with sites like Mezcalistas and Mezcal Reviews, which list out all the producer information and details about each company. The more informed you become, the easier it is to spot the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Agave Spirits: The Past, Present, and Future of Mezcals

Part fieldwork, part manifesto, in this book industry luminaries David Suro Piñera and Gary Paul Nabhan offer a thorough and pointed insider’s exploration of the agave spirits realm. 

Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production

Sarah Bowen’s groundbreaking examination of the social, economic and political aspects of the agave spirits world is meticulously researched and deeply comprehensive. 

Finding Mezcal: A Journey into the Liquid Soul of Mexico

Finding Mezcal is the story of Del Maguey founder Ron Cooper’s journeys through the mezcal world. Through his recollections, the reader is introduced to his on-the-ground perspective of the culture of mezcal in addition to its facts and figures. (The book was written with Chantal Martineau, whose 2015 text How the Gringos Stole Tequila is also worth reading if the social and political aspects of the agave spirits industry is of interest.) 

Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit

At the risk of shamelessly plugging my own work, my first book provides a broad, 101-style overview of the mezcal world, including a brief history of the spirit’s trajectory in the U.S. and details on how it is made today, plus cocktail recipes. A second edition is in the works, to publish via Quarto Press in 2027.

Mezcalistas

For breaking industry news, smart explorations of its most pressing issues, brand profiles and more, Mezcalistas is the most dialed-in resource for all things mezcal education. The organization also produces a traveling mezcal road show, Mexico in a Bottle. 

Mezcal Reviews

A robust and comprehensive database for agave spirits, Mezcal Reviews is a great place to get backstory on brands in addition to detailed production information and crowdsourced reviews.

The Essential Tequila & Mezcal Companion: How To Select, Collect & Savor Agave Spirits

Tess Rose Lampert has long had her finger on the pulse of happenings in the agave spirits world, and in this book, she gives a brief overview of production but focuses primarily on producer profiles and bottle recommendations. This is a good place to start if you are completely new to the category.