Mexico’s world of agave spirits is storied, varied, and nuanced, from piña to paloma. The terroir from which different agave species are harvested impacts the final flavors, lending themselves to the smoky, the peppery, and the sweet mezcal spirits. Savor your next mezcal sip or cocktail with a new understanding.

Deeply rooted in Mexican tradition, the journey of agave spirits dates back thousands of years, with pulque, a fermented beverage made from agave sap, being one of the earliest forms of agave libations. When Spanish conquistadors introduced distillation techniques in the 1500s A.D., Mezcal (“cooked agave”) emerged. Today, mezcal is a spirit made from any of the vast varieties of agave plants. 

Beyond the iconic Tequila (the distinctions we’ll get to) lies a rich spectrum of Mexican spirits, from smoky mezcal to peppery raicilla, all made from the agave plant, a desert succulent that thrives in the hot, dry regions of Mexico and the southwestern United States. These heritage spirits reflect extraordinary diversity, each carrying signatures of the terroir (the earth in which the agave grows) that are worth savoring on their own and bringing their own personality when mixed into cocktails.

REGIONAL ROOTS OF AGAVE SPIRITS

Mezcal is predominantly produced in Oaxaca, although other Mexican states like Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas also contribute significantly to its production. Tequila may only be produced in its heartland Jalisco along with a few designated areas within Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Raicilla is also a Jalisco-based spirit made in the western part of the state, particularly in the regions near Puerto Vallarta. These diverse regions, each with unique climates and terrains, play a crucial role in shaping the distinctive flavors and characteristics of these iconic Mexican spirits.

ABOVE: Mexico’s diverse regions with unique climates and terrains – some mountainous, others coastal – shape the distinctive flavors and characteristics of the spirits distilled from each agave plant. 

IT BEGINS WITH THE PIÑA

All of Mexico’s agave spirits begin with the harvest of mature agave plants - or magueys - ranging from 6-25 years old, depending on the variety. With its thick, fleshy leaves removed, the sweet agave piña, or heart, holds an abundance of natural sugars. Traditional distillers, or mezcaleros, bake piñas in underground pits filled with hot volcanic rocks to caramelize natural sugars.

This method imparts the unique mezcal smokiness enthusiasts have come to love. And because any species of agave is permitted for mezcal, there is a wide range of flavors to be explored. The resulting juice, or aguamiel, is fermented and distilled in copper pot stills, sometimes clay pots, or hollowed-out tree trunks, to become mezcal.

RAICILLA AND BACANORA: MEXICO’S RISING GEMS

Though tequila and mezcal often take most of the fame, another agave spirit worth exploring is the mineral-laced raicilla, which carries delightful acidity and balanced smoke. Once considered a version of Mexican moonshine, the rise in mezcal’s popularity recently has elevated raicilla into the spotlight.

There are two distinct types of raicilla including de la costa (coastal), made from maximiliana Baker, inaequidens Koch, and valenciana agaves, and de la Sierra (mountainous), made from a range of varieties, including angustifolia Haw and rhodacanthar.

In Sonora, Mexico’s northwest state, locally-made bacanora is a bold and distinctive agave spirit made from the Angustifolia Haw or agave Pacifica plant native to the region. It is handcrafted in small batches and known for its unique flavor profile, which is described as smoother than mezcal and smokier than tequila. It can be enjoyed neat or used in craft cocktails, and its production has a complex and storied history, including a period of prohibition.