Why Are We (in the U.S.) Just Getting a Taste of Mezcal Now?
Photo by YesMore Content on Unsplash
Where has Mezcal been?
This may be the question that some drink connoisseurs are asking themselves. After all, what is not to love about a drink that is described as being “complex and strange in the best possible way?”
“Complex and strange,” is just the way New York Times author Eric Asimov describes Mezcal, the “distilled alcoholic beverage,” from Mexico.
The term mezcal comes from “Nahuatl mexcalli, which means “oven-cooked agave.”
The spirit is known as “tequila’s smokey cousin,” but that doesn’t describe it completely.
An article in Delish explains how the taste of the drink is more complex than that. The article points out that it isn’t just the smokey flavor that makes it great, they cite bartenders who think that description sells the drink short. Specifically, the article says that “Some bartenders feel the descriptor undercuts the spirit: Mezcal can taste a little charred because of the way it’s produced, but you might also try some with floral, fruity, or earthy notes. A lot of it comes down to the specific agave plant--where it is, what variety it is, and when and how it was harvested.”
So, there seems to be a lot more than just ‘smokey,’ to appreciate, according to Delish, at least.
Where Mezcal Comes From
Even though the taste of it may be a bit complicated (in a good way) all mezcal has in common the agave plant. The agave is the succulent used to make this extraordinary Mexican spirit. And it also has in common that mezcaleros in Mexico have been making it for generations. In Mexico, there is a mezcal culture, where farmers might produce mezcal only “once a year,” in addition to tending to their other crops like “beans, squash, and corn.”
The history of Mezcal runs pretty deep. Its origins date back to the time when the Spanish conquerors arrived in Mexico and “taught distillation techniques to the native inhabitants of the Americas.”
So, mezcal is embedded in Mexican culture. One article points to an especially touching saying about it by the people of Oaxaca, “‘For everything bad, mezcal, and for everything good, too.’”
Why Is it Just Arriving Now?
While the saying underscores how the spirit has deep roots in Mexican culture, it has only fairly recently made its way into the mainstream market in the U.S. In February 2021, Market Watch Magazine published an article entitled “Mezcal Makes Its Move.”
The article points out a trend that has “American consumers flocking to agave spirits in droves.”
And why are they flocking?
According to Market Watch consumers are simply gaining awareness of this Mexican spirit--especially as Mexican exports of the spirit to the US rise. (The same article points to a “fivefold,” increase in exports, “over 500,000 cases in 2019.”)
And the complex taste seems to play a role in the demand, too.
David Othenin-Girard, of K&L Wine Merchants, interviewed for the Market Watch magazine article said in that article that clients are looking for “‘something with terroir, character, and soul.’” And that “‘the buzz and excitement around the category creates incentives for mass-producers to bring mezcals to market which often stray from the traditional flavor profiles and showcase the complexity of the spirit.’”
So, the “why,” this spirit is just arriving in the U.S. now seems to be the marriage of American consumers who are gaining an appreciation for a spirit that offers up something really special with the increased availability of the beverage.
The Market Watch piece also reminds us that “While a handful of markets, like California, are approaching sophistication in mezcal, others, like Pennsylvania, are still in their infancy.”
The trend is something for restauranteurs to watch as it continues to emerge.
The “complex and strange,” drink, imbued with history, culture and craft, is appearing at just the right moment.
So, while some of us are just getting a taste of mezcal now, as the growth trend continues, others may have the opportunity to try out the complex spirit soon.
***
If you are looking for some tips on which Mezcals to drink you might visit this recent Rolling Stone article which highlights some of their favorites.
If you are looking for a place to find it, you might try this.
______
Shannon Mullen O’Keefe and Mark A. Irwin contributed to this article.
