No Tequila is Mezcal
When someone asks what the difference is between tequila and mezcal, it’s pretty common to hear this: All tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila. Hell, we’ve read that in the New York Times, USAToday, the Daily Mail, Business Insider, the Chicago Tribune; seen it on VinePair, Thrillist, Chowhound, and Science 2.0, and we’ve heard it from the leading experts in the mezcal industry. But … they’re all wrong.
In this episode of Agave Road Trip, we explain why no tequila is mezcal, and we speak with Pedro Jimenez of Mezonte about the names of other agave spirits — not just what those names are but what they mean.
Lou’s favorite place to drink that isn’t his own basement is Mezonte, the small tasting room that Pedro set up in Guadalajara. If you go there, you will have as good a time as Izzy is having in this pic.
Tequila and raicilla are not the only names used for agave spirits in Jalisco. There are regional names such as Tepe or Tucxi, Tuxca, Vino Mezcal, Vino de Mezcal, Vino De Luchiguilla, and Vino de Sero. This is a map that Pedro shared with me, after I sent him a map of Jalisco that I’d purchased from 123rf.com. But he said he liked the geopolitical divisions you could see clearly on the 123rf map, so...
Here are the naming notes from Pedro’s map dropped onto the 123rf map that has those clear geopolitical divisions that Pedro likes.
New Yorkers will tell you that Chicago deep-dish pizza isn’t actually pizza. Where’s the NOM for that? Meanwhile, you can order Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza to be shipped to you. Take that, New York.
Jason Cox of Cinco Sentidos is the tallest, whitest guy I know. He also takes great care in everything he does, including being mindful of helping every producers from whom he sources heritage agave spirits.
