When you are asked which Mexican alcoholic drinks are your favorite, do you know what to say? Let's face it: the difference between tequila, mezcal and other agave spirits will only become noticeable after you try them many times. It is quite difficult to distinguish them the first time.
But first, let's talk about what units them. They are all made from the fermented juice of one plant — agaves, although and various types. They are all made in Mexico, although and each — in your region. Their manufacturers have made a lot of efforts to make «tequila» and «mezcal» became protected geographical names. This means that their production is limited to a geographical area and is protected by law.
Achieving registration of a protected geographical name is not at all easy, especially at the international level. Production must strictly follow certain standards that determine the origin, processing of raw materials, the production process itself, and even traditions. This is one of the main differences between tequila and other agave distillates: the geographical area of production. Mezcal, bacanora, charanda, table and raicilla — Just some of the agave-derived drinks that are produced in Mexico. They are not all made in the same place, but key elements of production follow almost the same process.
And from here, the differences between the drinks become clear if you analyze the type of agave from which they are produced, the region of production within Mexico, and, of course, the features of the technology. The type of agave used to produce the drink plays a decisive role. More than 60 species of agave grow in Mexico, and there are even more varieties. Allowed, «bump» The agave (core) looks the same, but each type has characteristics that make the distillate from it unique. Even agave of the same species, but grown in different geographical zones, in the mountains and on the plain, on different slopes, has the right to give the drink its own unique characteristics. Add here the specifics of processing, whether the «cones» agave or not, how the juice is squeezed, how it is fermented, what is added… This specificity has the ability to distinguish not only one drink from another, but also drinks from different manufacturers and even brands of the same manufacturer.
Want to become an expert on Mexican agave spirits? You'll have to try them all.
Tequila
Tequila was the first to be recognized as a protected geographical indication 45 years ago. It is produced strictly in 181 municipalities in five states of Mexico, in Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Tamaulipas and Michoacán. Most of these municipalities — 121— are located in the state of Jalisco.
Tequila is produced only from blue agave, or tequila agave (Agave Tequilana Weber Variety Azul). It is this type of agave that gives tequila its sweetish flavor, for which many people love it so much.
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Mezcal (Mezcal)
More one Mexican drink with a protected geographical indication. Produced in 9 states — Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Durango, Guerrero, Guanajuato and Michoacan. Other states would also like to produce mezcal, but the Mexican government is holding back their expansion.
Mezcal is produced from one of 5 species of agave (Agawe americana, A. cupreata, A. potatorum, A. wislizeni, etc.) and from more than 40 varieties of these species. It is made by roasting agave hearts in a stone oven with wood, which gives the drink its characteristic smoky notes.
Oaxaca— the state with the longest tradition of mezcal production, and where mezcal de pechuga is considered one of the best.
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Bacanora
Originally from the state of Sonora, this alcoholic beverage received Protected Geographical Indication status in 2000. Bocanora is similar to tequila and mezcal, but it is made only from the Pacific agave plant, which is endemic to the region where the drink is produced.
Bocanora is usually sold with a high alcohol content. When tasting, mineral elements stand out, which are combined with the sweetness obtained from the agave core.
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Table (Sotol)
Produced in the states of Durango, Chihuahua and Coahuila, and strictly only here.
The table is produced from an endemic plant Dasiliryon Wheeleri of the asparagus family, which is similar to agave, but is not an agave. It is believed that fromol was produced in pre-Hispanic times, and the production was carried out by the Tarahumara and Anasazi Indians for many centuries.
The drink is known for its high alcohol content, therefore, like mezcal, it is recommended to drink it in small glasses or mix it in cocktails.
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Raicilla
The drink comes from the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, is produced only here and recently received protected geographical indication status. In particular, the production uses agave grown in the mountainous region of the Western Sierra, which includes municipalities such as San Sebastian del Oeste, Masfroma, Talpa de Allende, Mixtlan, Tomatlan and others.
The original is a distillate with a very high alcohol content. However, commercial alcoholic beverage strength ranges from 35% to 45% vol. Agave species Agave lechuguilla, A. inaequidens and A. maximiliana are used for its production. To produce one liter of raicilla, you need up to 10 kg of agave.
The taste of raicilla depends on the type and variety of agave used, but in general you will taste grassy or green from the taste. The smoky, fragrant taste is provided by resins that come from burned wood.
The first mention of raicilla dates back to 1600, and it is said that it was then used as a medicine to combat headaches and respiratory diseases.
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Comiteco
It is a drink produced from plants of the Comiteco Maguey species, a type of agave native to Comitan de Dominguez, the fourth largest city in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico.
In contrast to other agave drinks, comiteco is made by distilling a fermented syrup, something like pulque, which is turned into brandy.
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Tuxca
This drink has been produced since colonial times in the volcanic zone that divides Jalisco from Colima. To produce tuska, not just one type of agave is used, but all ten that grow in the production area.
The agave is baked in an underground stone oven with wood. After extraction, the molasses is fermented at low temperature.
The gfrom drink is tasted as soon as it comes out of the original distillation cube of a special type. Usually a bull's horn is used for this. Due to temperature changes, the result is a warm alcoholic drink with the aroma of wood fire and cooked agave.
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Charanda
It is also a protected geographical indication drink from Uruapan, Michoacan. The drink is not considered a distillation product of agave juice. It is a distillate of sugar cane, which grows in the region at altitudes from 1600 to 3800 meters above sea level.
The drink is similar to rum, for this reason, in many cocktails, in particular, in the beloved mojito, tequila can be replaced with charanda. But many inexperienced people continue to consider it a type of tequila.
Charanda has a very sweet taste because the molasses obtained from boiling the cane is not completely fermented and turns into alcohol.
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