Perhaps the most famous drink to come out of Mexico is one made from the agave plant: tequila. But there’s another drink derived from the agave, one far less known but just as potent. Mezcal is commonly associated with the Mexican state of Oaxaca, though it is produced in several different areas throughout Mexico. Mezcal features many different flavors, depending on what species of the agave plant it is made from. Generally, mezcal is any distilled liquor derived from the agave plant that is not tequila.
Mezcal is typically double distilled to produce a rich flavor, and then aged. The longer mezcal ages, the darker the liquor becomes. Young mezcal, or joven, is almost clear and does not have the stronger flavors that more aged Mezcal has. Reposado mezcal means the liquor has been aged from two or three months to a year, and anejo mezcal has been aged for a year or more, producing the strongest flavors and deepest color.
Answered by
Deepthi
, an ibibo Master,
at
10:28 AM on January 08, 2009
