Real tequila and its smoky cousin, mezcal, have recently undergone an upscale revolution – from aging in French oak to craft distilleries.
Drinking agave-born elixirs is key to a trip to Mexico, but the salt-shot-lime routine (and head-pounding regret) are kid’s stuff. Real tequila and its smoky cousin, mezcal, have recently undergone an upscale revolution — from aging in French oak to craft distilleries reviving 18th Century manufacturing processes. Forget about eating the worm, this introduces Mexico’s newly haute spirits.
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Tequila trails
Though tequila is a member of the agave-fermented family of mescal liquors, the only bottles which truly earn the reputed name contain blue agave grown in the rocky volcanic soil of the state of Jalisco. These come in three stages of aging: blanco, which is clear, crisp and unaged, reposado, which is rested for short period of time and softer on the palate, and añejo, the most aged and complex variety. Since tequila’s international popularity skyrocketed in the early 2000s, manufactures have become bolder and more sophisticated with aging and processing methods, yielding outstanding results. In 2006 a bottle of Jalisco-made tequila became the expensive bottle of liquor ever sold: $225,000 for a litre.
Even so, you do not have to put out a quarter of a million dollars for a world-class bottle from Jalisco’s ubiquitous and picturesque small distilleries. Set among the rolling, rocky scenery of the sun drenched region, the region has loads of small batch producers who open their doors to tasting tours, often in English. Start in the Jalisco town which lent the drink its name, Tequila, where the National Museum of Tequila offers an overview of the distilling process and the colourful history of banditry, revolution and rebellion.
Things in Jalisco have softened up considerably since the hardscabble days of old Mexico though, and the region is dotted with bed and breakfast accommodation amongst the hazy blue agave plantations. Visitors often arrive in the transportation hub of Guadalajara, a city where the elegant Centro Histórico (Historic Center), is dotted with proud colonial relics, bars and hotels. A wander through the shade of leafy plazas, or through the city’s fashionable Zona Rosa, demonstrates just how refined a modern drinking tour can be.
Mezcal’s moment
For a more earthy flavour, head to Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca, the destination for mezcal. The smoky forerunner to tequila, mezcal is made from the mashed up heart of a related type of agave, maguey, and it is become a haute import in the United States and Europe spirits. Compared to tequila’s bold experimentations, magical mezcal comes from deep traditions: an ancient manufacturing process yields a drink that is smokier and more complex, made for sipping, never shooting.
The hilly regions of Oaxaca State produce the world’s best mezcal, especially around Santiago Matatlan and the Albarradas villages, south and east of the Zapotec Mitla ruins. Undiluted white mezcal is the most common type, but there are also smoother reposado or añejo varieties and varieties infused with herbs or fruit. Though tourists markets will be hocking mescals flavoured with cream or containing a worm, run for the door; these are consumed only by gullible gringos.
The elegant colonial hub of Oaxaca City is the homebase for exploring the region, and is a fascinating and hospitable cultural and geographical centre. Around the city extend Oaxaca’s three Valles Centrales (Central Valleys), full of bustling indigenous markets, spectacular pre-Hispanic ruins and artisan workshops specializing in traditional crafts. North of the city are the forested highlands of the Sierra Norte, scene of successful community-tourism ventures enabling visitors to hike, bike, climb rocks and ride horses amid some of Mexico’s most unusual landscapes.
The article ‘Agave adventures: Sipping the spirits of Mexico’ was published in partnership with Lonely Planet.