Tequila & Mezcal 101

Tequila - and the related spirits mezcal, raicilla and sotol - represent more than just a bottle with friends. They are at the very heart of Mexican culture, as much a part of every celebration as music and food.

The most familiar of the agave spirits, tequila is finally moving on from its image as a drink purely for shots and slammers. Instead, we are getting to see more refined versions of both aged tequila and brilliant youthful bottles that are perfect for sipping. They can transform a Margarita into a world-beating cocktail. What they share is that they put tequila's unique flavour profile of grassy spice front and centre.

Mezcal is the wider term for Mexican spirits distilled from the fermented juice of the agave plant. These tend to be defined by a smoky character created by roasting the hearts of the agave plants but there is a huge variety. Indeed, this is one of the most diverse spirits with producers using equipment ranging from state-of-the-art technology to ancestral stills created from wood and clay with flavours equally varied.

Raicilla is made in the southwest of Jalisco state and is based on agave offering a sweeter, softer take on mezcal but still with that roasted-agave robustness.

Sotol uses of the desert spoon plant which grows wild in the Chihuahuan Desert. While production is similar to tequila, sotol has a more subdued, grassy character, often with smoky and earthy undertones.

Blanco is unaged and vibrant, highlighting pure agave flavours with bright, peppery notes while Reposado has been aged in oak for several months, adding subtle vanilla and spice while keeping agave character. Añejo is aged for a longer period in barrels, developing richer, smoother flavours like caramel and toasted wood.

Find out more about these intriguing spirits at the show.