7 Keys to Recognizing a Good Mezcal

Have you ever wondered how to find a good mezcal?

Mezcal is a traditional distilled spirit with a unique production process that is still used in quality mezcal today. Our ancestors prepared it with their own hands and rudimentary tools which we continue to use, with slight changes in production to create a wide variety of good quality mezcal styles. 

Mezcal is a liquor that’s obtained as a result of distillation, using the heart of the ripe maguey as a base and obtaining the necessary sugars to go through its fermentation and distillation.

Finding a good affordable mezcal seems like a difficult task, but it doesn’t have to be. Understanding how to identify certain elements that make up good mezcal brands can help you  choose wisely and delight your palate with the best flavors.

What are the 7 keys to finding a good quality mezcal?

There are a large number of mezcals available on the market, each of which offers different processes, aging times, distillation and ingredients. Not all brands meet the necessary elements to turn their final product into a good mezcal. 

Below, we’ve listed the top characteristics that make up a strong flavor profile for good brands of mezcal so you can properly identify in the future. 

1. Location 

Mezcal has different denominations of origin, in different states of the Mexican country such as Guanajuato, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Guerrero, Oaxaca and of course Michoacán where La Luna Mezcal is originally from.

These are the main territories of the Mexican Republic where mezcal is produced and it’s also essential to add that they’re protected regions and that they have the Denomination of Origin (DO), so make sure that one of these states is identified in the bottle.

2. Agave Type 

We’ll find more than 200 different species of agave, of which only between 15 to 12 are used for the manufacture of mezcal, and which are important factors since they change the flavor of the drink due to its sugar levels. Next, we list the varieties that are used:

• Maguey Americano
• Maguey Azul
• Maguey Cenizo
• Maguey Durangensis
• Maguey Espadín
• Maguey Jabalí
• Maguey Largo
• Maguey Lechuguilla
• Maguey Papalote o Cupreata.

3. Graduation

It’s well known that alcoholic beverages have certain volumes of ethyl alcohol or ethanol, in the case of mezcal these reach 35 to 55 degrees that go according to the established standards, considered one of the strongest and highest for many.

4. Density

The density is in relation to the structure and thickness with which it has a good mezcal , it’s easy to identify with certain steps, it’s very similar to what they do with the wine in a glass when they shake it, but this is done and seen directly from the bottle. 

The only thing to do is shake the container a little and if we observe that mezcal stays on the walls of this and goes down slowly it means that it’s of good quality.

5. Aroma

If you smell mezcal and it doesn’t have the characteristic tones of a cooked and smoked agave, it likely isn’t. Aroma is one of the main characteristics of the incomparable drink and that makes it totally unique, since they are uncommon smells.

To test your mezcal, place a small drop on a part of the back of your hand and rub a little. Wait for it to dry and bring your nose closer; you will immediately perceive the aromas of what is a good mezcal.

6. Flavor

Experts recommend that it be taken slowly and completely alone to better experience the real flavors of the mezcal, although some choose to accompany it with slices of orange, lemon and salt.

At the moment you’re going to take it, take small sips, many call it little kisses, letting it spread throughout your mouth, presenting flavors such as cooked maguey, intense smoke, earth and sometimes citrus.

7. Pearly

Finally, another way to know the good quality of this liquor is to shake the bottle with a little more force and if small bubbles are created on top and that are shaped like pearls, it’s a clear sign that it’s a good mezcal.

Where to Find Good Artisan Mezcal 

If you’re looking to find a good mezcal to impress your taste buds, you’re in the right place. At La Luna Mezcal, we have the best expressions in different presentations, and our implementation of different types of magueys, herbs, textures and flavors, makes our mezcal suitable for each type of palate.

Our mezcals are of the best quality, as they manage to cover all the keys to recognize a good mezcal that we described earlier, since our production processes both ancestral and artisanal that preserve the authentic flavors are carefully carried out, as well as the meticulous selection of the magueys. 

Request your mezcal here! Discover Mezcal cocktail recipes people created and shared with us that you will love!