Mezcal
Distilled alcoholic beverage from Mexico / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mezcal (/mɛˈskæl/, Latin American Spanish: [mesˈkal] ⓘ), sometimes spelled mescal,[1] is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli [meʃˈkalːi], which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl [met͡ɬ] and ixcalli [iʃˈkalːi].[2] Traditionally the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits and it continues to be used for many agave spirits whether these spirits have been legally certified as "mezcal" or not.[3]
Type | Distilled beverage |
---|---|
Country of origin | Mexico |
Introduced | 16th century |
Alcohol by volume | 40–55% |
Proof (US) | 80–110° |
Color | Clear or golden |
Flavor | Sweet, fruity, earthy, smoky |
Ingredients | agave |
Related products | tequila, bacanora, raicilla, pulque |
Agaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. More than 90% of mezcal is made in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but is also produced and commercialized throughout Mexico for the national and international market. Native fermented drinks from maguey plant, such as pulque, existed before the arrival of the Spanish,[4] but the origin of mezcal is tied to the introduction of Filipino-type stills to New Spain by Filipino migrants via the Manila galleons in the late 1500s and early 1600s. These stills were initially used to make vino de coco, but they were quickly adopted by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific coastal regions of Mexico and applied to the distillation of agave to make mezcal.[5][6]
Mezcal is made from the heart of the agave plant, called the piña.[7][8] In Mexico, mezcal is generally consumed straight and has a strong smoky flavor.[8] Though other types of mezcal are not as popular as tequila, Mexico does export the product, mostly to Japan and the United States, and exports are increasing as the liquor grows in popularity.[9][10]
Despite the similar name, mezcal does not contain mescaline or other psychedelic substances.[11]