By Elyse Glickman
About a decade ago, mezcal—tequila’s smoky, rustic forbearer—started arousing curiosity among die-hard agave connoisseurs and bartenders. Now, it has come into its own as a spirits category — and by all indications, it isn’t going anywhere but up.
According to the North America Mezcal Market Forecast to 2027 research report, the North America mezcal market accounted for $326.29 million in 2019, and is expected to reach $521.11 million by 2027. Premiumization is one trend driving demand — and it’s a trend Ivan Vasquez, owner of Madre! Oaxacan Restaurant and Mezcaleria is tapping into.
Vasquez has always been a fan of mezcal. As the restaurant’s website notes, he has “relied on the power of mole and mezcal to grow his restaurant empire.” The pandemic has only strengthened his commitment to mezcal.
After analyzing where he wanted his bar program to be in five years, he shifted his focus to advancing small lbatch mezcals behind the bar at his restaurants in Torrance, Culver City, and West Hollywood, California — the latter his newest location, where 400+ bottles of rare mezcals line the shelves and agave plants from a mezcal producer enhance the outdoor garden.
“In the last couple of months, there’s been tremendous change happening in the tequila markets, and in the case of Madre!, we decided not to move forward with reposado, anejo or extra anejo tequilas,” explains Vasquez. “Instead, we’re primarily focusing on mezcals and high proof blanco or silver tequilas, as many Mexican bars and restaurants did about 30 years ago. And we’re only promoting these high-proof blancos because we want customers to discover or rediscover that natural connection between tequila and mezcal.”
Why Mezcal?
Just how has mezcal become such a presence behind the bar? Industry pros have some ideas.
“Mezcal, as a stand-alone category, is being driven by bartenders who enjoy educating and introducing guests to a new agave flavor profile,” says David Ortiz, corporate beverage director at Florida-based Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar — a concept with eight locations in the Sunshine State.
Maxwell Reis, beverage director at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood and Newport Beach, California, credits consumers’ more adventurous approach to alcohol consumption with spurring the uptick in interest.
And Torrence Swain, regional sales director, East Coast, for Mezcal El Silencio, says the introduction of higher quality mezcals to the U.S. market has elevated the profile of a product many — especially members of the Baby Boom generation — considered a working man’s drink with a flavor too smoky to enjoy.
“Boomers have been last to the party and with good reason,” says Swain, “Most of that demo’s exposure to the spirit was largely based on the industrial mezcals that prevailed in Mexico and the U.S. long before the rise in popularity of artisanal mezcal…I see more curiosity, acceptance and interaction now that artisanal, higher quality mezcal is on the rise.”
“The more mezcal from different regions we begin to see appear, the more we find consumers finding their niche in the mezcal world…and the better we become at tour-guiding a guest to find a style of mezcal they enjoy,” echoes Reis, who sees many guests gravitating towards the fruity flavor profile of mezcals from Guerrero and Michoacán. “As a culture, it’s healthy to learn to navigate food and drink items that aren’t native to us and are unfamiliar to our palettes rather than whitewashing it until we like it…It’s our job to demonstrate the value of the spirit, and what makes it special.”
Education is Key
Helping customers understand the nuances of mezcal is an important step. But teaching mezcal-curious customers can be a challenge — especially if they’re only interested in exploring inexpensive varieties for their first foray into that spirit’s world.
“Unfortunately, some bars keep low quality tequila or mezcal in the well because it is only intended to be mixed into cocktails and in with other flavors,” Vasquez explains. “In a good mezcal, whether used in a cocktail recipe or flight, the smoky flavor should be secondary and not the main focus of the drink.”
That’s why Vasquez curates a small collection of artisanal, high-proof tequilas alongside craft mezcals.
“When customers ask me about the differences between mezcal and tequila, I think the best way to explain it is to put both spirits in front of them,” he says. “Instead of having 30 tequilas, we only have nine bottles on the bar now. The craft mezcals we selected are 44% ABV, which can either be enjoyed in cocktails or as a sipping spirit. This is why when you go to Madre!, you can order the cheapest mezcal and still get a good quality mezcal. Everything on our shelves is meant to show how much a priority our emphasis on quality is.“
For guests just dipping their toes into the mezcal pool, Sother Teague, beverage director at the popular bitters bar Amor y Amargo in New York City, suggests keeping a bottle of a popular, high-quality tequila nearby so you can “cut” a mezcal that’s too aggressive on its own. Alternatively, when developing a recipe, a bartender can also treat more aggressive mezcals, “as seasoning rather than the main course,” he says.
Bartenders also should become savvy about the best “entry” brands for those new to mezcal and about cocktails that can help get them accustomed to its flavor, says Cesar Diaz, owner-operator of Odd Birds Cocktail Lounge & Kitchen in St. Augustine, Florida.
“The bartenders have to learn how to explain regions, terroir, agave variety, and taste profile in order to make it more fascinating to the consumer,” Diaz says. “Mezcal is not [only] about sipping or enjoying a cocktail, it is about the whole experience — the story behind the process, the plant, the palenque, the people who make it possible.”
Cocktails as Teachers
A good way to introduce customers to mezcal is with cocktails — an easy step for Mexican- and Latin-themed restaurants since Margaritas and Micheladas are good entry points.
“As you can imagine we spend a lot of time working with restaurants and discussing Margaritas,” says Sean Ryan, founder of Lethal Mezcal, who says the spirit’s “long tail” and fire-roasted smoky flavor profile — similar to that of an aged Scotch — work well in what’s become the signature cocktail at most Mexican restaurants. “It has a more complex taste compared to tequila and makes an absolutely amazing Margarita.”
Vasquez clearly agrees, as evidenced by Madre!’s Smokey Margarita made with charcoal-infused mezcal espadin, house chili liqueur, agave, lime, and sal de gusano and the Margarito featuring mezcal espadin, green chartreuse, strawberry, agave, lime and egg white.
On the Michelada front, Swain pairs mezcal with muddled celery juice, Dashi and Worcestershire sauces, pink peppercorn bitters and lager in the Silencio Michelada.
Other popular Madre! cocktails include the Colada featuring mezcal espadin, strawberry brandy, coco lopez, house curacao and lime, and the Chido Wey! made with mezcal espadin infused with nanches (tiny berrysized citrusy fruit), house-made tepache, honey, lemon, and spicy bitters.
And Rocco’s Tacos menus the Homb-Rise made with with mezcal, pineapple juice, agave and pomegranate syrup.
Other basic cocktails enlivened by mezcal include Moscow Mules and Bloody Marys, Ryan of Lethal Mezcal says.
“In Moscow Mules, the heat comes from the ginger, and the smoke profile of mezcal really comes through that,” he says, noting that mezcal’s smoky profile also mixes well with the tomato flavor in Bloody Marys.
Once customers have passed into more advanced mezcal “class,” getting them to sample mezcal straight up — preferably with orange wedges instead of lime — is the next lesson.
“That’s the traditional way to do it because of the smoke and the more complex flavor profile,” Ryan of Lethal Mezcal explains.
Rocco’s Tacos has embraced that format and hosts Mezcal Mondays with 50 percent off mezcal cocktails, shots and flights.
With education ramping up right along with availability, the future for mezcal looks bright.
“The market has gone from, ‘What is mezcal?’ to the presence of one mezcal cocktail on the menu to a selection of mezcals on offer both in cocktails and on the backbar,” says Swain. To reap the rewards, each venue should consider “a larger presence on the back bar and menus via flights, plus inclusion on premium pour lists and a larger selection of mezcal cocktails on menus,” he concludes.
Sidebar: Pairing and Prep Tips
Sother Teague, beverage director of the award-winning cocktail bar Amor y Amargo
in New York City’s East Village, says presentation and preparation are key.
“There is no right or wrong way to choose compatible fruits, vegetables, herbs
or spirits to pair with mezcal, so enjoy the fun of experimenting,” Teague says. “Of
course, there are some obvious clues, though, and they’re derived from terroir
(origin). As mezcal is from Mexico, the first thoughts are of items from Mexico.
Limes, oranges, mango, papaya, chiles, even the famed mole sauce that consists of
cinnamon and cocoa is delicious with mezcal. Try adding some cilantro to a mezcal
margarita or burn some rosemary before adding it to the shaker tin. As far as spirits
pairings in a recipe, tequila is obvious but try it with the herbal notes in a juniper
forward gin or a caraway heavy aquavit. I’ve had some delicious results blending it
with malty Genever as well.”