Tasting

Citrus first, then earth, with a hint of herbs and only a touch of smoke. That's how connoisseurs describe typical mezcal from Zacatecas. It's markedly more restrained in smoke than its relatives from Oaxaca. That comes down to the stone oven rather than the deep earthen pit, and to Blue Agave, which is naturally milder than many wild varieties.

Anyone wanting to get to know the region through the bottle has three reliable names to look for. Mezcal Huitzila comes from the village of the same name near Teúl de González Ortega and has stayed in family hands for generations. In Teúl, the Museo y Fábrica de Mezcal Don Aurelio also honors this history. Then there's La Pendencia and Saldaña, both from Pinos and both built on Agave salmiana. Their profile is earthier and bolder than the spirits from the south.

Traditionally it's drunk from a jícara, a small bowl made from the fruit of the calabash tree, or from a simple copita. Never in one gulp, but in small sips. Before the first sip, people often rub a bit of mezcal onto the back of the hand and smell it. This ritual softens the alcohol slightly and releases the true aromas before the tongue even gets there.

There's no worm in the glass here, the kind some mezcal bottles from other regions display. That custom doesn't belong to this region anyway. Even elsewhere, it's more of a marketing gimmick than a genuine tradition.