A True Statement, With Limits
"Every Tequila is a Mezcal"
"Every Tequila is a Mezcal, but not every Mezcal is a Tequila" — the phrase sounds like a handy mnemonic, but it's actually an entire law in shorthand. It's historically accurate, but the moment labeling comes into play, it falls short: a Tequila isn't even allowed to call itself "Mezcal."
Where the Word Mezcal Comes From
Anyone tracing the origin ends up in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. There, "mexcalli" combines "metl," agave, with "ixcalli," cooked. Literally, the word means cooked agave. For centuries, this referred to any spirit made from the roasted hearts of agave, regardless of exactly where in Mexico it was produced.