There are four principal spirits made in Mexico that are distilled from agave — tequila, mezcal, sotol and bacanora. They share many similarities, yet their differences make them each as distinctive from the other as Irish, Scotch and American whiskeys. While they are all distilled in a similar manner, production differences, the variety of agave distilled and matters of terroir, to name a few, significantly alter the finished spirit.
For enthusiasts, aficionados and novices alike, the distinctions between these native spirits are an ongoing source of intrigue. If you’re not entirely up to speed on the spirits of Mexico, here is a brief description of the major players:
Bacanora
Bacanora is a 400-hundred year old spirit distilled from wild Silvestre agaves that flourish in the Sierra Madres Mountains of Sonora. Production of bacanora was made illegal from 1915 and the onset of the Mexican Revolution. While the explanation for the ban remains unclear, the governor of Sonora at the time prohibited the production and commercialization of Bacanora. This edict remained in force until 1992, when the State of Sonora repealed the law and established Origin of Denomination standards and regulations.
The mature agaves are harvested and slowly roasted in underground pits. The roasting process contributes to its mineral nuances. Fermentation takes place in wooden or stainless steel vats for upwards of 10 to 12 days. The roasted agaves are then fermented in open wooden vats, a long process that utilizes wild, airborne yeasts to precipitate fermentation. Bacanora is double-distilled in a copper pot stills and bottled at 40% alcohol by volume.
Mezcal
Mezcal is produced principally in the State of Oaxaca (about 70 percent), though by law it can be grown and distilled in six other states – Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosi, Tamulipas and Zacatecas. The spirit can be distilled from 28 types of agave — including Tobala and Madre Cuishe— but mainly Espadin. After reaching maturity, the harvested agaves are slowly roasted in covered pits or underground ovens, resulting in the finished spirit often being extremely smoky. The plants are then crushed and the juice called aguamiel (honey water) is fermented. Mezcals are traditionally distilled in pot stills to approximately 55% alcohol before water is added to render them down to 80-86 proof.
Some mezcals are bottled with a small larva. They are referred to as mezcals con gusano, meaning “with worm.” Although the exact reason why this practice began is somewhat in dispute, the likely explanation is that the inclusion of the larva was used to prove the relative alcohol content.
Certification has greatly helped to advance the reputation of mezcal by requiring that it be made from 100% agave and produced under strict quality guidelines. Mezcal is also protected under Denomination of Origin status.
Sotol
Sotol is distilled from the desert spoon plant, a hardy variety of agave native to deserts of Chihuahua. It takes the plant 12 to 15 years to mature and yield the highest amounts of fermentable sugars. After harvesting, the agave are baked in clay ovens for upwards of 3 days, crushed to extract the agave’s precious juice and then allowed to slowly ferment. The fermented wash is double-distilled in copper pot stills. Sotol is produced under the strict guidelines of the Origin of Denomination.
Tequila
Tequila is produced principally in and around the town of Tequila, which is located northwest of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, though it is also legally produced in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. The spirit is distilled exclusively from the stately tequilana weber, or more often referred to as blue agave. While every agave matures at its own pace, most reach maturity after 8 to 12 years. The agave must be harvested when the plant has reached its optimum maturity to ensure that the plant contains the highest amount of residual sugar.
The harvested agaves are taken to the distillery where they are split into quarters and then baked to convert the plant’s natural starches into fermentable sugars. The traditional method of baking agaves is in a large stone oven called an hornos. The juice that secretes from the agaves during baking has an extremely high sugar content. The softened baked agaves are removed from the oven and crushed or shredded to extract the juice.
The aguamiel is separated from the crushed fibers and transferred to a large fermentation tank. Water and yeast are added to the tank to start fermentation, a process that takes approximately 48-72 hours. When the fermentation process is complete, the fermented juice, called mosto, is transferred to the still. Most premium tequilas are distilled in traditional copper alembic stills. By law, tequila must be at least double distilled.
