If there’s only one thing I’d tell you, it’s “Sip it, don’t shoot it!”
Read on for more details on how mezcal is tasted and appreciated throughout Mexico and now around the world.
Follow these 13 steps to get the most enjoyment from your mezcal tasting experience. THIRTEEN?! Really, it comes quite naturally after awhile.
- Pour neat into a traditional veladora or other smaller, wide mouthed drinking vessel
- Observe the perlas in your vessel. The longevity of these bubbles is how mezcaleros traditionally gauged, quite accurately, the ABV of the mezcal.
- Let it sit and open up for a few minutes - if you have the patience!
- Never forget to swirl and smell to appreciate the aromatics - hold the vessel level, keeping your nose just above it, not deep in it.
- Observe the color (better be clear!!), and legs. We find this can sometimes translate to the mouthfeel.
- Some traditions have you touch the mezcal as well by pouring a bit into your hands and rubbing them together. They say you are then left with the essences of the agave and of course nothing sticky since there are no additives.
- Besos or "kisses" as you sip the mezcal first into the front of the mouth, then “chewing” it back over the tongue with control. Some people smack (cough my husband cough - drives me nuts!) but whatever gets the job done. This helps prevent the accidental back-of-the-throat hit which will ruin even a veteran drinker’s experience.
- Enjoy and observe the front, middle and back end of the tasting experience - are you wine lovers out there noticing all the similarities to wine tasting techniques?
- Feel the mezcal in your mouth. Is it creamy, lactic, oily, thick or thin, watery, maybe bright and crisp? Keep in mind, your brain cross references the “feel” with the “taste” as well, so there can be a lot going on!
- See if you can identify specific flavors. Remember, mezcal is PURE, with no additives so everything you taste is from the agave or natural production process itself - local water source, yeast in the air, fermentation vessel and roasting/distillation firewood.
- Blurt out the first words that come to mind - that’s probably what you’re tasting! Sometimes it’s “basement”, sometimes it's “eucalyptus trees” inspired by those you just passed on your daily walk. As you go through daily life, you may now encounter smells that you have experienced in mezcal before - you might find yourself saying “This is a good mezcal descriptor, I should remember it”
- Finally, if you just want to zone out, follow the basic smelling/besos steps 1-7 and then kick back and just enjoy it with no other thoughts except, hopefully, “WOW, this is delicious!” You know when you like a mezcal. But personally, I know I LOVE a mezcal when I find myself mindlessly reaching for that copita again and again!
- If you really don’t want to forget what you’re drinking, grab a mezcal tasting book and take notes. Or rate it over on mezcalreviews.com.
What do you think about the above steps? Would you add anything?
What kind of a mezcal drinker are you? I prefer to:
- Formally taste, rate and enjoy OR
- Zone out and enjoy
It depends on the day, mezcal and occasion for me, so I'd say a combination of both!
