Mezcal vs. Tequila: What’s the difference?

While mezcal and tequila are both made from agave, there are important differences between the spirits, including the distillation process, species of agave, and regions the spirits are made.

(Distillation) Process

Artisanal mezcal is cooked in an underground volcanic stone oven before being distilled in a clay pot or wooden still, giving it its signature smoky taste. The natural flavors of the agave are maintained and brought to the forefront of the spirit. To make most tequilas, the agave is usually cooked in industrial grade stainless steel pressure cookers, hence the lack of smokiness.

Mocel uses an artisanal distillation process as shown above.

Artisanal mezcal is distilled with 100% agave and water, while tequila can be made using a minimum of 51% agave and other additives to reduce the cost. Mocel’s artisanal mezcal has no additives, which means you get a clean, low-calorie spirit with distinct, natural flavors. Pro tip: always check the label to ensure your tequila is made with 100% agave. Also, check out Tequila Matchmaker Additive-Free program for a list of additive-free tequila brands.

(Agave) Plant

Mezcal is produced using various agave species. For example, to craft Mocel’s expression, we use cupreata, inaequidens and espandincillo agave varieties. Whereas in tequila, only the blue agave (tequilana weber) can be used to make tequila.

Where is mezcal produced?

Mezcal is produced in twice as many regions as tequila with a wider variety of agave species, allowing for more variations in taste and traditional methods. Mocel is certified as mezcal artesanal for our traditional Michoacán distillation methods.