Mezcal is meant to be sipped slowly, neat and at room temperature, from a small, wide mezcal cup, with orange slices and a pinch of seasoned salt on the side. No shooting, no lime and salt ritual, no ice needed. Drinking it this way lets you taste what makes mezcal special: roasted agave, smoke, earth and fruit, all in one small pour.
What is mezcal?
Mezcal is a spirit distilled from agave, made mostly in Mexico, with Oaxaca as its best-known home. Traditional producers roast the agave hearts (piñas) in earthen pits lined with hot stones, then crush, ferment and distill them. That pit roasting is where mezcal's signature smoky character comes from.
Mezcal vs tequila
Tequila is technically a type of mezcal, but with tighter rules: it must be made from blue Weber agave in specific regions, and the agave is usually steamed in ovens rather than roasted in pits. Mezcal can be made from many agave species, such as espadín, tobalá or tepeztate, so flavors range from bright and fruity to deep, smoky and mineral. If you like tequila, mezcal is the wider, wilder family it belongs to.
A quick guide to agave types
The agave on the label tells you a lot about what is in the bottle:
- Espadín: the most common, cultivated agave. Approachable, often fruity with gentle smoke. A good first bottle.
- Tobalá: a small wild agave that takes years to mature. Often floral and delicate, and usually pricier.
- Tepeztate: a wild agave that can take decades to mature. Bold, green, peppery flavors.
- Ensamble: a blend of several agaves in one mezcal, combining their flavors.
If you are new to mezcal, start with an espadín and work outward.
How to drink mezcal, step by step
1. Pour a small amount
About one to one and a half ounces is plenty. Mezcal is often bottled at a higher strength than many spirits, and a small pour is meant to last a while.
2. Serve it at room temperature
Skip the fridge and the ice. Cold mutes aroma, and aroma is half the experience.
3. Smell it first
Hold the cup a little below your nose and breathe in gently. Do not stick your nose straight in, as the alcohol can overwhelm. Look for cooked agave, smoke, citrus, herbs or wet stone.
4. Take a tiny sip, a "kiss"
In Mexico, people often describe sipping mezcal as giving it a kiss (un besito). Take a very small sip, let it coat your tongue for a moment, then swallow. The first sip wakes up your palate; the second and third are where the flavor opens up.
5. Go slowly
A single pour can last twenty minutes or more. That is the point: mezcal is a drink for conversation, not a race.
What to drink mezcal from
Traditionally, mezcal is served in a small, wide, shallow vessel rather than a tall shot glass. The wide opening lets the aromas spread out instead of concentrating the alcohol under your nose. Common choices include:
- Copitas or clay cups: small, wide, earthy cups made of clay. They are the classic choice in many mezcal regions.
- Jícaras: cups made from the dried shell of the gourd-like jícaro fruit.
- Veladoras: small glass votive candle holders, often with a cross on the side, reused as cups in mezcalerías.
Our handmade mezcal cups come from our ceramicists in Guadalajara. They are made from ceramic blended with local terracotta clay and glazed only on the inside, so the outside keeps the raw earth tones from the kiln. They are built for mezcal and are just as good for an espresso.
What to eat with mezcal
- Orange slices: the traditional pairing. A bite of orange between sips refreshes your palate.
- Sal de gusano: a seasoned salt made with chile and toasted agave worm larvae. Sprinkle a little on the orange. It sounds unusual; it tastes smoky, salty and savory.
- Snacks: roasted peanuts, chapulines (toasted grasshoppers) if you are adventurous, or a simple charcuterie board with aged cheese and chorizo.
Mezcal in cocktails
Sipping neat is the traditional way, but mezcal is also excellent in cocktails, adding a smoky backbone. A mezcal negroni, a mezcal margarita or a mezcal paloma are easy places to start. For cocktails, a short tumbler works well; the short Mario smoke luster glasses, mouth-blown from recycled glass, are sized for the everyday pour. Use a younger, less expensive espadín for mixing and save special bottles for sipping.
How to host a mezcal tasting at home
Pick two or three bottles made from different agaves, pour small amounts into separate cups, and taste from lightest to smokiest. Put out orange slices, sal de gusano, water and a few snacks. Set cups on terrazzo coasters, light a few candles and let the evening run long.
Frequently asked questions
Is mezcal supposed to be sipped?
Yes. Mezcal is traditionally sipped slowly and neat, not taken as a shot.
Do you put lime and salt with mezcal?
The traditional pairing is orange slices with sal de gusano or a chile salt, not lime and table salt.
How do you drink mezcal with orange and salt?
Take a small sip of mezcal and let it sit on your tongue for a moment, then bite a slice of orange dipped in sal de gusano or chile salt. The citrus and salt refresh your palate and bring out the sweetness of the roasted agave. Go back and forth slowly; the orange is a side for sipping, not a chaser for a shot.
Can you drink mezcal straight?
Yes. Drinking mezcal straight, neat and in small sips, is the traditional way to enjoy it. Pour about an ounce into a small, wide cup and sip it slowly rather than shooting it.
Should mezcal be chilled?
No. Serve mezcal at room temperature, which brings out the aroma. Chilling it or adding ice dulls the flavor.
Why are mezcal cups wide and shallow?
The wide opening lets the aroma spread out so you smell the agave rather than a blast of alcohol, and it encourages small sips.
Set up your own mezcal night
Find mezcal cups, glassware, coasters and serving boards in our cocktail party collection, or meet the makers behind our pieces.
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