That shortcut misses almost everything that matters.
Yes, they’re related, but structurally, agriculturally, and philosophically, mezcal and tequila are doing very different things. Once you look past the buzzwords, the differences are less about smoke and more about intention.
Let’s unpack it.
Tequila and mezcal don’t just taste different—they exist under entirely separate legal systems.
Tequila is regulated by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) and must be produced primarily in Jalisco, with limited production allowed in a handful of neighboring states. It is legally tied to one agave species and one only: Blue Weber agave (Agave tequilana Weber var. azul).
Mezcal is overseen by the Consejo Regulador del Mezcal (CRM) and can be produced in nine states, most famously Oaxaca. Instead of one agave, mezcal allows dozens—each with different growth cycles, sugar structures, and flavor outcomes. Mezcal law also formally recognizes how it’s made, with categories like mezcal artesanal and mezcal ancestral.
From the outset, tequila is tightly focused. Mezcal is deliberately broad.
One Agave vs. Many
Tequila’s dependence on Blue Weber agave is often framed as a limitation, but it’s more accurate to call it a design choice.
Blue Weber agave was selectively cultivated for consistency. It matures relatively quickly—usually in six to eight years—and converts efficiently into fermentable sugars. That predictability allows producers, especially traditional ones, to fine-tune their processes and dial in a precise house style.
Mezcal doesn’t work that way.
Mezcal producers might use Espadín, Tobalá, Tepeztate, Cupreata, Salmiana, or dozens of other agaves. Some are cultivated, many are wild, and some take 20 years or more to mature. Each behaves differently once harvested. Some are fibrous, some are juicy, some are bitter, some are intensely sweet.
That diversity doesn’t just affect flavor—it changes how the agave cooks, ferments, and distills. Mezcal doesn’t aim for uniformity. It accepts variation as part of the deal.
Cooking: Steam vs. Fire
This is where the spirits really start to part ways.
Traditional Tequila Cooking
In artisanal tequila production, agaves are typically cooked in brick or stone ovens called hornos. These ovens use indirect steam, not open flame. The agave cooks slowly—often over one to two days—then rests before being crushed.
The goal isn’t intensity. It’s control.
This slow steaming converts inulin into fermentable sugars without scorching the agave or introducing smoke. Any toasted notes that appear come from gentle browning reactions inside the agave itself, not from burning wood or ash.
There’s no legal “ancestral tequila” category, but many producers intentionally stick to pre-industrial methods: long cook times, no diffusers, no shortcuts. What they’re chasing isn’t smoke—it’s clarity and agave purity.
Mezcal Cooking
Mezcal takes a very different route.
Agaves are roasted in subterranean pit ovens, buried alongside hot stones and hardwood. They cook for days underground, absorbing heat, smoke, and mineral elements from their environment.
This method triggers pyrolysis—chemical reactions caused by direct heat and combustion. That’s where mezcal’s smoke comes from. Not additives. Not aging. Just physics.
The flavor impact is unavoidable, and for mezcal, it’s the point.
Fermentation: Clean Lines vs. Wild Variables
Traditional tequila fermentation tends to be relatively restrained. It may happen in wood or stainless steel, sometimes with ambient yeast, sometimes with cultivated strains. Some producers ferment with agave fibers; others don’t.
Even at its most rustic, tequila fermentation is about preserving structure and keeping things legible.
Mezcal fermentation is far more exposed. Open-air vats, native yeast, bacteria from the environment, inclusion of fibers—it all adds up to a wash that’s often more acidic, savory, and unpredictable.
This isn’t sloppy production. It’s ecological fermentation. The environment becomes an ingredient.
Distillation: Refinement vs. Texture
Tequila is almost always distilled twice in copper pot stills. Copper helps strip sulfur compounds and sharp edges, resulting in a spirit that’s clean, bright, and focused.
Mezcal might use copper, but ancestral producers often distill in clay pot stills, which interact very differently with alcohol vapor. Clay doesn’t remove sulfur the way copper does. It softens texture, emphasizes earthiness, and leaves more weight on the palate.
Same principle—distillation—but very different outcomes.
How It Shows Up in the Glass
Traditionally made tequila tends to express:
The flavors are deliberate and repeatable.
Mezcal can show:
No two mezcals are expected to taste the same—and that’s not a flaw. It’s the identity
The Real Difference
Tequila and mezcal aren’t separated by smoke alone. They’re separated by philosophy. Tequila—even at its most traditional—values precision within a narrow framework. Mezcal values expression within a wide one. One refines. The other reveals Neither approach is better. They’re just answering different questions. And once you understand that, both spirits become a lot more interesting to drink.
