Many feel NOM 70 achieves most of the goals that the mezcal world, from small palenqueros to global consumers, have articulated over the past three years. Many feel NOM 199 Here are some excellent articles about the popular NOM 70 and the seemingly not so popular NOM 199 http://mezcalistas.com/tag/nom-070/ http://mezcalistas.com/tag/nom-70/ Here is a the President […] Maguey or Agave americana is a native plant from Mexico, and it is now cultivated in many parts of the world. This plant, also known as the century plant or American aloe, is neither an aloe nor a cactus, as it is sometimes erroneously believed, but instead is a member of the Agavaceae family. Maguey […] William H. Prescott wrote in 1843: But the miracle of nature was the great Mexican aloe, or maguey, whose clustering pyramids of flowers, towering above their dark coronals of leaves, were seen sprinkled over many a broad acre of the table-land. As we have already noticed its bruised leaves afforded a paste from which […] “Mezcal is not tequila yet tequila is Mezcal” All mezcals are made from agave plants; tequila is made from one particular species—the blue agave—while smokier mezcals are made from one of the other 150 agave species native to Mexico. Tequila is technically a mezcal, however, there are differences in production technique and in the types […] Occasionally the literal translation really does work the best. Sal de Guano gets us mostly there with “worm salt.” Sal de gusano is actually ground up salt, dried worms, and peppers. You see it everywhere in Oaxaca. It’s sold in small bags by elderly women around the market, in huge piles within markets, and it […] WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON THE LABEL The Name of the Plant A good mezcal will tell you the names of the agaves used to make the spirit. Espadín is the heartiest of the agaves and produces some of the best mezcal. Wild Tobalá, Tobaziche, Madrecuixe, Tripón, Verde, and Barril are other well-regarded agaves. The […] You’ve probably tried mezcal, even if you didn’t realize it at the time. “Tequila is mezcal,” says Yira Vallejo, director of Mezcal From Oaxaca. “But mezcal is not tequila.” All mezcals are made from agave plants; tequila is made from one particular species—the blue agave—while smokier mezcals are made from one of the other 150 […] Of course, the most basic questions are: What is mezcal? The word mezcal comes from the Nahuatl words ‘metl’ and ‘ixcalli’, which taken together mean “oven cooked agave.” The Spaniards were the first to distill cooked Agave, around the 16th Century, although Mezcal was the first spirit distilled. Mezcal is made from the agave plant. […] The time, effort, and passion necessary to produce artisanal mezcal means it should be consumed thoughtfully. Producers and enthusiasts agree that mezcal should be sipped neat or in a cocktail, never as a shot, but it’s less clear what glassware or vessel to use. Through our travels and tasting experience, we’ve discovered three main trends. […]New Category in NOM 70 for Ancestral Mezcal
Maguey, Agave Americana, Century Plant, American Aloe
The Many Uses of Agave
Mezcal is not Tequila
How to serve Mezcal – Sal de Gusano
What to Look For on the Label
Mezcal Compared to Tequila and Wine
What Is Mezcal!
How to serve Mezcal – The Vessel