Mezcal and liqueur: The alcoholic beverages that have won the hearts of imbibers

 

Mezcal or Mescal is the name given to a distilled alcoholic beverage prepared from the maguey plant which is a kind of agave born in Mexico. The term “mescal” has been derived from Nahuatl mexcalli and ixcalli meaning oven-cooked agave. A big conical pit in the ground is used for roasting the agave.  After roasting, the agave is fermented in wooden vats naturally and then distilled in a small copper and, at times, in clay stills. Above 200 agave species are there, many of which are native to Mexico. Mescal is prepared from around 30 of the agave species. Like Mescal, liqueur is another alcoholic beverage that is prepared from a distilled spirit in which herbs, nuts, cream, flowers, and fruit are often added to enhance its flavor. The addition of sugar or sweeteners further upgrades the taste.  It is for sure that both the aforementioned beverages have their own quintessential flavor and characteristics that would win the hearts of the alcohol lovers.

 

While Mezcal has a smoky taste, liqueur is sweet. Mezcal contains 30% to 40% alcohol, while liqueur has much lower alcohol content (15-30%). Many people tend to confuse liqueurs with liquors. However, in reality, they are different. Unlike, liquors, the liqueurs are consistently sweet and syrupy.

Mezcal is officially made in 8 of the 31 states in Mexico. Mescal available in the United States mostly comes from Oaxaca. Liqueurs, on the other hand, are the scions of the herb family. They were first produced in Italy in the 13th century and were often made by the monks. At present, they are made worldwide and served in a variety of ways. Liqueurs can be poured over ice or mixed with coffee or used in cocktails. In most of the cases, they are served after or with a dessert.

 

Nowadays, liqueurs are made worldwide and are served in many ways: by themselves, poured over ice, with coffee, mixed with cream or other mixers to create cocktails, etc. They are often served with or after a dessert. They are also used in cooking. Anise liqueurs have the unique characteristic of getting cloudy from transparent when water is added to it. Interestingly, the anise oil remains in the beverage in the presence of high concentration of alcohol and it effloresces when the alcohol concentration is lowered with water. This is referred to as the ouzo effect.

Styles of Mezcal change from vary from place to place and producer to producer. However, the smokiness is common to all variety of Mescal. Certain varieties come with fruity or herbal flavor because of the addition of fruits and herbs during the production process or at the time of distillation.

 

Here are some of the popular Mezcal varieties:

-             White Mezcal:  It is a clear distilled spirit that is allowed to age for some time.

-             Añejo Mezcal: This is a popular variety of Mescal. It is allowed to age for at least 12 months. The better versions of this type of Mescal will be aged 2-3 years.

 

-             Dorado Mezcal: This is prepared by adding color to white mescal.

Are you looking for authentic reviews and recipes of Mezcal and liqueur? If so, you can visit our website.