Mezcal vs. Tequila - What’s The Difference?
By James Colino, Founder of Mezcal Culture
Simply put, Tequila is a type of Mezcal. There are a couple of key features that clearly differentiate the two. For starters, tequila can only be made from one type of agave known as the Blue Weber agave, whereas mezcal can be made from just about any agave species. Location of production also plays a role. Tequila can only made in 5 states mostly in the region of Jalisco, Mexico. Mezcal’s protected area is much wider, covering parts of approximately 12 different states.
So, that's the short answer.
The longer one is where it gets fun, because once you know how these two spirits are made, you might favor one drink over another. For me, it’s mezcal!
For most of my life I believed tequila was the king of agave spirits. Then, about ten years ago, somebody poured me an ancestral mezcal and the whole new world opened up. I've been chasing that feeling ever since in Oaxaca, in Rome, and in bars across the United States. I still drink tequila but it’s important to understand how it differs from mezcal and why that matters when you're ordering one.
Is tequila a type of mezcal?
Historically, yes. But today, legally, they're separate categories. "Mezcal" is the old, broad word for spirits distilled from cooked agave, and the spirit made around the town of Tequila was once sold as vino mezcal de Tequila. Tequila got famous first and kept the town's name.
That's why you'll hear people say "all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila." I say it too, because it's the fastest way to explain it. Just know there’s some history behind it. The labels play by newer rules. Mexico now regulates the two under separate official standards, NOM-006 for tequila and NOM-070 for mezcal, each with its own regulatory council and its own protected territory. But that’s probably more than you wanted to know. Here’s some more basic info.
Mezcal vs. tequila at a glance
Here's the whole comparison on one screen, straight from the two official standards.
| Tequila | Mezcal | |
|---|---|---|
| Agave | Blue Weber agave only (Agave tequilana Weber, variedad azul) | Any agave species grown or harvested inside the mezcal denomination of origin. Espadín (Agave angustifolia) made up 84.5% of certified production in 2025 |
| How much agave | "100% de agave," or just "Tequila," which can be as little as 51% agave sugars | 100% agave, always |
| Where | 181 municipalities in five states: Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas | A much larger map led by Oaxaca, plus Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Puebla, Michoacán and more |
| Cooking | Usually steamed: brick ovens, autoclaves (industrial pressure cookers), or no cooking at all with a diffuser | Ranges from autoclaves ("Mezcal") to masonry ovens and earthen pits ("Artesanal") to earthen pits only ("Ancestral") |
| Alcohol | 35–55% ABV | 35–55% ABV |
| Additives | Up to 1% "abocantes" allowed without being named on the label: caramel color, natural oak extract, glycerin, sugar syrup | Anything added has to be declared as its own class, like abocado con (infused with) |
| Aged styles | Blanco, Joven, Reposado (2+ months in oak), Añejo (1+ year), Extra Añejo (3+ years) | Blanco/Joven, Reposado, Añejo, and Madurado en Vidrio (rested in glass) |
| Scale (2025) | 583.5 million liters produced | 6.9 million liters certified |
Why does mezcal taste smoky and tequila doesn't?
It comes down to the oven. Traditional mezcal roasts the agave hearts (called piñas) for days in a pit dug into the ground, lined with hot stones and wood, then buried. The smoke gets into the agave before it's ever crushed. Tequila is usually steamed in above-ground brick ovens or autoclaves, so you get the clean, bright, peppery, cooked-agave flavor without the campfire.
Some big tequila producers skip cooking entirely. A diffuser blasts the sugars out of raw, shredded agave with high-pressure water, then converts them with heat, acid or enzymes. It's fast and efficient.
One myth worth killing while we're here is that not all mezcal is smoky. Plenty of great mezcal is sweet, fruity, floral or mineral, with barely a wisp of smoke. I prefer a slightly sweet, smooth mezcal myself, and most of the bottles I've reviewed in the Mezcal Download newsletter rated light on smoke. A lot of people who say they don't like mezcal have just never had a good one.
Where are mezcal and tequila made?
Tequila can only come from 181 municipalities across five states: all of Jalisco, plus designated slices of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas, according to the Tequila Regulatory Council.
Mezcal's protected zone is much bigger, and it keeps growing. It's led by Oaxaca and includes regions of Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Puebla, Michoacán, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas. Estado de México, Morelos, Aguascalientes, and Sinaloa followed were all added in the last decade as well so it can be somewhat dynamic. It’s also interesting to note that some states do not receive a blanket approval. They might have a region of the state approved but not the whole state itself.
How to read the label: 100% agave, mixto, artesanal, ancestral
On a tequila bottle, look for "100% de agave." If it just says "Tequila," it's what bartenders call a mixto: at least 51% blue agave sugars, with the rest from other sugars. Any bar that bothered to build a real agave list typically isn’t pouring them.
On a mezcal bottle, look at the category. Every mezcal is 100% agave, so the category tells you how it was made:
Mezcal: you’ll never see the word “industrial” used in this case, but that’s essentially how I think of it. “Mezcal” is the broadest category though. Modern equipment like autoclaves, mechanical mills, and column stills are allowed. These bottles tend to show up as mixers in cocktails opposed to sippers on mezcal flights.
Mezcal Artesanal: pit or masonry ovens, crushing by mallet, tahona (a big stone wheel) or mill, and distillation over direct fire in copper or clay pots. This is the classic profile and most of what you'll see at a good bar.
Mezcal Ancestral: this is my favorite. Earthen pit ovens, milling by mallet, tahona or stone mill, and distillation in clay pots over direct fire. Slow, tiny batches, and usually the priciest tier.
Is mezcal better than tequila?
Depends who you ask! For people who don’t like the roasted, smokey profile of mezcal, they’ll almost always say tequila is better than mezcal. I tend to disagree because I appreciate the depth of flavor the roasting produces as well as the variety of flavors different agaves can have.
A traditionally made tequila from a small family distillery, cooked in a brick oven and crushed with a stone wheel, can be a revelation when compared to an industrial, mass-produced mezcal. But, if you've only ever had tequila from a bottle with a celebrity's name on it, a good blanco will reset your understanding of the whole category.
What I push back on is the idea that all mezcal is smokey and therefore tequila is the only agave spirit worth ordering. It's usually the most familiar section on the menu and often the most affordable so it's a safe bet. Just don't let it be the only thing you try.
Mezcal or tequila: what should you order?
Tell the bartender what you already like and let them translate. Here’s a few shortcuts that work on almost anyone:
You like margaritas: start with a clean, traditionally made tequila blanco, or a fruity mezcal made from Mexicano agave. Ease in.
You like peaty scotch: a smoky, pit-roasted Espadín, or a Tepextate.
You like bourbon: something rich and round, like an Arroqueño or a madurado en vidrio.
You like dry white wine: anything from the Karwinskii family, like Madrecuixe.
FAQ
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Not by law. Both official standards allow the same range: 35% to 55% alcohol by volume. What changes is the bottle, so check the label. I've reviewed mezcals at 49% that you definitely feel.
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Some bottles do. Mexico's mezcal standard lists gusano de maguey (the agave worm) among the ingredients that can be added to an "abocado con" mezcal, alongside things like orange and honey. It isn't a sign of quality, and you won't find one in most of the mezcals serious bars pour.
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Historically, yes: tequila began as vino mezcal de Tequila, the mezcal from the town of Tequila. Today, they're separate legal categories with separate official standards, NOM-006 for tequila and NOM-070 for mezcal.
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Scale and time. The tequila industry produced about 583 million liters in 2025, while certified mezcal was about 6.9 million. Most mezcal is made by small producers, often from agave that takes years or decades to mature, and ancestral clay-pot distillation yields very little per batch.
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Yes. Swap some or all of the tequila for an Espadín and you get a smokier, deeper drink. It's one of the easiest ways to introduce a friend to mezcal.
Keep going
Mezcal has more to learn than any spirit I know, and I love that. If you want a head start:
Decode every term on a mezcal menu in the Mezcal Culture glossary.
Find the bars that do it right on our list of the best mezcal bars.
Taste both side by side at a mezcal or tequila event near you.
Wondering what goes into the bottle? Read What Is Mezcal Made Of?
Every Thursday I send The Mezcal Download: the bottles worth your money, the events worth your weekend, and what's happening in agave. Subscribe free
James Colino is the founder, chief editor and Chief Mezcal Officer of Mezcal Culture. He holds a Level 1 Mezcal Certification from the Agave Spirits Institute and can be found visiting mezcalerias across the world, host tastings at home for friends, or and working with bars on their agave programs.