Tequila, Mezcal, Bacanora & Sotol

In some regions of Mexico, liquor is obtained by distilling the fermentation juices of different types of agave. These spirits are generally known as Mezcal, Sotol or Bacanora. Though some also have specific names such as limeño, raicilla, pata de mula, bovicornuta and capreata.

“Tequila” is a product of the fermentation and distillation of only one type of agve plant, the Agave tequilana Weber, blue variety. It is known as the state drink of Jalisco (Where the city of Tequila is located).

Mezcal

A typical earthen oven for roasting maguey hearts.

It is known as the state drink of Oaxaca.
A mezcal is generally considered to be a finished product after a single distillation, whereas tequila requires at least two distillations and careful filtration to remove any impurities and give it a smoother flavor.

This process results in a clear, pure beverage, unlike mezcal which usually has a deeper color and more aggressive taste. Mezcal often has a smoky flavor resulting from the practice of roasting the agave hearts in a pit oven. This is often considered to be a desirable feature in a mezcal.

Bacanora

Bacanora was illegal until 1992. Previously, it was just made and sold by bootleggers.

It is known as the state drink of Sonora (Where the city of Bacanora is located).
It is made from agave plants that grow wild in Sonora state. Producers just call the plant “yaquiano” agave, but in fact there are at least four different species of agave that are used.

It takes about 60 agave plants to produce 5 gallons US (20 liters) of Bacanora.The piña (heart) from the agave plant is harvested, then baked for about 2 days. Some producers use a covered pit; others use an above-ground oven.

Sotol

It takes a Sotol plant 10-15 years to mature, and it produces only one bottle of the spirit.

It is known as the state drink of Chihuahua.
Sotol is a distilled spirit made from the Dasylirion wheeleri (commonly known as Desert Spoon or, in Spanish, sotol),

The manufacturing process is very similar to the one used for mezcales; the plant’s core is cooked, fermented and the liquid is then distilled using more or less the same technique described in the making of mezcal, but is aged six months before bottling.

Sotol can only be made from 100% Dasilyrion sugars. The plant lives in high, cold altitudes and takes 10+ years to mature. The piña is a third smaller than tequila agaves.