They come from the SAME, but why do mezcal and tequila taste SO different?

Everyone knows that Mexican food is delicious, so much so that the national cuisine has been declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. However, it is not only Mexican food that is appreciated abroad; its drinks are also very popular. Although initially, mezcal and tequila were almost exclusively consumed by the working class, today they have become the “trendy” drinks in bars and restaurants everywhere. Around the world, 6 million liters of mezcal are consumed (of which 51% are consumed by women) and more than 300 million liters of tequila. It doesn't matter if you prefer mezcal or tequila, both drinks are delicious and, although they share many things in common, they have significant differences that make them very special: Process Nowadays, tequila is made in industrial ovens with controlled fermentation processes, while mezcal remains an artisanal drink. If you take a trip to Oaxaca, you can still see the pits where the agave hearts are cooked and the large stones with which they are ground. Place of production Both drinks have a designation of origin, so their production is limited to certain states in the country. Tequila is primarily produced in Jalisco, as well as some places in Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Mezcal is a bit more spread out across the Mexican territory: Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Guerrero. Raw material It is true: both mezcal and tequila are made from agave, but the varieties are different. Mezcal is produced with espadín, tobalá, cupreata, or mezcal maguey, while tequila is made exclusively from blue weber agave. Official Mexican Standard Don't get confused: all spirits distilled from an agave are mezcals, but not all are tequilas. Only those obtained from blue agave are considered tequila. Although they have many similarities, the flavor of a good tequila is generally more neutral, while mezcal has smokier notes. If you find it hard to differentiate these spirits, here’s a tip: mezcal is served with orange slices and worm salt, while tequila is served with lime and salt. We recommend these recipes: Paloma Cucumbers for tequila Mango mezcal margarita Clamato with mezcal