Sip artisanal mezcal

Artisanal mezcal is made using artisanal and traditional processes. Mezcal producers start the process by growing wild agaves for 7 to 10 years before harvesting. The process then moves on to cooking, grinding, fermentation, and distillation. This may appear easy on the surface, but all phases of the artisanal mezcal manufacturing process must be pre-Hispanic and colonial in order to produce an exceptional drink. Mezcal is a smoky, rich elixir that dreamers, artists, and the bereaved drink in warm-lit taverns. Mezcal, the elder sister of tequila, is distilled from the same agave plant but is hand-roasted beneath volcanic rocks. Visitors to Oaxacan villages used to bring back flasks of the strong stuff from mom-and-pop farms for a long time.

Now, mezcal has reached new heights in cities, with small artisanal distillers adored in mezcalara bars such as Mexico City's secret Bósforo and Mano Santa, which offers a sample flight of beverages. The Museo del Tequila y el Mezcal in Mexico City is a great place to learn about agave beverages. Much mezcal is produced in tiny amounts and is only accessible in Mexico. Los Danzantes, an expensive and remarkable artisanal maker, has a wider reach. Oaxaca is the mezcal capital of the world.

A ideal mezcal day begins with a guided distillery tour, which takes you through the process of slow cooking the agave pias (hearts) in a volcanic-rock pit as the aroma of roasting fills the air. Continue your journey at one of the many tasting rooms. Cuish serves cocktails that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Later, refine your mezcal expertise at a warmly lit bar, such as the well-stocked In Situ, and learn your Tobalá from your Espadn. Serve with a slice of orange sprinkled with sal de gusano (agave worm salt with mild chile) on the side.