![]() ![]() He mentions that the indigenous peoples in the coastal regions of the Sierra de Nayarit were distilling " mexcales". The first mention of distilled agave spirits in colonial records is from 1619, by the Spanish cleric Domingo Lázaro de Arregui. The prohibition led to the expansion and commercialization of the production of mezcal to fill the local demand for cheap liquor. This was not complied with completely, leaving Mexico behind with the oldest wineries in the Americas. īy the early 1600s, the Spanish colonial government and the Real Audiencia in Spain banned brandy and issued an order for the destruction of vineyards because it competed with the sales of imported spirits from Spain. ![]() The technology for distillation originated from early Spanish immigrants who arrived to the regions of Nueva Galicia (present-day Aguascalientes, Colima, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas). While fermented drinks from agave (like pulque) is pre-colonial, the distillation of agave heart juice into mezcal was only introduced in the late 16th century during the colonial era. For this reason, the liquid is called the "elixir of the gods". It is said that a lightning bolt struck an agave plant, cooking and opening it, releasing its juice. Cooking of the "piña", or heart, of the agave and fermenting its juice was practiced. The agave was one of the most sacred plants in pre-Spanish Mexico, and had a privileged position in religious rituals, mythology and the economy. Though other types of mezcal are not as popular as tequila, Mexico does export the product, mostly to Japan and the United States, and exports are growing.Ī cantaro jar, made from barro negro pottery, used for serving mezcal In Mexico, mezcal is generally consumed straight and has a strong smoky flavor. In the 21st century, mezcal is still made from the heart of the agave plant, called the piña, in much the same way as it was 200 years ago. Native fermented drinks from maguey plant, such as pulque, existed before the arrival of the Spanish. The origin of mezcal is tied to the introduction of distillation technology from Spanish immigrants to Nueva Galicia (present-day Aguascalientes, Colima, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas) in the late 16th century. More than 70% of mezcal is made in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but is now produced and commercialized throughout Mexico for the national and international market. Traditionally the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits and it continues to be used for many agave spirits whether these spirits have been legally certified as "mezcal" or not, and it is also considered a drink of artisan origin.Īgaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli, which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl and ixcalli. Mezcal ( / m ɛ ˈ s k æ l/, American Spanish: ( listen)), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. Bottles at a factory in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca ![]()
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