What's the difference between tequila and mezcal?!
What's the difference between tequila and mezcal?
Answers: Hoopo probably gave the best technical answer, although maguey and agave are the same thing, so he may have confused things a bit. And while they do make MOST of the mezcal in Oaxaca, they do make it in other states also, including Jalisco. The guy above him, despite getting the state name wrong, is more of less on the right path also.
But if you're talking about taste (and that is what they're all about, right?) mezcal has a stronger, harsher taste.
Mezcal is the Mexican name assigned to ANYTHING distilled from the maguey plant (usually referred to as agave) ASIDE from tequila. There are also dozens of types of maguey. Therefore the flavor varies widely with mezcal, moreso than with tequila.
Obviously with both of the them, the flavor varies greatly depending upon aging and other distillation differences, but generally tequila will be smoother and less harsh.
Tequila of course, is never produced with a "worm" - it's not allowed by law. The worm is sometimes found in mezcal, but usually cheap stuff marketed to US college kids. The worm isn't even really a worm either, its a larva.
Both are essentially distilled from the same thing (the heart of a cactus) and thus have a certain similarity of flavor, but ultimately they are altogether different, with often people favoring one or the other and not really both. Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mezcal... The worm.. yuck! Tequila is made in the Mexican state of Jalisco like Champagne is only made in Champagne, France.
Mezcal is made in other states.
. Tequila is made from agave in Jalisco. Mezcal is made from maguey in Oaxaca.
Tequila is a town in Jalisco, not a state, in response to the post above. tequila taste good
mezcal taste like a dirty ashtray. The answer above mine is right, but perhaps not as clear as it could be.
Imagine Agave is like citrus. If you make an alcoholic drink from blue Agave, you have Tequila. (if you make a fruit drink from oranges, you have OJ.) If you make an alcoholic drink from any of the other 20+ types of Agave (or citrus), you have a different drink. They might be similar in taste or flavor, but they are as related/distant as OJ is to grapefruit juice. Most do agree however, Mezcal is harsher/rougher then tequila.