Best way to consume Mezcal?

Question

About Mezcal I know that Mezcal is a drink made from 100% agave and so a more pure drink than Tequila. Rather bad Mezcal will include a "worm" which is a larva of two different kind of insects, as I read.

But except of the curious "tradition" that the last shot comes with the "worm" I do not know much about how to enjoy a good Mezcal in best way. I would take it like a Whisky (pure at ambient temperature), but is it better on the rocks, with soda, cold, with salt and lemon or sugar and orange (like Tequila) or in a much better way as a cocktail? I assume there must be other (better) tradition and receipts on Mezcal than just swallow the worm? Are there any recommendations about the glasses to be taken with respect to the different alternatives?

I have read that, comparable to Tequila, Mezcal frequently is consumed with a lemon and a spice made from salt with chilli. I would use that only to cover the taste of a bad product.

Answer 1

As you said, many of the traditions like salt & lime are primarily used to disguise low-quality tequila and mezcal. If you're buying a reposado, añejo, or aged mezcal, you'll want to get the full aroma and flavor.

The colder the drink, the less aroma you get. Room temperature is recommended by most distilleries. Using a snifter glass, as Jedicurt suggested, lets you warm the liquor a bit more with your body temperature, which releases even more of the aromatics.

While I certainly know a lot of tequila and mezcal drinkers that add ice to their drinks -- I've been known to do it myself -- we'll generally add a single ice cube after taking that first big whiff to experience the aroma.

While there are mezcals that have the "worm" (it's actually a caterpillar or larva) in the bottle, they're generally the ones you want to avoid if you're drinking for flavor.

Answer 2

First of all mezcal does not contain a worm, it's a hollywood misconception and if you ever find one do not drink it

The average way to drink mezcal is just raw but there are other ways to drink it

• Salt or chilli powder around the edge of the caballito (the tiny glass)
• Drops of lemon
• Mixed with grapefuit soda
• Mixed with mineral water
• Blue gatorade mixed with coconut cream (we call it pitufo or smurf)
• Pomegranate glucose syrup and ginger beer with ice

and a couple of others I don't remember but these are the average ways to drink mezcal

Answer 3

Sadly don't have a link for this, but had a tasting locally put on by a rep from Pierde Almas. The way we were directed for a "traditional" drinking was in a snifter and served at room temp.

He said that you should always start a drink with a deep smell. To keep your mouth closed and you breathe in the scent, and then open it while taking this breathe so that you go from smelling to tasting the aromas.

You then take sips and let it sit in your mouth for about 10 seconds while you exhale slowly through your nose. And that as you keep doing this, you will start to smell and taste all the Mezcal has to offer.

Again, I don't have any links for this. Just what I was told in person by the Rep.