Experience Agave explains that “traditionally, a mezcal is any Mexican agave distillate. The word derives from the Nahuátl metl ixcalli, meaning ‘cooked agave.’ This broad historical definition still holds for millions of people in Mexico. However, in 1997, mezcal was granted Denomination of Origin (DO) status, greatly restricting the legal and commercial use of the word.”
The majority of mezcal distilleries that I have visited are in the state of Oaxaca, which is where mezcal production is concentrated. There is a lot of room for creativity when making mezcal, from the way it’s cooked, the variety of agave used, and the way it's distilled. It’s a true labor of love to make this spirit because of all the time and labor that goes into it, most of which has been passed down for generations.