Happy Cinco de Mayo! This fifth day of May commemorates the 1862 battle of Puebla, when Mexico defeated the invading French army. In the U.S., those celebrating this popular occasion indulge in Mexican cuisine, often paired with Mexico’s most well-known spirits: mezcal and tequila.
Here’s a fun fact you may not know: Tequila is actually a type of mezcal.
Just as there are different types of whiskies: Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, etc., there are different types of mezcals, and one of them is tequila. Mezcal is the larger category, defined as any agave-based distilled spirit made in Mexico. Tequila, a subset of mezcal, has more specific requirements as it can only be made from blue agave grown in designated regions of Mexico.
However, the taste profiles of bottles labeled “mezcal” versus those of “tequila” are very different. Mezcal typically has a smoky taste, gained from its unique production process of roasting the agave underground in a firepit. Tequila has more of a fruity, agave-forward flavor without smoke. Reposado and añejo tequilas often have toasty notes from oak barrel aging.
While we all love a traditional margarita for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, this year I’ve rounded up four fiesta-perfect cocktails using two outstanding spirits: Gracias a Dios Mezcal and Tequila Bribón Blanco Tequila.
Gracias a Dios Mezcal Artesanal Espadin is handmade by 4th generation maestro mexcalero Oscar Hernández. Gracias a Dios, which means Thank God, is an
This Article was originally published on The Wine Chef
