Lakeside Libations Marvelous Mezcal Nick Jeffrey libations@theanchor.ca
W
ell-seasoned tipplers may have noticed that as globalization has accelerated over the past few decades, both local and international booze peddlers are upping their game. Gone are the days of the same old rotgut swill from the megabreweries and giant industrial spirits producers. Today, a seemingly limitless number of craft brewers and artisanal distillers have been cropping up, much to the delight of the imbibing public. The Mexican spirit called Mezcal is no exception, with several new and exciting brands appearing on the market since my long-past days as a novice boozer. For those not familiar with this particular tipple, Mezcal is a distilled spirit made from the Maguey plant, which primarily grows in the Mexican state of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-ka-ka for you gringos). The Maguey plant has a long and storied past in Mexico, and was used to create a fermented beverage called 28
October 30, 2023 Volume 23 No. 44
Pulque for thousands of years. However, when the Spanish conquistadors brought distillation technology to the New World in the 1500’s, the fermented sap of the Maguey plant was quickly discovered as a good candidate for distillation, thusly giving birth to the spirit we now know as Mezcal. Similar to the standards used for the related spirit Tequila, there are four classifications of Mezcal. White Mezcal is crystal-clear and is not aged. This results in a fiercely harsh taste, similar to hillbilly moonshine. It is definitely an acquired taste only for a very few, and most people would do well to avoid this one. Dorado is also unaged, but has a coloring agent added to impart a golden hue that makes it look like it has been aged in oak barrels. Again, this is a cheap spirit best avoided.
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