Drinking Mezcal

During the dog days of summer, it is important for a Lounge Lizard to kick back, chill, and soak up the heat a bit. What better way to do that than to drink some mezcal with worm-salted oranges. What? Mezcal? Yes. Mezcal. If you're thinking you've never had it, you're wrong. Chances are that you've had tequila before, and, since tequila is a mezcal, you've had it.

What's the difference? Both spirits are made from agave. Mezcal can be made from about 50 different agaves, but tequila is made from just one- the Weber blue agave. Also, the agave used to make tequila is steamed, while the agave used for mezcal is roasted in underground pits. This means that mezcal will likely have that smoky finish that sets it apart.

Although we think that mezcal is fantastic in cocktails (we drink our lime Ixtapas with mezcal routinely now), it is classically enjoyed neat from a small clay cup known as a copita (pictured).  Ours look like little black salsa bowls. But you will not be dipping your oranges in your mezcal like some northern barbarian! Copitas allow you to slowly savor your chosen mezcal's complexity, like those sourced from Del Maguey, our main mezcals-of-choice for the last three years now.

In March 2022, we vanilla-beaned Del Maguey's crema mezcal; in the picture, we're drinking the standard single-village Del Maguey offering- Vida from San Luis Del Rio in Oaxaca. It's bright with tropical greens upfront, leathery with a touch of smoke in the afterthought. A taste of the spirit and a taste of cool orange right after is a great combination.

But what about this worm salt stuff? Its Mexican appellation is sal de gusano, made from moth larvae that feed on agave plants. The larvae are toasted, ground up, and mixed with rock salt and dried chile peppers. Worm salt is as varied as mezcal. It can be made from countless varieties of chiles. The proportions of salt to chile to larvae can differ. What is the general taste of worm salt? Just what you'd imagine- it's salty, spicy, and smoky. Perfect for mezcal.

But, hey, this is a cocktail blog, so while you are contemplating trying mezcal with worm salt, warm up with our longtime favorite south-of-the-border cocktail- the lime Ixtapa.

Lime Ixtapa (Classic Pours Series)

1 ounce mezcal (or tequila if you like)
3 ounces coffee liqueur (we use Kamora)
1/2 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice

Mix all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold. Strain into a cocktail class. Garnish with a lime twist.