Tequila is technically a kind of mezcal, however can solely be made with one species of agave—the blue Weber agave plant—whereas mezcal might be made out of greater than 40 totally different agave varieties from a number of areas throughout Mexico.
Tequila and mezcal additionally typically differ in how they’re produced. Tequila is usually made with agave hearts which might be steamed in above-ground ovens, whereas mezcal is made by roasting the agave hearts underground in rock-lined pits, imparting the smoky and savory qualities that many affiliate with the spirit. Moreover, most mezcal is made within the Mexican state of Oaxaca, whereas most tequila is produced in Jalisco.