Mezcal

Mezcal can be smoky, but smoke is only one part of it. Depending on the agave, place and producer, it can also show roasted fruit, herbs, citrus, earth, flowers, spice and a distinctly savoury character.

The category is remarkably varied. Agave species mature at different rates and respond differently to the soil and climate in which they grow. Cooking, fermentation and distillation then shape the final spirit, which is why two mezcals made in neighbouring villages can taste completely different.

What makes mezcal different from tequila?

Both are Mexican agave spirits, but they follow different rules and traditions. Tequila is made principally in Jalisco and several other designated regions using Blue Weber agave.

Mezcal can be produced in several designated states and from a much wider range of agave species. Many traditional producers cook the agave in an earth oven before crushing, fermenting and distilling it in small batches. This can contribute smoke, but the agave variety, fermentation and the decisions of the producer are just as important.

Choosing your first mezcal

Espadín is a useful place to begin. It can offer a clear introduction to cooked agave, gentle smoke and the earthy or savoury flavours commonly associated with mezcal.

From there, try comparing mezcals made from different agave varieties. Some can be bright and aromatic, while others are richer, more herbal or more intensely structured. The producer, village and agave are usually more helpful than age when deciding what to try next.

Rey Campero

Rey Campero is made by the Sánchez family in Candelaria Yegolé, Oaxaca. The family has produced mezcal across four generations and works with several agave varieties, making the range particularly useful for anyone who wants to compare how the raw material changes the spirit.

You can begin with a more familiar variety or move through expressions made from agaves such as Cuishe, Mexicano, Tepeztate, Jabalí, Madrecuixe and Sierra Negra. Each offers a different balance of fruit, herbs, earth, spice and texture.

Clase Azul mezcal

Clase Azul approaches mezcal from a more polished and presentation-led direction. Its regional releases make striking gifts, but they also offer different expressions of Mexican agave, including spirits produced in Guerrero, Durango and San Luis Potosí.

Casa de Vinos is the exclusive Australian importer of Clase Azul. Browse the range if you are looking for a mezcal with strong visual presence, a regional story and a generous style suited to slow drinking.

Mezcal at Casa de Vinos

Our selection ranges from accessible bottles for first-time mezcal drinkers to small releases built around particular villages, producers and agave varieties. We choose bottles that are worth drinking and that give you a reason to look more closely at where and how they were made.

Browse the bottles below, return to our wider agave spirits selection, or compare them with our tequila range.