Mezcal Blackberry Smash

Sometimes you just need something different. Meet different. It’s called a Mezcal smash and this beauty is a lightly adapted cocktail from Half Baked Harvests’ Black Widow Smash. Like Tieghan said (and I agree) fresh blackberries muddled with herbs, citrus, and mezcal are the perfect cocktail for Halloween and all the many cool nights before us. So go ahead this Halloween, and indulge yourself. 

Agave + Regions

Mezcal is an acquired taste. For that unfamiliar, mezcal is defined as an “agave-based liquor“. And this includes tequila, which is made in specific regions of Mexico and must be made from only blue agave. But surprisingly, a whopping 30 different varieties of agave can make mezcal. According to spirits writer Chris Tunstall, the most common varieties of agave used for mezcal are tobalá, tobaziche, tepeztate, arroqueño and espadín. Espadin is the most common, accounting for up to 90% of all mezcal.

Distilling Process

But mezcal is different from tequila in other ways. Mezcal and tequila are produced in different regions of Mexico. Oaxaca, being the leading mezcal producer. The two cousin spirits are also distilled in different ways. Both tequila and mezcal are made from the harvested core of the agave plant, called the “piña”, but tequila is produced by steaming the agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled 2-3 times in copper pots. But, mezcal, is cooked inside earthen pits lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots.

Labeling

Tequila and mezcal are both aged inside oak barrels. But aging categories of the two spirits are defined differently. Tequila comes in three varieties: “blanco” (silver or plato/0-2 months), “reposado” (2-12 months), and “anejo” (1-3 years). Mezcal is also grouped into three categories by age, including “joven” (blanco or abacado/0-2 months), “reposado” (2-12 months), and “anejo” (at least one year).

For me, I have learned to appreciate mezcal, but to enjoy it, and appreciate it, it must be balanced. This mezcal blackberry smash cocktail is just that. Sweet fresh blackberries, fresh lemon, and blood orange juice (feel free to sub regular oranges here) balance sweet and tart, which is the key to slightly mellowing out the rich smoky flavor of the mezcal. Happy Halloween!