Guide · Drinks · Hell's Kitchen
Mezcal vs. Tequila: The Difference, Explained at a NYC Mezcal Bar
Both come from agave and both come from Mexico, so why does one taste like a campfire? Here's the difference between mezcal and tequila, how to read the labels, and which margarita to order at our bar in Hell's Kitchen.
Mezcal and tequila are the two best-known Mexican spirits, and they're family. Both are distilled from the cooked heart of the agave plant. The differences come down to which agave, where it grows and how it's cooked, and you can taste all three in a margarita.
The short answer
All tequila started life as a kind of mezcal, the one made around the town of Tequila, in Jalisco. Today they're separate spirits with their own rules. Tequila is made only from blue agave, in Jalisco and designated areas of four other states, and the agave is usually steamed. Mezcal can be made from many kinds of agave, most of it in Oaxaca, and the agave is traditionally roasted in a pit, which is where the smoke comes from.
Mezcal vs. tequila, side by side
- The plant. Tequila uses one agave, the blue agave (Agave tequilana). Mezcal can use dozens; espadín is the most common, and wild agaves like tobalá make some of the most prized bottles.
- The place. Tequila comes from Jalisco and parts of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. Most mezcal comes from Oaxaca, and several other states make it too.
- The cooking. For tequila, the agave hearts (piñas) are usually steamed in ovens. For mezcal, they're traditionally roasted in pits in the ground, over wood and hot stones, and that's the smoke you taste.
- The taste. Young tequila tastes of cooked agave, citrus and pepper. Mezcal is smoky and earthy, and it changes a lot from one agave to the next.
How to read the label
The age words work the same way for both spirits:
- Blanco (or joven, for mezcal). Unaged or barely rested. The purest agave flavor, and the usual choice for a margarita.
- Reposado. "Rested" in oak for a few months: softer, with a little vanilla.
- Añejo. Aged at least a year in oak, so it's darker and rounder, closer to a sipping spirit.
On a tequila bottle, look for "100% de agave". Tequila labeled only "tequila" can be made with as little as 51% agave sugars. And the worm? It turns up in some bottles of mezcal, never in tequila, and it's more of a marketing story than a tradition.
Which margarita should you order?
A classic margarita is tequila, lime and something sweet. Swap the tequila for mezcal and you get what our menu calls a mezcal-rita: the same drink with smoke in it. If you like spicy margaritas, try mezcal; the smoke and the chile go well together. Our margaritas and mezcal-ritas are by Daniel Barragan, and here they are as they read on our menu.
With tequila
With mezcal
The rest of the list, including the frozen margarita, the skinny margarita and La Bichota, is on our margarita and mezcal bar page. Not drinking? See our zero-proof drinks.
A margarita on the roof
Cantina Rooftop is a Mexican rooftop restaurant and bar at 605 W 48th Street, between 11th and 12th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, about a 12-minute walk from the C/E subway at 50th Street. We're open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm with a live DJ, and the margaritas go well with our tacos. Tables for 2 to 8 book online; walk-ins are welcome, but we recommend booking.
What else do people ask about mezcal and tequila?
Is tequila a type of mezcal?
Historically, yes: tequila began as the mezcal made around the town of Tequila, in Jalisco. Today they are separate spirits, each with its own denomination of origin and its own rules about which agave can be used and where.
Why does mezcal taste smoky?
Because of how the agave is cooked. For mezcal, the agave hearts are traditionally roasted in pits in the ground, over wood and hot stones, and they take on the smoke. For tequila, they're usually steamed in ovens, so there's no smoke.
Is mezcal stronger than tequila?
Not as a rule. Both are usually bottled at around 40% alcohol, and some mezcals are bottled stronger. It depends on the bottle, not the category.
Should I order a tequila or a mezcal margarita?
Order tequila if you want the classic: clean, citrusy and bright. Order mezcal if you like smoke, or if you usually reach for a spicy margarita, because the smoke and the chile go well together.
Do you have mezcal margaritas at Cantina Rooftop?
Yes. The Frozen Pineapple Mezcal Margarita, the Spicy Mango and the Jalapeño Margarita are made with mezcal, along with the Mezcal Smash and El Besito. They're $18 each. See the whole bar list.
How much are the margaritas?
$18 a glass. Add mango, passion fruit or strawberry for $3. A pitcher is $70, or $85 flavored, and the Vozul Skull Margarita is $39 in a skull mug you keep.
When can I come for a drink?
We're open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm, with a live DJ, and closed Mondays. Walk-ins are welcome, but we recommend booking. Book a table.
