One of Mexico鈥檚 oldest spirits is gaining new ground in the U.S.
Mezcal, a distilled beverage made from the agave plant, grew in sales from 50,000 cases in 2009 to approximately 360,000 cases in 2017, according to the . Behind beer and tequila, it鈥檚 become Mexico鈥檚 third largest alcoholic ; and around D.C., mezcal is a mainstay on many restaurant menus 鈥� including .
Through March 17, the downtown D.C. restaurant is celebrating mezcal and its sister spirit at the seventh annual . Over two weeks, Oyamel will host tastings, pairings, producer meet-and-greets and film screenings that focus on the agave-made drinks.
New to mezcal? 翱测补尘别濒鈥檚 Alan Grublauskas shared some info on the smoky spirit:
How it鈥檚 made
Unlike tequila, which is made specifically from blue agave, mezcal can be produced from a number of agave varieties, making it one of the most diverse spirits available.
Before distillation, the pi帽as, or agave hearts, are roasted underground for a few days alongside lava stones. This gives the spirit its signature smoky flavor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so unique within itself,鈥� said Grublauskas, who recently traveled to Michoac谩n, one of the handful of Mexican states that make mezcal.
鈥淲here a lot of spirits in the mainstream are built off of grains, agave just takes so long to grow within a field before it can be roasted and fermented and bottled. So just seeing agaves that are seven, 10, 12 years old 鈥� a living plant 鈥� and turning that into a beautiful spirit in a bottle, it鈥檚 just absolutely amazing to see.鈥�
How to drink it
Shaken? Stirred? Straight? When it comes to mezcal, Grublauskas said there鈥檚 no wrong way to drink it 鈥� especially as more artisan bottles make their way to the U.S.
鈥淢ezcal, to me, goes incredibly well into stir cocktails or with citrus,鈥� Grublauskas said.
A popular way to sip it is in the form of a margarita (swap out tequila for mezcal) or neat (in a glass at room temperature). Around town, Espita Mezcaleria makes a martini with mezcal, and the award-winning Columbia Room makes a mezcal grasshopper julep. A number of establishments, including Oyamel, pour mezcal flights so diners can familiarize themselves with regional differences and flavor variations.
How to participate
On Tuesday, March 5, Oyamel will host a 鈥溾�� dinner, where Arik Torren of Fidencio Spirits will pour nine different Mexican spirits paired with small bites representing nine states of Mexico.
Wednesday, March 6 is the screening of the documentary 鈥溾�� at Landmark鈥檚 E Street Cinema, followed by mezcal and Mexican bites at Oyamel.
For a more intimate experience, consider a at the restaurant鈥檚 ceviche bar. A five-course meal will be served alongside agave-based spirits. Tickets for dinners March 12 and 13 are available online.
For information on times, tickets and Tequila Mezcal Festival details, visit .
