The Process for Making Mezcal

Mezcal is sold in various formats:

• Mezcal blanco is aged not at all, or up to two months.
• Mezcal reposado is aged between 6 months and one year.
• Mezcal añejo is aged for at least a year.

Sometimes a worm that lives inside the agave plant is added to the mezcal at the time it is bottled. Some people say that the worm adds to the flavor of the mezcal, but it may just be a marketing gimmick. There are also cremas de mezcal which are sweetened and come in a variety of flavors, such as coconut, coffee and passionfruit.