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Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit
In Mezcal, 2022 James Beard Award–winning author Emma Janzen explores what sets this cousin of tequila apart from the rest of the pack.
*Nominated for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award in the Beverage category*
Produced in Mexico for centuries but little known elsewhere until recent years, mezcal has captured the imagination of spirits enthusiasts with its astonishing complexities. And while big liquor is beginning to jump aboard the bandwagon, most mezcal is still artisanal in nature, produced using small-batch techniques handed down for generations, often with agave plants harvested in the wild.
Join author Emma Janzen as she presents an engaging primer on all things mezcal that
Mezcal’s long and captivating history in Mexican culture The craft of distilling mezcal, from growing and harvesting the agave to roasting and grinding it, all the way to distilling and aging A thorough guide to many of the most common agaves used in production and how they shape the resulting spirit A selection of nearly 50 cocktails that accentuate mezcal’s distinguishing qualities, contributed by top mezcal bars across the United States and Mexico With lush photography, an elegant design featuring a foil-debossed cover, and authoritative yet enthralling text, Mezcal is the definitive guide to exploring and unraveling the mysteries of this extraordinary handcrafted spirit.
*Nominated for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award in the Beverage category*
Produced in Mexico for centuries but little known elsewhere until recent years, mezcal has captured the imagination of spirits enthusiasts with its astonishing complexities. And while big liquor is beginning to jump aboard the bandwagon, most mezcal is still artisanal in nature, produced using small-batch techniques handed down for generations, often with agave plants harvested in the wild.
Join author Emma Janzen as she presents an engaging primer on all things mezcal that
Mezcal’s long and captivating history in Mexican culture The craft of distilling mezcal, from growing and harvesting the agave to roasting and grinding it, all the way to distilling and aging A thorough guide to many of the most common agaves used in production and how they shape the resulting spirit A selection of nearly 50 cocktails that accentuate mezcal’s distinguishing qualities, contributed by top mezcal bars across the United States and Mexico With lush photography, an elegant design featuring a foil-debossed cover, and authoritative yet enthralling text, Mezcal is the definitive guide to exploring and unraveling the mysteries of this extraordinary handcrafted spirit.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2017
78 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
About the author
Emma Janzen
6 books9 followersEmma Janzen is an award-winning book author and journalist who reports on global drinking cultures for outlets including The New York Times, PUNCH, The World’s 50 Best Bars, and more. The recipient of three James Beard Foundation awards and three Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, she co-authored The Way of the Cocktail with Julia Momosé, The Bartender’s Manifesto with Toby Maloney, and The Bartender’s Pantry with Jim Meehan; authored Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit; and has contributed to other texts including The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails by David Wondrich and Signature Cocktails by Amanda Schuster. She currently serves as the Midwest Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars and has been included in the Drinks International Bar World 100, an annual list of the industry’s most influential people, since 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 19, 2019
A lack of proper research and investigation makes this book a mere travel diary through downtown Oaxaca and the mezcalerias of the state. Almost 50% of the book accounts for cocktails recipes based on mezcal, the other 20% of travel photos and the rest 30% of field notes. Snob. Like every USA trend.
October 1, 2025
The book takes you through the history of Mezcal, explains why it's so much more than what many think of as just "Tequila's smoky cousin," challenges myths about the liquor, and teaches you how it's made. Emma Janzen's passion for the craft is contagious, and you can tell how much she appreciates its long history. She also explores the modern approach to Mezcal in America and leaves you with many recipes to try at home.
Much of the discourse, however, focuses on America and American bartenders notes, rather than the Mexicans who have dedicated their lives to it. It isn’t until around page 70 that the book really dives into the production process. I felt conflicted at first because the first image is of a light-skinned Mexican pouring a glass of Mezcal. Given that Mezcal is so deeply tied to Indigenous and mestizo communities in Mexico, this subtly framed the story through a lens that doesn’t fully reflect who primarily makes it. Some of the included pictures felt unnecessary, and I would have loved to see a map of the key regions for production instead.
Much of the discourse, however, focuses on America and American bartenders notes, rather than the Mexicans who have dedicated their lives to it. It isn’t until around page 70 that the book really dives into the production process. I felt conflicted at first because the first image is of a light-skinned Mexican pouring a glass of Mezcal. Given that Mezcal is so deeply tied to Indigenous and mestizo communities in Mexico, this subtly framed the story through a lens that doesn’t fully reflect who primarily makes it. Some of the included pictures felt unnecessary, and I would have loved to see a map of the key regions for production instead.
January 13, 2018
An exceptional survey of the history, distillation and cocktail possibilities with mezcal. I’m inclined to agree with one of the author’s many interviewees who suggests that “you don’t find mezcal, it finds you.” A book worthy of the noble agave spirit!
February 25, 2018
Thanks to Janzen I have now have more resources to grow my enthusiasm of mezcal. It is interesting to learn that mezcal is better in a less aged form, as opposed to more Anglo spirits such as whiskey. Some of the recipes included in the text seem rather far-fetched and pricey to create, but I look forward to trying a few and have them bookmarked. I especially await partaking in the earthy and herbal goodness of my first neat pour of Mezcal Koch Espadin Olla de Barro or any other of the fine artisanal agave elixirs mentioned in this text that I’m lucky enough to find this side of the border.
September 24, 2017
I received this book as a digital advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t recall ever having tried mezcal, either straight or mixed in a drink. Even worse, I don’t recall ever having a desire to try mezcal. In my mind, mezcal was always been conflated with tequila and, therefore, always assumed to be a low quality liquor that will nauseate me. However, since I did enjoy Rum Curious: The Indispensable Tasting Guide to the World's Spirit by the same publisher, I figured I had nothing to lose by reading Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit.
The Introduction was a short five pages dedicated to battling the prevailing stereotypes about mezcal. In fact, the author begins her book with the assertion that “[m]ezcal is the most complex spirit in the world.” It is neither bottom shelf rotgut nor “tequila’s mysterious, smoky cousin.” It is “a spirit with a rich cultural heritage and absolutely stunning flavor that’s unmatched in the world of distillation.” Mezcal is made all over Mexico, so the traditions and production secrets differ, resulting in different flavors. How one approaches the production details is almost totally unrestricted across Mexico. However, 95-percent of mezcal exports to the United States are from Oaxaca, so the remainder of the text was largely representative of that area.
The first part, “Meeting Mayahuel,” offered a brief modern history of mezcal as well as a glimpse into the future of mezcal. At the most basic level, mezcal is a distilled spirit that can be made only in Mexico from the heart of the agave plant (the maguey), which must be roasted before it can be transformed into mezcal. Traditional mezcal must be 100-percent agave. The part opens with a visit to a mezcaleria in Oaxaca City, and dumps all the learnings that the author received from the co-owner and mezcal historian. The modern history of mezcal begins in the 1990s when Ron Cooper started Del Maguey as an art project to import mezcal into the United States. From there, it follows the trajectory of the popularity of the spirit in both the United States and Mexico, as well as the effects on local mezcal producers. The future of mezcal contemplates the issues of overharvesting of wild agave plants and disposal of toxic byproducts produced in the mezcal production process.
The second part, “The Nuts and Bolts,” discussed the various species of agave used to make mezcal and the mezcal production process. A finished batch of mezcal is influenced by the time, the suffering, and the terroir of the agave plants used to produce it. According to the author, “[t]he agave is a succulent that struggles to live and lives to struggle.” Up to 50 different varieties of agave are used to make mezcal, while tequila can only be made from the blue weber variety of agave. Although a scientific link between the agave fibers and the expression of terrior has yet to be established, the author believes that the environmental factors must impart characteristics and flavors to the finished mezcal because of the agave plant’s decades long lifespan. The section on the species of agave plants offers a snapshot of trends in the current market and flavor notes compiled from a variety of bartenders and brand owners. Each variety has a short paragraph about the plant as well as a list of bottles to try that are made from that variety. Each bottle listed also has specific tasting notes associated with it. The tasting notes ran a bit odd, with descriptions such as “[c]hocolate, warm squash, and dusty ash,” “elements of damp forest floor,” and “wet stones, lemon peel, and white peppercorn.” The section on the mezcal production process traced mezcal from the sourcing and harvesting of the plants all the way through the distillation and aging of the finished spirit.
The third part, “In the Glass,” focused on drinking mezcal, including how to find the right mezcal, how to select the right glassware for mezcal, and how to garnish a mezcal cocktail. Historically, mezcal is consumed neat, and it is definitely sipped due to its high alcohol content. In order to find the best mezcal for you, the author recommends finding a bartender you trust at a place with a healthy mezcal selection. In absence of that, she recommends tasting flights either by variety, by terroir, by region, or by mezcalero. Options for “glassware” for drinking mezcal include the jicara, which is half of a hollowed out gourd; the veladora, which was originally a container for prayer candles in Mexican Catholic churches; the copita, which is a mezcal specific terracotta drinking cup; and the wine glass. The chapter continues with a buyers’ guide to worm salts designed for accompnying mezcal and concludes with a discussion about pairing food with mezcal.
Approximately twenty-five pages of mezcal cocktails designed for the home bartender were at the heart of the final chapter. First were those cocktails with citrus that get shaken, then those with straight spirits that get stirred, then the highballs with soda, and finally the oddballs. Because of the diversity of flavor profiles across the different styles and brands of mezcal, the author recommends sticking with the brands recommended in the recipes. Each recipe is clearly labeled and accompanied by a full color photograph of the drink. The subtitle below the recipe title gives a succinct summary of the taste of the recipe, like “tart, butter orange kisses roasted agave.” The headnote to each recipe gives a brief description of the recipe’s origin, sometimes in the words of its creator. The recipe ingredients are clearly listed, with brand names used for the mezcal. There are numerous oddball liqueurs and mixers used in the recipes, like Maraschino, Aperol, Averna, Cynar, sloe gin, and velvet falernum. The recipe steps are written in paragraph form, although sometimes they feel like they are out of order because the steps for the syrups and juices that are essential to the drink are listed last. Otherwise, the recipes seem to be easy to follow.
The glossary was an interesting three-page compendium of mezcal related terms, ranging from the well known, like “agave” and “añejo,” to the completely obscure, like “bagasse” and “vinasses.”
In the Acknowledgments, the author characterized her book as a “love letter to mezcal.” Her passion for mezcal truly did come through in the book, as it was obvious that she interviewed a wide variety of mezcaleros, bar tenders, industry professionals, and other interested parties. The book almost got me excited about going to the large liquor store and looking for one of the “beginner” bottles of mezcal so I could see what the fuss is all about. Of course, what is stopping me is the high alcohol percentage, the similarity to tequila, and some of the just plain whacky descriptions of flavor profiles. And I’m really not one for drinking spirits straight – I even put a little water in my Scotch – so it doesn’t sound like mezcal is the spirit for me.
Of course, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about mezcal. It definitely covers pretty much you would want to know about the spirit, its production, and its use in cocktails. It is fairly well written, although a bit too colloquial at times, and the full color photographs add a nice dimension to the work.
I don’t recall ever having tried mezcal, either straight or mixed in a drink. Even worse, I don’t recall ever having a desire to try mezcal. In my mind, mezcal was always been conflated with tequila and, therefore, always assumed to be a low quality liquor that will nauseate me. However, since I did enjoy Rum Curious: The Indispensable Tasting Guide to the World's Spirit by the same publisher, I figured I had nothing to lose by reading Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit.
The Introduction was a short five pages dedicated to battling the prevailing stereotypes about mezcal. In fact, the author begins her book with the assertion that “[m]ezcal is the most complex spirit in the world.” It is neither bottom shelf rotgut nor “tequila’s mysterious, smoky cousin.” It is “a spirit with a rich cultural heritage and absolutely stunning flavor that’s unmatched in the world of distillation.” Mezcal is made all over Mexico, so the traditions and production secrets differ, resulting in different flavors. How one approaches the production details is almost totally unrestricted across Mexico. However, 95-percent of mezcal exports to the United States are from Oaxaca, so the remainder of the text was largely representative of that area.
The first part, “Meeting Mayahuel,” offered a brief modern history of mezcal as well as a glimpse into the future of mezcal. At the most basic level, mezcal is a distilled spirit that can be made only in Mexico from the heart of the agave plant (the maguey), which must be roasted before it can be transformed into mezcal. Traditional mezcal must be 100-percent agave. The part opens with a visit to a mezcaleria in Oaxaca City, and dumps all the learnings that the author received from the co-owner and mezcal historian. The modern history of mezcal begins in the 1990s when Ron Cooper started Del Maguey as an art project to import mezcal into the United States. From there, it follows the trajectory of the popularity of the spirit in both the United States and Mexico, as well as the effects on local mezcal producers. The future of mezcal contemplates the issues of overharvesting of wild agave plants and disposal of toxic byproducts produced in the mezcal production process.
The second part, “The Nuts and Bolts,” discussed the various species of agave used to make mezcal and the mezcal production process. A finished batch of mezcal is influenced by the time, the suffering, and the terroir of the agave plants used to produce it. According to the author, “[t]he agave is a succulent that struggles to live and lives to struggle.” Up to 50 different varieties of agave are used to make mezcal, while tequila can only be made from the blue weber variety of agave. Although a scientific link between the agave fibers and the expression of terrior has yet to be established, the author believes that the environmental factors must impart characteristics and flavors to the finished mezcal because of the agave plant’s decades long lifespan. The section on the species of agave plants offers a snapshot of trends in the current market and flavor notes compiled from a variety of bartenders and brand owners. Each variety has a short paragraph about the plant as well as a list of bottles to try that are made from that variety. Each bottle listed also has specific tasting notes associated with it. The tasting notes ran a bit odd, with descriptions such as “[c]hocolate, warm squash, and dusty ash,” “elements of damp forest floor,” and “wet stones, lemon peel, and white peppercorn.” The section on the mezcal production process traced mezcal from the sourcing and harvesting of the plants all the way through the distillation and aging of the finished spirit.
The third part, “In the Glass,” focused on drinking mezcal, including how to find the right mezcal, how to select the right glassware for mezcal, and how to garnish a mezcal cocktail. Historically, mezcal is consumed neat, and it is definitely sipped due to its high alcohol content. In order to find the best mezcal for you, the author recommends finding a bartender you trust at a place with a healthy mezcal selection. In absence of that, she recommends tasting flights either by variety, by terroir, by region, or by mezcalero. Options for “glassware” for drinking mezcal include the jicara, which is half of a hollowed out gourd; the veladora, which was originally a container for prayer candles in Mexican Catholic churches; the copita, which is a mezcal specific terracotta drinking cup; and the wine glass. The chapter continues with a buyers’ guide to worm salts designed for accompnying mezcal and concludes with a discussion about pairing food with mezcal.
Approximately twenty-five pages of mezcal cocktails designed for the home bartender were at the heart of the final chapter. First were those cocktails with citrus that get shaken, then those with straight spirits that get stirred, then the highballs with soda, and finally the oddballs. Because of the diversity of flavor profiles across the different styles and brands of mezcal, the author recommends sticking with the brands recommended in the recipes. Each recipe is clearly labeled and accompanied by a full color photograph of the drink. The subtitle below the recipe title gives a succinct summary of the taste of the recipe, like “tart, butter orange kisses roasted agave.” The headnote to each recipe gives a brief description of the recipe’s origin, sometimes in the words of its creator. The recipe ingredients are clearly listed, with brand names used for the mezcal. There are numerous oddball liqueurs and mixers used in the recipes, like Maraschino, Aperol, Averna, Cynar, sloe gin, and velvet falernum. The recipe steps are written in paragraph form, although sometimes they feel like they are out of order because the steps for the syrups and juices that are essential to the drink are listed last. Otherwise, the recipes seem to be easy to follow.
The glossary was an interesting three-page compendium of mezcal related terms, ranging from the well known, like “agave” and “añejo,” to the completely obscure, like “bagasse” and “vinasses.”
In the Acknowledgments, the author characterized her book as a “love letter to mezcal.” Her passion for mezcal truly did come through in the book, as it was obvious that she interviewed a wide variety of mezcaleros, bar tenders, industry professionals, and other interested parties. The book almost got me excited about going to the large liquor store and looking for one of the “beginner” bottles of mezcal so I could see what the fuss is all about. Of course, what is stopping me is the high alcohol percentage, the similarity to tequila, and some of the just plain whacky descriptions of flavor profiles. And I’m really not one for drinking spirits straight – I even put a little water in my Scotch – so it doesn’t sound like mezcal is the spirit for me.
Of course, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about mezcal. It definitely covers pretty much you would want to know about the spirit, its production, and its use in cocktails. It is fairly well written, although a bit too colloquial at times, and the full color photographs add a nice dimension to the work.
September 25, 2017
I received this book on NetGalley for an honest review.
At first I thought this book would be a dense historicalesque novel, however, I was delighted by Jansen's light, poetic and descriptive style as well as the photos that accompanied it. In addition to that, she further highlights the unique cultural identity of this traditional spirit by accenting her book with Spanish words as she delves into the process involved in making Mezcal. Through her words, we traverse through the modern history of the spirit complete with the genus and species of several agave plants used in making Mezcal along with the various categories of classification to very extensive descriptions of the flavors present at each stage in the creation cycle. The reader is given two gifts in the third half of the book: first, various drink recipes for us to try out if we ever manage to obtain this blessed remnant of Montezuma's treasure; secondly, the addresses of several locations in America and in Mexico for us to visit as well as a few places online to buy this delicious Ambrosia. I for one am sincerely looking forward to trying out this nectar the next time I visit Louisiana. I raise my glass to Emma Janzen, for this wonderfully written cultural treatise. Salud!
At first I thought this book would be a dense historicalesque novel, however, I was delighted by Jansen's light, poetic and descriptive style as well as the photos that accompanied it. In addition to that, she further highlights the unique cultural identity of this traditional spirit by accenting her book with Spanish words as she delves into the process involved in making Mezcal. Through her words, we traverse through the modern history of the spirit complete with the genus and species of several agave plants used in making Mezcal along with the various categories of classification to very extensive descriptions of the flavors present at each stage in the creation cycle. The reader is given two gifts in the third half of the book: first, various drink recipes for us to try out if we ever manage to obtain this blessed remnant of Montezuma's treasure; secondly, the addresses of several locations in America and in Mexico for us to visit as well as a few places online to buy this delicious Ambrosia. I for one am sincerely looking forward to trying out this nectar the next time I visit Louisiana. I raise my glass to Emma Janzen, for this wonderfully written cultural treatise. Salud!
January 9, 2024
Mezcal is something I’ve really gotten into the last few years, to the point where I can say I’m pretty far down the rabbit hole. My collection is getting unwieldy, I’ve been to Oaxaca to buy it at the source, and I’m even planning to a podcast and a documentary film about it. So it’s pretty safe to say I’m in love with mezcal. This book does a great job of covering all the basics about the spirit without going into too much detail about any one subject. It’s more for beginners, and although I agree with almost everything the author says, the book does need to be updated with new info from the last few years and almost half of it is taken up with cocktail recipes, which I don’t think are that relevant or important when talking about something that is made to be enjoyed neat. So this isn’t something for connoisseurs or for people looking to do a deep dive on mezcal family histories or traditions or sustainability. However I would definitely recommend it to anyone starting out or who just wants to know more about the spirit and get a good broad knowledge. It can also be a good reference to go back to every now and again.
August 24, 2018
Superficially speaking, this is a great coffee table book for fans (or wannabe fans, like me) of mezcal.
More substantially, the book is a great blend of science and culture, where the author successfully infuses her love of the craft in her words. She isn’t condescending in her explanations and seems to simply want to share her love of this growing space with newcomers. As a result, the book is a quick read and doesn’t get too bogged down in details, but is successful in getting newbies excited.
It’s also fun as a reference guide for the wanderlust as she highlights drink recipes and philosophies from different bars and makers domestically and abroad in Mexico. There are other books emerging paying homage to this popular drink, but this is a great place to start.
My only wish is that the book contain a map of all the different regions of Mexico to highlight the diversity of the agave plant and mezcals out there, but maybe that’s part of the romantic mystery of the drink.
More substantially, the book is a great blend of science and culture, where the author successfully infuses her love of the craft in her words. She isn’t condescending in her explanations and seems to simply want to share her love of this growing space with newcomers. As a result, the book is a quick read and doesn’t get too bogged down in details, but is successful in getting newbies excited.
It’s also fun as a reference guide for the wanderlust as she highlights drink recipes and philosophies from different bars and makers domestically and abroad in Mexico. There are other books emerging paying homage to this popular drink, but this is a great place to start.
My only wish is that the book contain a map of all the different regions of Mexico to highlight the diversity of the agave plant and mezcals out there, but maybe that’s part of the romantic mystery of the drink.
September 10, 2017
Thanks to the Goodreads First Reads program for a free copy of this book.
Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails Of The World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit is a well researched and well written book with stunning photographs, covering everything you could possibly want to know about Mezcal. Included is a brief history, the production process, where to find it, how to drink it, where to drink it, where to buy it, and finally, recipes to make cocktails with it. For me, the most interesting parts were learning about pechuga, a meat-infused mezcal distillate, and the reason for the inclusion of a worm in mezcal bottles.
Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails Of The World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit is a well researched and well written book with stunning photographs, covering everything you could possibly want to know about Mezcal. Included is a brief history, the production process, where to find it, how to drink it, where to drink it, where to buy it, and finally, recipes to make cocktails with it. For me, the most interesting parts were learning about pechuga, a meat-infused mezcal distillate, and the reason for the inclusion of a worm in mezcal bottles.
April 5, 2024
I don't usually write reviews but I feel like I want to express what I think. I did not like or enjoy this reading. It looks like a recipe book accompanied by brief information. The discourse seems to revolve around the United States instead of Mexico, the testimonies or opinions come from businessmen and foreign bartenders and not from the people who have really dedicated themselves and make a living from it. If you really want to learn about the production, origin, impact or market of mezcal, this is not the book.
September 15, 2017
Beautiful book about the history of Mezcal an artisinal Mexican spirit that is gaining in popularity around the world. Emma Janzen's book is full of interesting information, stunning photography and tasty cocktail recipes. It is a great resource for those who want to learn more about this unique craft spirit.
February 9, 2020
Good intro, will dive deeper into this subject!
March 31, 2020
Nicely made introduction guide to Mezcal. Well written, decentely researched and with beautiful pictures.
April 9, 2025
Beautiful book on history and practice of tequila making in Mexico and its current popularity
November 23, 2025
I learned some new things about mezcal.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews