Mezcalero

A Mezcalero is a person who produces Mezcal. They take the piñas (agave hearts) and cook them in a horno (large underground pit oven) in the ground. The cooked agave is then crushed, combined with water, and allowed to ferment. Once fermented, the Mezcal is usually distilled twice and then bottled. Some varieties of Mezcal are triple distilled, and others are aged in casks before bottling. There are many variations on this process, and there are many small details that have a big impact on the flavor and feel of the final product. Each mezcalero has their own preference for how these steps can be adjusted to produce the optimal Mezcal, and you’ll taste similarities in many of the Mezcals that are made by the same mezcalero.

While a Mezcalero produces mezcal, there are more producers listed on Mezcal Reviews for their respective spirits:

• For Sotol, see Sotolero
• For Raicilla, see Raicillero
• For Bacanora, see Bacanorero