mescal

Mescal (pronounced meh-SKAL) usually means a strong Mexican alcoholic drink made from agave. It is closely related to tequila, but tequila must be made from blue agave, while this drink can be made from several kinds of agave. The agave hearts are often roasted in earthen pits before distilling, which gives many versions their well-known smoky taste. People often drink it neat and sip it slowly. The word is strongly tied to Mexican culture and traditional methods of making spirits. In older English, it can also refer to peyote, but that use is less common today.

Mescal most often refers to a distilled spirit from Mexico made from agave. In modern use, it is commonly treated as another spelling of "mezcal." Unlike tequila, which is limited to blue agave and stricter production rules, this spirit may be made from many kinds of agave, which helps explain its wide range of flavors.

One of its best-known features is its smoky character. That often comes from the traditional method of roasting the agave hearts, or pinas, in underground pits before fermentation and distillation. The result can be smoky, earthy, sweet, floral, fruity, or spicy, depending on the agave used and the way it is made. It is usually served straight and sipped slowly.

The word also has an older second meaning in English: it can refer to peyote, or to the cactus linked with the hallucinogenic drug mescaline. That sense appears in some dictionaries and older texts, but in everyday current use, people usually mean the agave liquor.

Because of that, context matters. In a food, drink, travel, or culture setting, the word almost always points to the Mexican spirit. In older writing, historical writing, or writing about psychoactive plants, it may point to peyote instead. In both cases, the word carries a strong connection to Mexico and to traditions that grew over many generations.