Mix Up a Mezcal Cocktail for Cinco de Mayo

Break out the tequila, it's Cinco de Mayo!

Margaritas will be flowing at many local establishments while many savor the flavors of the day. While many a marg is made with tequila, you may also see mezcal on the menu.

Tequila vs. Mezcal

SouthCoast resident Jonathan Pogash, also known as The Cocktail Guru, shared his knowledge on the smokey spirit.

"Tequila can vary between soft and delicate, brute and astringent, balanced and oaky," he said. "Mezcal, on the other hand, tends to immediately hit you in the face with smoke."

READ MORE: Mix Up a Tasty Mocktail

The two spirits are actually very closely related. Tequila is a type of mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. Sort of like "all thumbs are fingers, but not all fingers are thumbs." Know what I mean?

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What Is Mezcal?

"All Mezcal is derived from the agave plant, a native Mexican succulent closely related to the aloe plant," Pogash said.

"There are over 200 species of agave plants, and about two dozen of them can be used for the production of mezcal," he said. "For tequila, on the other hand, only the Blue Weber agave species can be used (if the tequila is 100 percent agave – make sure to read your labels)."

READ MORE: The Cocktail Guru Shares a Mint Julep Recipe

How do you decide which spirit is for you?

"The key is to find the types that you like and compare them to others," Pogash said. "Then you can play around and come up with variations on some classic drinks, most notably the user-friendly margarita."

READ MORE: Celebrate National Margarita Day at These SouthCoast Spots

Pogash shared his love of researching drinks and spirits and discovered an interesting piece of information.

"The margarita actually has an earlier known relative called the daisy, a popular style of mixed drinks in the late 19th century," he said.

Try his recipe for a fresh take on the daisy cocktail. Cheers!

Pomegranate Daisy
2 oz. Mezcal
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz. pomegranate juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
METHOD: Shake well with ice and strain into martini glass.
GARNISH: dehydrated lime wheel