Varieties of agave used in mezcal production

Unlike tequila, which must be made from Agave Blue Weber, NORMA (NOM-070-SCFI-2016), the official regulations covering the production of mezcal, do not stipulate what agave varieties mezcal can be made from (the previous NORMA did). However, Espadín dominates production with several others of the more than 40 other varieties, such as Tobalá, more frequently used (listed below).

There are 200+ species of agave (and within each species, there can be numerous different agave varieties that are genetically similar. Listing agave varieties used in mezcal production is further complicated by producers in each region, and sometimes neighbouring villages, using different names for the same agave variety. Two pretty much identical-looking agave may be different varieties with different scientific names, each with numerous local traditional names.

Thanks to photographs of tequila production, and indeed Espadín agave in mezcal production, there is a perception that agave piña, the core or head of the plant, the part used for production, are spherical and once their spiky leaves are removed, pineapple-like. Hence, the name piña. That is mostly the case as the piña of Espadín, the most used variety, is indeed spheroid and looks a lot like the Blue Weber piña used to make tequila. However, many other varieties used to make mezcal are often long, like a baguette or baseball.

The variety of agave will impact the flavour of the finished mezcal, but the production methods used will have a much greater influence. The terroir where agave grows will also influence the agave, with soil, elevation, climate, and water all influencing the agave.

Agaves are monocarpic, meaning they flower once, producing a tall (up to 4m/13ft) vertical floral stem (a quiote), and then die. This flowering occurs soon after the plant reaches sufficient maturity to be used in mezcal production. Hence, harvesting for mezcal production prevents that plant from reproducing via its seeds, and although many agaves are asexual and able to reproduce via offshoots, known as hijuelos that grow from rhizomes (ground roots), some agave, such as Tobalá, can only reproduce from seed. Hence, their rarity in the wild due to harvesting for mezcal production.

Different varieties of roasted agave stored ready for crushing at palenque Santa Catarina Minas

Ensambles (mixed agave mezcal)

Due to the demand for single-variety mezcals, it's rare to find mezcal produced from a blend of different agave varietals – mezcals made with two or more varieties of agave that are roasted, crushed, fermented and distilled together as one batch. However, ensamble mezcals are traditional and still made, and there's a trend for mixing very flavoursome but low-yield varieties such as Tepeztate with a third-as much Espadín. This creates a mezcal with the flavour of Tepeztate, but due to yields being stretched by the use of Espadín, the mezcal can be more competitively priced than if made with 100% Tepeztate.

Ensamble mezcals should not be confused with mezcla, which are mezcals made by blending different agaves together at some point in the process rather than the start – at the roasting stage. Often, mezcals are made by blending at the last stage, by blending distillate before bottling.

The main agave varieties used in mezcal production

It is more usual to list the species first and the varieties within that species. However, it tends to be the varietal stated on mezcal labels, hence my ignoring this convention.

Espadín

Species: Agave Angustifolia
Espadín is by far the most used agave for mezcal production, used to make as much as 90% of all mezcal. This is due to:
- its being easy to cultivate
- the relatively short five to nine years it takes to reach maturity
- less fibrous than other varieties, so easier to crush/shred when cooked
- high inulin content, so high yielding.

Arroqueño

Species: Agave Americana
Wild and cultivated, the spiky-leaved Arroqueño agave resembles giant Espadíns but is slow-growing, taking 20 to 25 years to reach maturity.

Barril

Species: Agave Karwinskii
Barril agave have are very wide and cylindrical in shape, resembling a barrel, hence the name. It can grow to 1.8 to 3 meters (6 to 10 feet) in height and has shorter leaves than other agave species. Depending on the soil and altitude, Barril usually takes between 12 and 15 years to mature but in the wild can take as long as 30 years. The Barril doesn't produce offshoots so primarily reproduces by seed, so making cultivation more challenging. Barril tends to impart earthy, grassy, roasted vegetable, minty and slightly spicy notes to mezcals it is made with.

Blue Agave

Species: Agave tequilana
All tequila must be made using Agave Weber Azul, which is also used by some mezcalera. It is known as the Blue Agave due to the slight blue hue of its silvery, spiked leaves, which jut out 90 to 120cm (up to 3.3 feet). Blue agave reach maturity in five to eight years.

Cenizo (a.k.a. Ashen)

Species: Agave Durangensis
Mostly found in Durango state and parts of neighbouring Zacatecas, Cenizo favours high altitudes and cold, dry conditions. It is sometimes called Ashen, a reference to the ash-grey tips often seen on its leaves.

Madrecuishe (a.k.a. Madre-cuixe & Madrecuixe)

Species: Agave Karwinskii
Tall and cylindrical in shape, Madrecuishe is a member of the Agave Karwinskii species, which has numerous other varietals used in mezcal production. Madrecuishe can take 15 to 20 years to reach maturity.

Mexicano (a.k.a. Dobadaan, Espadillón, Ixtero Amarillo)

Species: Agave Rhodacantha
One of the larger varietals, Mexicano matures in 10 to 14 years.

Salmiana (aka Maguey verde)

Agave salmiana subsp crassispina
Originally from the Mexican highlands of Durango, San Luis Potosi and Coahuila, but now widely cultivated, Agave salmiana is nicknamed Green Giant due to its scale and can take 25 years to reach maturity.

Tepeztate (a.k.a. Tepextate)

Species: Agave Marmorata
A giant agave which tends to grow in steep rock faces, taking 25 to 35 years to reach maturity and low yielding, producing around a third as much tequila as the same weight of Espadín.

Tobalá

Species: Agave Potatorum
A squat, relatively small agave, Tobalá is a rare variety in the wild that some producers have started cultivating. It only reproduces from seed (not asexually) and takes between 10 and 15 years to mature. It has a low inulin content, so even mature piñas are low-yielding. Hence, Tobalá mezcals are premium prices.

Tobaziche (a.k.a. Tobasiche)

Species: Agave Karwinskii
Harvested wild and cultivated, Tobaziche is one of the numerous varieties of Agave Karwinskii. It is baseball-bat-like in shape and takes more than ten years to reach maturity.