We tried a bunch of different kinds of mezcal... some tasting notes here.
There are 3 types of mezcal: industrial, artisanal, and ancestral (those are the cognates of the Spanish terms). The first is much larger scale, using more modern methods. It will always have the official seal from the government showing it has been taxed and regulated. The second is what we saw, using copper for distillation. A team of 3 people might run this process once a month. Most artisanal mezcal does not have a seal, but some people have gone the extra effort to make their product available officially on the market. You might buy mezcal from a producer and they will charge you less for a bottle without a label, or more for the bottle with one, this being the surtax of governmental regulation (which is hard for poor people in the country to manage). Same product, different container and price.
The third type (ancestral) may use clay vessels for various steps in the process, and occasionally has the seal. You will pay more for this type if it's done carefully, with all the info displayed and the seal attached.
An artisanal mezcal label may be pretty basic and primitive, or describe its production process in detail: the agave used, whether wild or cultivated, the wood used, what type of oven, what type of distillation, whether there was aging (or not), and so forth. The process is something that mezcaleros (the people who direct the process) are proud of. What happens after distillation may or may not involve aging in oak barrels (something I generally do not prefer, as the smoky taste is already there to start with).
tepeztate - made from Agave marmorata, a glaucous species with distinctive curved leaves and often striking cross banding - we went to a place specializing in this type of agave, which is native to there in Puebla. They do grow these in small fields, typically requiring about 8-10 years for a newly planted offset to be harvested. The product tends to be bright and smooth, not rough around the edges.
arroqueño - made from a Oaxacan version of Agave americana with straight leaves. We saw this in public landscaping in a small town, an elegant large plant. The mezcal is sharp, not harsh but a bit cutting.
espadín - made from Agave angustifolia (by far the dominant plant in cultivation by the highway when we traveled around the valley of Oaxaca). It looks like the tequila agave from a distance. The cultivation may be small scale (some small land owner trying to use all the space they have) or larger scale (big fields upon fields). Taste very agreeable, perhaps less distinctive character than some of the others on this list.
papalometl - made from Agave potatorum, which is fairly popular in cultivation (same name also used with a couple of similar-looking species). One of the classic styles and a fairly widespread agave in nature (within the region)
tobalí - special mezcal from wild potatorum. A lot of character compared to the cultivated equivalent. Various different small producers each with their own character depending on the location and the method
coyote - from wild A. lyobaa (species described in 2019). A dark smoky character, not harsh or rough, but with an aftertaste that sort of hangs in there after you swallow.
various - from cupreata (a green plant I would like to get for a future garden), also called papalometl but found to the west in Guerrero, so not a Oaxaca thing... I remember this as decent, not hugely different from potatorum or espadín
jabalí - from A. convallis (wild plants) - extra strong character, a bit much when paired with foods that don't also have strong flavor. Maybe better as an aperitif or something to savor on its own. Not a drink for the weak.
custom styles - people sometimes leave a worm at the bottom of a bottle, this is the larva of a moth. The idea is that by the time you reach the bottom of the bottle, a worm soaked in 50% alcohol will become something you actually want to consume. You somehow inherit the spirit of the moth by that point. There is a proud insectivore tradition in the region, first and foremost being chapulines (dried grasshoppers) which are a highlight or are mixed into other things (like salsa for example).
Some people put fruit or even chicken into the mezcal process before or after distillation. We found a place which made a special blend with cannabis added before distillation. They also had a version with chocolate. There are so many variations here that it's hard to catalog them. Mezcal is often put into mixed drinks with fruit, but these specialty items are mostly meant to be enjoyed on their own, I think.
