Mezcal: Terroir vs varietal – which is more important?

Launched in March 2025, Zacal Mezcal brands itself as ‘the spirit for wine lovers’.

Co-founder Andrew Maidment claims: ‘Like with wine, a mezcal’s identity is shaped by soil, altitude and climate... and it has remarkably nuanced varietal expression.’ But which is more important for this agave spirit – varietal or terroir?

Esteban Morales is known as the terroir expert, with each of his Derrumbes mezcals produced in a different Mexican state, but he first champions the plant.

‘Agave is a genus, not a species like Vitis vinifera, under which you get [virtually] all the grape varieties we know. There are more than 200 species of agave and then, beneath those, are the varieties – as many as 80 each. Imagine the scope.’

In practice, mezcaleros use a small proportion of those varieties, with espadín (Agave angustifolia) the most widely cultivated for mezcal production. But, as interest in mezcal increases, there’s a demand for the less obvious.

Tom Bartram from Speciality Brands, the UK importer of Derrumbes, explains: ‘In Oaxaca, the espadín variety dominates, but there are unusual varieties such as Agave karwinskii, which has green grass notes and a touch of bark bitterness. Or tepeztate [A. marmorata], which can be quite floral, but with funky notes.

'Derrumbes Durango [Alc 45%, £48.95-£49.95/70cl Master of Malt, Nickolls & Perks, Vine & Bine] is made from Agave durangensis – it’s citrus-led but with a creamy texture, like nectarine Petits Filous!’

The case for mezcal terroir

Meanwhile, Mezcal Júrame is made from wild Agave salmiana, but founder Elia Viramontes is in no doubt about the priority. ‘Terroir is most important. You could plant salmiana somewhere else but it would grow in a different shape and have a completely different flavour.

'The salmiana provides the pepper character, but the herbal notes come from the soil, from the cactus and bushes it grows alongside.’

Morales agrees. ‘Each plant spends eight, 12 years in the ground in interaction with the soil, the environment, the microclimate. It’s like planting a vine – you don’t harvest for years, until that plant really expresses the terroir.’

Often, the terroir dictates the varietal. Zacal produces a 100% manso de Sahuayo (A. americana var. sahuayensis; Alc 45%, £62.95-£67.67 Master of Malt, Tesco), a localised variety. As Maidment says: ‘The town is Sahuayo, the land is Sahuayo, the agave is Sahuayo – they’re indistinguishable.’

One to try

Júrame Joven

£61.95/70cl Master of Malt

Júrame has an excellent reposado, but mezcal’s varietal and terroir character is best tasted unaged. This has a real bite of jalapeño and lime, but with added complexity of garrigue aromas. Alcohol 40%

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