The History of Mezcal

Until recently, anthropologists and archaeologists thought that mezcal was invented by the Spanish. The Aztec and other Mesoamericans drank only pulque, a foul-tasting drink of fermented agave before the conquest, according to the experts. (One of five Aztec pulque gods is seen in the following illustration.)

But in 2016, two Mexican university professors produced physical evidence of stills used to make mezcal prior to the Spanish invasion – they even showed that it was distilled in Mexico as far back as 2,500 years ago.

Scientists Prove Mezcal Thousands of Years Old

For more than ten years, Mari Carmen Serra Puche and Jesús Carlos Lazcano Arce of the Anthropological Research Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) conducted their research, which culminated in the book, El mezcal, una bebida prehispánica (Mezcal, a Pre-Hispanic Beverage). Research took place in Oaxaca and the pre-Hispanic city of Xochitécatl-Cacaxtla, in Tlaxcala.

Clay fragments from the production of mezcal were determined to have come from the lower half of very large pots. Huge ovens too big for making pottery or cooking were uncovered. Organic run-off stains were chemically proven to have been from the cooked hearts of the maguey plant.

For more information, see: Mezcal's True Origin

400 Conejos Mezcal: An In-depth Review by Shay Addams

Even the mezcaleria in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, doesn’t serve this rare mezcal, which is not exported. I found a bottle at the Pan Optica bar at the end of flagstone-tiled Guadalupe Real and dove right in.

400 Conjejos is a joven mezcal made with 100% espadín, a type of agave whose name means small sword and which is among the main types of agave used for mezcal. Joven means young, therefore unaged and clear. Unlike unaged tequila, called silver, joven mezcal has a distinct flavor and is far superior to its tequila counterpart. It’s an artisanal mezcal, produced in small batches with traditional methods.

The name, Centzon totochtin (400 or inumerable rabbits in Nahuatl) refers to the spirits of alcohol in Mesoamerica associated with sleep and awakening. Its effect varies according to which of these rabbits influences the drinker, say mezcaleros Don Tacho and Joel Santiago in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca. Mesoamerican priests drank it during ceremonies in order to better communicate with their gods.

A Dangerous Man’s Mezcal

With the raw taste of a mezcal that is far from “fruity,” 400 Conejos is the kind of mezcal that would be served in a bar scene from a Tarantino flick. No worm, but it’s an ominous mezcal that Wes from the film Urban Cowboy would have surely drank straight from the bottle.

The smoke is thicker than the smog over Beijing. Don’t even think about a “lingering aftertaste,” just buckle up and get ready for a kick like one of the mules that powers the trapiche used to crush the agave hearts after fermenting in wooden tubs. Though 400 Conejos is 38 proof, the influence of the rabbit who rules the day you drink it delivers potent side effects.

Sipped and served with slices of orange and sal de gusano, or agave worm salt, 400 Conejos provides a solid base for comparing the wide range of mezcals. For a cocktail, the producers recommend spearmint and orange or lemon juice.

The catch is that you will have to travel to Mexico for 400 Conejos, which is not exported. But that’s one of the little things that make a Mexican vacation so worthwhile.

Price: Not Exported, but cheap in Mexico
Proof: The bottle I drank from did not state the proof, but it felt like 80+
Rating: 2

More In-depth Mezcal Reviews by Shay Addams

Birth of a Nation: Mezcalandia

Mezcalandia – the newest little country in the world – was established today by the United Nations to resolve a long-running border dispute between Mexico and Texas. Parts of each area were combined into a new nation that straddles the border. Accordingly, Mezcalandia is shaped like a mezcal bottle.

                                 

Entry from Texas is at the town of Agaveville in northern Mezcalandia. Entry from Mexico is wherever you can sneak across the border, which is pretty much anywhere.

New Government of Mezcalandia

Until rigged elections are held later this year, the government is headed by Acting Presidenté José José José José and Acting Vice Presidenté Armando Salazar.

The administration is working from the Acting Presidential Suite at the Hotel Mezcalifornia in beautiful downtown Mezcalopolis, the capital of Mezcalandia.

More Mezcalandia News