On location in Mexico: Demystifying mezcal

 If you’ve ever wanted to know more about mezcal and its more popular sister spirit tequila, this episode is for you. In fact, we traveled all the way to Mexico to get the skinny on these agave-based spirits.

This week we’re talking with Edgar Portilla, the head sommelier for the El Dorado Resorts in Riviera Maya, Mexico, about Mexico’s most famous export, mezcal. During our conversation, Portilla covers all the basics (all tequilas are mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequilas); but he also offers insights into flavor profiles, the rules of agave propagation and the reasons why most mezcal never makes it out of Mexico. We also touch on Mexico’s status as an up and coming wine producer.