Get Into The Spirit For Mexico’s Day Of The Dead

The Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, observed on November 1st and 2nd, has steadily gained popularity in the UK in recent years.

The hashtag #dayofthedead has collected 735.9M views on TikTok, 2.6M posts on Instagram and there was a 900% growth in ‘day of the dead’ Google searches last year. 

Day of the Dead is a time for reflection, remembrance, and honouring departed loved ones. What was once a relatively niche observance has now become a recognised cultural event in this country. The celebrations include sharing traditional Mexican food and drinks. Naturally, tequila and mezcal are the first choice of spirit. Crafted from the agave plant, they carry the essence of the sun-soaked landscapes that birthed them. 

Tequila, often synonymous with lively fiestas, hails primarily from the Jalisco region. Its smooth, versatile nature has made it a global sensation, finding a place not just in shot glasses but also in refined cocktails. Mezcal is a smokier and more artisanal cousin, with its roots deeply embedded in various Mexican regions, notably Oaxaca. 

 “Mezcal is so much more than just a smoky spirit!” 

The Mixer spoke with Matthias Ingelmann, Group Bars Manager at The Mezcaleria in London’s Marylebone, to get his advice on exactly how to get into these Mexican spirits to celebrate Day of the Dead. 

What sets mezcal apart from tequila?

“Tequila is a mezcal and has a great history but why would I restrict myself to taste just one flavour when I could taste all of them? It’s like saying in the wine world ‘I’m just going to drink this grape from this region as opposed to sampling a variety of wines.’ The fascination with mezcal is the diversity of the different states in which it is produced, meaning there is an agave spirit for everyone. Regulations have changed over the years in terms of the production of tequila – there are proficient distillation machines, so it is a bit cleaner as a result, and has a lower ABV. Mezcal, on the other hand, has more happening in terms of flavour and complexity, it is more natural and rustic.”

Could you expand on mezcal’s similarity to the wine world?

“With spirits, such as vodka and gin, you don’t usually look at the terrain they’ve come from – botanicals come from everywhere. You’re more concerned with their ageing and covering.  Whereas with both wine and mezcal, it’s about the product itself – how it’s produced, and from which terrain and region. You can really taste the different regions and different styles of production with mezcal, the flavour profiles are similar to wine. Extending the metaphor, you could say that tequila is like the champagne of the agave world.” 

How do you go about selecting the right mezcal?

“Mezcal is probably one of the most transparent spirit categories in the world – you can read the label and find out how it was produced, how big the batch is, what terrain it was grown on etc. If you compare it to whiskey, scotch or cognac, where it’s quite hard to find that information, you’ll find the mezcal brands are very good at communication. Home mixologists can be confident that they’ll get a lot of info. If they really want to geek out on agave, there are some great online resources including https://www.mezcalreviews.com/ and https://tequilamatchmaker.com/.”

Could you describe some of the flavour profiles and ingredients you enjoy working with when crafting mezcal cocktails?

“Traditionally, you’d take the first espadine and add it to cocktails for a thick and smoky flavour, but nowadays there are so many different products available – we try to find perfect agave or mezcal for each cocktail e.g. for a martini we might use a mezcal salmiana, or for sours,  an espadine or tabla. We try to find a funky and fresh profile and strength that works with the flavours of the drink.”

“Describing mezcal as ‘smoky’ is a misconception. When mezcal entered the global market, it was sold in a certain way. Most people barely knew what tequila was, yes, it’s a spirit from Mexico but knowledge on how it’s produced and what it’s made with was limited. It was easier to market mezcal as the smoky, rich cousin of tequila. People still come into The Mezcaleria asking for our smokiest mezcal but within our portfolio there aren’t many. Smoke is a small part of mezcal, a lot of them aren’t smoky at all.”

“We encourage people to try the different flavours from different terrains, they can have green and fresh and spicy notes. We appreciate ensembles as opposed to single variety mezcals as they have an interesting and complex terrain and therefore taste. We mix them with seasonal ingredients including meadowsweet, woodruff, sorrel, rosehips and so on. If you mix two different agaves, including one that doesn’t give much yield and one that gives a lot – you get the body from one and complexity from the other.”

Can you comment on the popularity of Day of the Dead in the UK?

“Mexico is a huge trend at the moment. More people are open to discovering other things about Mexican culture, outside of tacos and margaritas! Day of the Dead is very popular, for many it is just another form of carnival. You can read as much as you want but you kind of have to be in Mexico to really feel and understand it – it’s a very passionate thing and embedded into the history, there are lots of emotions at play. At The Mezcaleria, we take Mexican traditions and showcase them in a modern way. For Day of the Dead, we’re planning lots of drinks pairings, combining seasonal cocktails that go well with dishes the chefs come up with, which are inspired by a dead family member. We look into the food flavours then create drinks around that. We do Mexican things in a British way. For example, we rediscover guacamole through a British eye, using British ingredients with Mexican flavours.” 

Can you recommend the best way to try mezcal at-home?

“If you’re really new to mezcal and don’t like neat spirits then a mezcal paloma cocktail is easy to make and a great way to get closer to Mexico as it’s an authentic drink. I’d also recommend sipping a mezcal alongside a beer. Maybe have them with flavoured salts, such as sal de gusano or ‘worm salt’ – it’s a very Mexican thing! Citrus fruit can really work well too, such as grapefruit or orange. Or local fruits with good acidity such as an apple, or even a good tomato or cucumber. It’s more about having something on the side and really exploring the different texture matches.” 

“We recommend a slow ritual of sipping a few different mezcals – a sip of mezcal, a bite of fruit, a bit of salt, repeat the process. It’s a great thing to share with friends – take the opportunity to try different types of mezcals and agaves and appreciate their beauty and diversity.”

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