Agave Spirits

Agave plants were never destined to end up as cheap, flavorless tequila. Every tequila is a mezcal, and every mezcal is made from agave. Each bottle reflects teamwork among growers, botanists, distillers, distributors, bartenders, and others who shape the spirit along the way.

Ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan and restaurateur David Suro Piñera take readers through this world. They explore the variety of agave-based distillates, search for the more distant relatives of agave plants, and describe the innovations that have reshaped the tequila and mezcal industries in recent decades.

The book draws on fieldwork and interviews with mezcaleros in eight Mexican states. It shows how traditional production methods are inspiring a new generation of makers, including women, both within the industry and beyond it. Reaching back through centuries of history, the authors consider how the tradition may adapt to the climate crisis, and they argue that knowing the story behind a bottle can deepen the experience of drinking it.

Written for mezcal enthusiasts at every level, especially those curious about the past of this distilled spirit, the book includes twelve illustrations by René Alejandro Hernández Tapia. It also offers indexes of common and scientific agave names, along with the names of plants, animals, and domesticated agaves used in producing these distillates.