
Mezcal and tequila are often used interchangeably for cocktails (I'll take two smoky mezcal margaritas, please), but the truth is that they're two very different Mexican spirits. Ever heard the saying, "All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares." For starters, tequila is a type of mezcal, but mezcal is not a type of tequila. "The key differentiator is that while mezcal can be made from many varieties of agave, tequila can only be made from one: blue agave," explains Autumn Chiklis, co-founder of The Pink Pig Tequila. Ahead, we break down the key differences between these two spirits.