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Mezcal

Spirits & brews· spirit

Mezcal

What it is

Mezcal is a Mexican spirit distilled from the cooked, roasted core of various agave species, most often in small batches.

What it tastes like

On the nose: phenol, whiskey, dry, pear. Among its measured molecules: o-ethylphenol, 2-methylbenzofuran, ethyl 3-furoate, orthocresol, 2-acetylfuran.

What goes with it

134 more go with it. See them all in the full library →

Salt and acid

Salt

Salt not measured yet.

Acid

Acid not measured yet.

Unusual pairings

Pairs the library can cite that almost nobody makes.

Every one of its 15 compounds carries a paper the library can cite.

  • acetic acidaromaacidreads as pungent (PubChem)Measured in 35 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 80% of samples; literature descriptor 'Sour vinegar' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Acids block, row 'Acetic acid')
  • 1-butanolaromaalcoholreads as dry, burning taste (PubChem)Measured in 12 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 80% of samples; literature descriptor 'Wine, fermented' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Alcohols block, row 'Butanol')
  • orthocresolaromaphenolreads as phenolic odor (PubChem)Measured in 5 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Smoke' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Phenols block, row 'o-Cresol')
  • 1-propanolaromaalcoholreads as burning taste (PubChem)Measured in 22 of 338 ingredients.cite
    87.08-212.99 mg/L across the nine artisanal mezcals — Sánchez-Fernández et al. 2025, Foods (Table 3, row '1-propanol')
  • isobutanolaromaalcoholreads as sweet, musty odor (PubChem)Measured in 24 of 338 ingredients.cite
    370.53-720.22 mg/L across the nine artisanal mezcals — Sánchez-Fernández et al. 2025, Foods (Table 3, row '2-methyl-1-propanol')
  • o-ethylphenolaromaphenolreads as phenol odor (PubChem)Measured in 1 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Woody/smoky' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Phenols block, row 'o-Ethylphenol')
  • furfuralaromafuranreads as almond-like odor (PubChem)Measured in 33 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Caramel' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Furans block, row 'Furfural')
  • 1,1-diethoxyethanearomaetherreads as whiskey taste (PubChem)Measured in 8 of 338 ingredients.cite
    40.63-205.61 mg/L across the nine artisanal mezcals — Sánchez-Fernández et al. 2025, Foods (Table 3, row 'Acetaldehyde diethyl acetal')
  • ethyl acetatearomaesterreads as fragrant odor (PubChem)Measured in 42 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 30% of samples; literature descriptor 'Fruity anise' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6 (Volatile compounds detected via GC-MS), Esters block, row 'Ethyl Acetate')
  • 5-methylfurfuralaromafuranMeasured in 10 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Caramel' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Furans block, row '5-MethyIfurfural' (the paper prints a capital I in place of the l))
  • 2-acetylfuranaromafuranMeasured in 7 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Balsamic' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Furans block, row '2-Acetylfuran')
  • 2-methylbenzofuranaromafuranMeasured in 1 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Burnt' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Furans block, row 'Benzofuran, 2-methyl-')
  • isoamyl acetatearomaesterreads as pear-like odor (PubChem)Measured in 26 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Banana' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Esters block, row 'Isoamyl acetate')
  • ethyl 3-furoatearomaesterMeasured in 1 of 338 ingredients.cite
    detected in 100% of samples; literature descriptor 'Burnt smoky' — Lazo et al. 2025, Foods (Table 6, Furans block, row 'Ethyl 3-furoate')

Sources

  • Lazo et al. 2025, Foods
  • Sánchez-Fernández et al. 2025, Foods
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