Mezcal
*Nominated for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award in the Beverage category*
Produced in Mexico for centuries but little known elsewhere until recent years, mezcal has captured the imagination of spirits enthusiasts with its astonishing complexities. And while big liquor is beginning to jump aboard the bandwagon, most mezcal is still artisanal in nature, produced using small-batch techniques handed down for generations, often with agave plants harvested in the wild.
Join author Emma Janzen as she presents an engaging primer on all things mezcal that includes:
- Mezcal’s long and captivating history in Mexican culture
- The craft of distilling mezcal, from growing and harvesting the agave to roasting and grinding it, all the way to distilling and aging
- A thorough guide to many of the most common agaves used in production and how they shape the resulting spirit
- A selection of nearly 50 cocktails that accentuate mezcal’s distinguishing qualities, contributed by top mezcal bars across the United States and Mexico
With lush photography, an elegant design featuring a foil-debossed cover, and authoritative yet enthralling text, Mezcal is the definitive guide to exploring and unraveling the mysteries of this extraordinary handcrafted spirit.
Emma Janzen is an award-winning spirits and cocktail journalist, author, editor, and photographer reporting on global drinking cultures for outlets including The New York Times, Bon Appetit, PUNCH, Food Republic, Serious Eats, and more. She has served as digital editor at Imbibe and drinkways editor for Good Beer Hunting. Her first book, Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit, was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018. She has since won three James Beard Foundation Book Awards in the Beverage with Recipes category: in 2022, as co-author of The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes; in 2023, as co-author of The Bartender’s Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro; and in 2025, as co-author of The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar. She prefers her mezcal neat, her cocktails made with gin, and her stouts served year-round.