Gin vs Mezcal: Taste, ABV, Calories & More

Gin vs Mezcal

Compare gin vs mezcal side by side, including calories, alcohol content, carbs, and taste differences. Note: All nutritional values are based on a typical serving size (see below).
Information	Gin	Mezcal
Family	Spirit	Spirit
Type	gin	mezcal
Container	Shot	Shot
Serving Size	45 mL/1.5oz	45 mL/1.5oz
Calories	97 kcal	108 kcal
ABV %	40%	45%
Alcohol (grams)	14.2	16.0
Taste	Piney, botanical, dry	Smoky, earthy, herbaceous
Texture	Crisp, oily, light	Oily, viscous, warming
Mixers	Tonic water, dry vermouth	Grapefruit soda, lime juice
Is Vegan?	Yes	Yes
Glutenfree?	Yes	Yes
Carbs (grams)	0	0
Sugars (grams)	0	0
Main Ingredient	Neutral cereal grains	Roasted agave hearts
Aged?	No	No
Country	Netherlands	Mexico
Price (USD)	10 - 200	30 - 200

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Deep Dive: Gin vs Mezcal

A closer look at the history, taste, and unique characteristics of these two beverages.

Drink Type

Gin | Spirit | gin

Gin is a distilled spirit defined by the predominant flavor of juniper berries. It is created by infusing a neutral alcohol base with a specific botanical blend during redistillation. While juniper is mandatory, distillers typically incorporate supporting botanicals like coriander, angelica root, and citrus peels.

Mezcal | Spirit | mezcal

Mezcal is a distilled spirit produced in Mexico from the fermented heart of any agave plant species. Its defining characteristic is the traditional production method, where the agave hearts are slowly roasted in underground earthen pits fueled by wood, imparting a distinct, heavily smoky flavor to the final liquid.

What Makes Each Drink Unique?

Gin

Unlike other clear spirits, gin is explicitly defined by its primary flavoring ingredient, the juniper berry. The required infusion of botanicals directly during or after the distillation process distinguishes it from neutral vodkas, creating an intentionally complex, heavily aromatic profile without aging.

Mezcal

Unlike tequila, which strictly uses blue agave and steams the hearts, mezcal can be produced from over thirty different agave species. The defining characteristic involves roasting these agave hearts in underground fire pits, imparting the spirit's signature, intensely smoky and uniquely earthy flavor profile.

The Taste Experience

Gin

Gin offers a prominently dry and herbal flavor profile, primarily driven by juniper berries which impart a distinctive piney taste. Additional botanical ingredients like coriander, citrus peels, and angelica root provide complex, earthy, and lightly floral or citrus notes.

Mezcal

Mezcal typically offers a distinctively smoky flavor due to the roasted agave production method. It often features earthy and herbaceous undertones, combined with varying degrees of sweetness, fruitiness, or floral notes depending on the specific agave species used.

Serving Notes

Gin

The recommended serving temperature for gin is 4 degrees Celsius / 39.2 Fahrenheit. Chilling gin to four degrees Celsius reduces the perceived burn of high ethanol content. Lower temperatures mask the harshness of the alcohol while highlighting the botanical oils, ensuring a smoother texture and a more refreshing palate experience.

Mezcal

The recommended serving temperature for mezcal is 18 degrees Celsius / 64.4 Fahrenheit. Serving mezcal at room temperature, approximately eighteen degrees Celsius, ensures the preservation of complex volatile aromatic compounds and smoke profiles. Excessively cold temperatures mute delicate agave notes, while high heat can cause ethanol to dominate the palate.

History & Origin

Gin

Gin originated in the Netherlands during the seventeenth century as a medicinal liquor known as jenever. English soldiers discovered the spirit during the Dutch War of Independence, bringing it back to England where it gained immense popularity. The ensuing Gin Craze in the eighteenth century led to widespread overconsumption, eventually prompting strict governmental regulations that carefully shaped the refined London Dry style recognized globally today.

Mezcal

Mezcal production originated in Mexico following the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century. Indigenous populations had previously fermented agave sap to create pulque, but Spanish colonists introduced European distillation techniques. They applied these methods to roasted agave hearts, creating early forms of mezcal. Over centuries, these regional distillation practices evolved into a deeply traditional, artisanal craft passed down through generations across several Mexican states.