Mezcal vs Scotch: Taste, ABV, Calories & More

Mezcal vs Scotch

Compare mezcal vs scotch 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	Mezcal	Scotch
Family	Spirit	Spirit
Type	mezcal	whiskey
Container	Shot	Shot
Serving Size	45 mL/1.5oz	45 mL/1.5oz
Calories	108 kcal	97 kcal
ABV %	45%	40%
Alcohol (grams)	16.0	14.2
Taste	Smoky, earthy, herbaceous	Smoky, malty, earthy
Texture	Oily, viscous, warming	Viscous, oily, warming
Mixers	Grapefruit soda, lime juice	Water, soda, ginger ale
Is Vegan?	Yes	Yes
Glutenfree?	Yes	Yes
Carbs (grams)	0	0
Sugars (grams)	0	0
Main Ingredient	Roasted agave hearts	Malted barley
Aged?	No	Minimum of 3 years
Country	Mexico	Scotland
Price (USD)	30 - 200	15 - 500

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Deep Dive: Mezcal vs Scotch

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

Drink Type

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.

Scotch | Spirit | whiskey

Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic beverage made exclusively from a fermented mash of cereal grains, including barley, corn, rye, or wheat. It is universally aged in wooden casks, typically charred white oak. This aging process imparts its characteristic amber color, complex tannins, and distinct flavor profile.

What Makes Each Drink Unique?

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.

Scotch

Scotch is legally required to be mashed, fermented, distilled, and matured in oak casks entirely within Scotland for a minimum of three years. Its frequent reliance on peat fires to dry the malted barley imparts a characteristic smoky flavor rarely found in other whiskey styles.

The Taste Experience

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.

Scotch

Scotch offers a complex flavor profile generally characterized by distinct maltiness and varying degrees of peat smoke. Regional differences introduce notes of heather, dried fruits, vanilla, and oak, resulting in a robust, dry, and often earthy finish.

Serving Notes

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.

Scotch

The recommended serving temperature for scotch is 18 degrees Celsius / 64.4 Fahrenheit. Serving Scotch at room temperature, approximately 18 degrees Celsius, preserves the volatility of aromatic compounds. This thermal range ensures the expression of complex esters and phenols without excessive alcohol evaporation or numbing of the palate.

History & Origin

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.

Scotch

Scotch whisky's origins date back to at least the fifteenth century in Scotland, where it was initially distilled by monks for medicinal purposes. The first written record appears in the 1494 Exchequer Rolls. Over centuries, taxation and smuggling shaped its production, leading to the Excise Act of 1823, which legalized and regulated distilleries. Today, strict laws govern its production, requiring distillation and maturation entirely within Scotland.