21 Mezcal Cocktails to Drink, Because the Spirit Is More Popular Than Ever

If you’ve been noticing mezcal on menus everywhere, you’re not just imagining things—the spirit is more popular than ever, with production up 10 percent from 2019 to 2020. Derived from the Nahuatl word for “oven-cooked agave plant,” mezcal is defined as an agave-based liquor, and while it’s best known stateside for its smokiness, there are a ton of varieties out there that range from earthy to fruity to peppery. (And for the record, it’s not tequila.) Read on for our favorite mezcal cocktails to drink at home, including picks for margarita lovers and Bloody Maria stans alike.