Mezcal and Food Pairing Guide: Applying Wine Pairing Principles to Agave Spirits

The principles of food and wine pairings offer an excellent foundation for successful food and mezcal combinations. Here are some guidelines to help you elevate your mezcal pairing game:

1. Complementary Flavors

Wine Principle: Match a wine’s dominant flavors with similar flavors in the food. For example, a crisp, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with lemony dishes like salmon or shrimp scampi.

Mezcal Adaptation: Highlight mezcal’s earthy, sweet, umami, fruity, vegetal, or herbal notes by pairing it with foods that share those qualities.

Quick Note About Smoke: It’s a common misconception that all mezcal is smoky. While traditional roasting of agave plants in underground ovens does impart smokiness, the intensity of the smoke varies dramatically based on factors like the mezcalero’s technique, soil conditions, firewood type, and cooking time. At Erstwhile Mezcal, we showcase complex, balanced flavor profiles. While our lineup is not exceptionally smoky as a whole, we do love a good mezcal with nuanced, well-balanced smoke that enhances the overall sipping experience.

Example:

• Pair BBQ, smoked meats, grilled vegetables, or robust dishes with a full-bodied mezcal. Think barbacoa, sausage, ribs, or steak.
• Erstwhile Espadín Mezcal, an award-winning best-seller, is a perfect match for Texas BBQ. Its balanced smokiness emerges subtly on the backend, delivering a long, satisfying finish.

2. Contrasting Flavors

Wine Principle: Balance rich or fatty dishes with high-acidity wines, like a bright, zesty Chardonnay with creamy pasta.

Mezcal Adaptation: Bold mezcals with unconventional flavor profiles—funky, lactic, herbaceous, or intensely aromatic—shine when paired with gentler foods. This contrast elevates the mezcal while creating a harmonious balance. The sum is greater than its parts. 

Example:

• Blueberries—juicy, sweet, and approachable—contrast beautifully with the bold, vegetal, slightly funky notes of a Tepeztate mezcal. At a vegan mezcal dinner hosted by Sea Wolf Tybee in Tybee Island, Georgia, chilled fresh blueberries paired with our Erstwhile Tepeztate Mezcal created a stunning combination that was nothing short of a revelation.

• Szechuan-style Chinese food—spicy, savory, and salty—pairs beautifully with bright, vegetal, botanical, and aromatic spirits that cut through the grease and richness. Our go-to for spicy Chinese takeout is Erstwhile Cucharillo Sotol. Though technically not a mezcal, this sotol spirit – distilled from 100% wild Dasylirion plants – shines with notes of fresh sweet oregano, lemon balm, and mint. Perfect pairing for spicy, bold flavors!

3. Regional Pairings and Cultural Connections

Wine Principle: “What grows together goes together.” Local foods and wines from the same region often make exceptional pairings because they share similar terroir, soil, climate, and growing conditions. For instance, a hearty lamb stew served in a Navarra tavern pairs beautifully with a glass of local Rioja. 

Similarly, dishes and wines that evoke a shared cultural or culinary tradition can create a deeply satisfying experience. A homemade lamb stew, whether prepared with local farm-raised lamb or supermarket-sourced ingredients, pairs just as elegantly with a bottle of Rioja, bringing the flavors and spirit of Spain to your table. 

Mezcal Adaptation: Mezcal is deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of Oaxaca, making it a natural partner for Oaxacan dishes like tlayudas, moles, memelas, barbacoa, and chiles rellenos. 

In Oaxaca, mezcal is often served neat with fresh orange slices and a pinch of salt—traditionally a sal de chapulín (salt infused with roasted grasshoppers). This classic combination highlights mezcal’s complexity while offering a perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and savoriness. 

Example: 

Building on this theme, you can enjoy mezcal anywhere with simple snacks or appetizers featuring citrus, salt, or a touch of umami. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Think popcorn, cheese crisps, potato chips, or even orange marmalade on crackers—each a delightful accompaniment to mezcal’s flavor profile.

Pechuga mezcals are a unique style of mezcal made by distilling the spirit with additional ingredients like meat (optional), fruits, spices, and grains. Each producer uses their own blend of ingredients, resulting in a rich diversity of flavors and textures to explore. Traditionally served during celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and baptisms in mezcal-producing communities, pechugas are festive and elevate any dish you pair with them. 

• Erstwhile Turkey Mole Negro Pechuga: This limited-release mezcal, inspired by Thanksgiving and Oaxacan family traditions, pairs exquisitely with dishes like Oaxacan mole, roast turkey, or your next holiday feast. Its rich, savory, and subtly sweet notes are perfect for festive gatherings. 
• Erstwhile Five-Spice Duck Pechuga combines the umami of duck with the bold, complex flavors of classic five-spice powder—star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and Szechuan peppercorns. Pair it with duck or Chinese food for an unforgettable experience. 

4. Weight Matching

Wine Principle: Match the weight and intensity of the wine with the dish. A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, for instance, complements a juicy, well-marbled steak, matching their intensities for a perfect pairing.

Mezcal Adaptation: Just as with wine, lighter, floral mezcals pair best with delicate dishes, while bold, full-bodied mezcals shine alongside robust, flavorful foods. Additionally, mezcal’s versatility extends to dessert pairings. Like port, mezcal makes a delightful after-dinner digestif on its own, or a companion to sweet and savory treats.

Examples:

• For Light Dishes:
  A light, refreshing ceviche pairs wonderfully with Erstwhile Cucharillo (distilled from sotol plants, not agave) or Erstwhile Madrecuishe Mezcal (2021 Ancestral Limited Release). Both offer aromatic, floral, and botanical notes that elevate the delicate flavors of the seafood while providing a balanced, refreshing contrast.
• For Hearty Dishes:
  With grilled lamb or similarly bold dishes, opt for a clay pot-distilled ancestral mezcal like Erstwhile Arroqueño-Espadín Ensamble Mezcal (2021 Ancestral Limited Release). Its earthy, smoky, and complex notes complement the lamb’s richness, creating an indulgent, sophisticated pairing.
• For Desserts and Cheeses:
  Mezcals made from agave varietals with naturally higher sugar content, such as Tobalá, Espadín, or Liñeno, pair beautifully with desserts. The Erstwhile Tobalá Mezcal—whether the 2023 release or 2021 release—is delightful on its own, but its nuanced sweetness also complements tropical fruits (e.g., mango, pineapple), stone fruits (e.g., apricots, nectarines), and citrus (e.g., yuzu, orange, grapefruit).
  For cheese, apply the principle of contrasting flavors. A fresh cheese with mild salty or tangy notes, such as queso fresco or goat cheese, provides a delicate, savory counterpoint to the mezcal’s rich profile.

Key Takeaways for Mezcal Pairings

• Understand the Mezcal’s Profile: Know whether it’s floral, earthy, fruity, vegetal, or smoky to guide your pairing.
• Balance Is Key: Neither the food nor the mezcal should overpower the other; instead, they should enhance each other.
• Experiment with Contrast and Complement: For harmony, pair flavors that complement each other. For dynamic contrast, pair flavors that are the opposite of each other.
• Match Weight and Intensity: Pair light, floral mezcals with delicate dishes like ceviche, and reserve robust, full-bodied mezcals for bold, hearty dishes like grilled lamb.

By applying these easy, intuitive wine pairing principles to agave spirits, you can create a memorable dining experience that showcases mezcal’s versatility and depth.

Explore our best mezcal offerings in the Erstwhile Mezcal collection to discover the perfect mezcal for your next culinary adventure. Cheers!