Para todo mal, mezcal y para todo bien también.
Mezcal, when high quality, is simply the best liquor in existence. It has a melt in your mouth smooth smoky flavor, and a mellow buzz that is completely unlike any other. The above is a painting on the wall in Al Andar, a great little mezcaleria located on a strip of old downtown Mexico City called Calle Regina. The neighborhood is being revitalized with several bars and restaurants and a pedestrian zone, near Centro Historico:
Other favorite spots to get a nice mezcal (and a great meal) include Oh Mayahuel and Los Danzantes in Coyoacan, mentioned before:
And of course La Botica, with multiple locations in Mexico City. The picture below is of one of the smaller ones. They all have a great vibe, sell only great boutique mezcal and nothing else, and have really knowledgeable staff. They also sell full bottles to go:
Finally, the rooftop bar at the Condesa DF hotel, and La Cerveceria in Condesa, both offer great mezcal cocktails.
Oh, and that worm in the bottle? Just a relatively recent marketing gimick. Probably means it’s actually not high quality.
Enjoy …
