First of all, mezcal is not “smoked tequila.” Mezcal is all about high proof, small batches, and no worms. Mezcal is a distilled spirit that can be made from some thirty varieties of agave, or maguey. It is usually made by mezcaleros or producers with a process that redefines “artisanal”: agaves are roasted in an underground pit, wild-fermented in open vats, and distilled to proof.