Updated August 2026.
Mezcal is a NOM-070 process, not a campfire class. Certified mezcal is 100% agave, bottled at 35–55%. The standard names three categories — Mezcal, Mezcal Artesanal, and Mezcal Ancestral — by how the agave is cooked, milled, fermented, and distilled. Pit roast and smoke are common, not a standalone type. Typical US bottles print 40%. A 1.5-ounce pour at 40% is one NIAAA drink.
Related: mezcal taste, mezcal vs agave, tequila vs mezcal.
Rule vs pour
| Language | 1.5 oz drinks |
|---|---|
| Mezcal | 0.88–1.38 |
| Categories | — |
| Pit / smoke | — |
| Typical US bottle | 1.00 |
A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks. Four pours are four drinks. Pour math: agave-spirit drinks.
Sources
- NOM-070-SCFI-2016 categories and 35–55% window. CRM certifies mezcal.
- NIAAA December 2025.
- NOM-070; 100% agave; 35–55%