Mezcal a spirit that’s rising in popularity in Las Vegas

Mama Rabbit at Park MGM, which opened late last month, has shone a spotlight on mezcal bright enough to cut through the spirit’s storied smokiness. But the splashy new spot also is a reflection of the growing interest in mezcal.

“It is generating popularity,” said J.R. Starkus, director of mixology and trade development for Southern Glazer’s Wine &Spirits. “It’s certainly not up to the levels of other spirits on the market but it’s gaining popularity, and I’d say mainly because the American palate is now starting to broaden its horizons. We’re intrigued by flavor, rather than scared by it, like we used to be.”

Hakkasan was an early adopter.

“About five years ago, we noticed a growing trend in mezcal,” said Constantin Alexander, director of beverage for Hakkasan USA. “We went pretty hard and heavy with our mezcal program in our restaurants. I think we had the largest mezcal collection; now we’re probably five or six.”

That No. 1 spot currently is occupied by Mama Rabbit, whose 500 mezcals and tequilas are said to make up the largest collection in the country.

If you’re unfamiliar with mezcal, here’s a primer. Both spirits come from agave — tequila only from blue agave — but while the plant is steamed to make tequila, it’s roasted in earthen pits covered with lava rocks to make mezcal. That accounts for the spirit’s distinctively smoky notes, which mingle with nuanced flavors of whichever agave species is used and whatever else is used in the process.

Bricia Lopez, who collaborated on Mama Rabbit with MGM Resorts International, is a native of Oaxaca, the cradle of mezcal, and comes from a long line of mezcal crafters.

“Smoke and earth are a big part of our history,” Lopez said. “Kitchens are always outdoors, with wood fires. Everything is thrown directly on the fire.”

That smokiness can be startling.

“The flavor profile of mezcal can be somewhat assertive to the non-familiar palate,” said Craig Schoettler, corporate mixologist for MGM Resorts.

“It’s still not for everybody,” Starkus said. “It’s an acquired taste.”

But the different varietals and processes used by various mezcal makers mean the spirit “goes beyond the smoke,” Lopez said. “You see more of a wine differentiation.”

“As you break into the world of mezcal,” Starkus said, “once you get past the smoke flavor — if you can do that — you can enjoy the intricacies of the different types of agave and see what each of them has to offer.”

And the flavor differentiation goes behind the type of agave used. Schoettler said fruits, vegetables and poultry that are native to a mezcal maker’s home are sometimes hung in the still to flavor the distillate. He said they’re working with a distiller who will create an exclusive mezcal, with rabbit in the still, for Mama Rabbit.

All of those intricacies have fed into the mystique of mezcal.

“A lot of the cocktail geeks and barmen and -women around the country gravitated to it,” Alexander said. “It’s an artisan spirit. You’d get a high-quality product made by a couple of guys with plastic drums and baseball bats.”

“There are no big brands behind mezcal,” Schoettler said. “It’s all little villages, little producers. This is their craft, their art, their livelihood. They’re not sponsoring sports teams. They’re farmers that produce this. The majority of mezcal that’s made never leaves Oaxaca. It’s what they use for weddings and birthdays, not meant to go mass-marketed and be distributed and be everywhere.”

Although Alexander said that changed somewhat in the past five years.

“Now there’s — fortunately or unfortunately — a ton of mezcal companies making a ton of different quality mezcals,” he said.

If you’re new to mezcal and want to try it, start with a cocktail.

“Cocktails are primarily the way that mezcal is consumed,” Starkus said. “People use it similarly to what they would do with tequila. It also can make a nice accent piece in many other spirit-based cocktails. You can add as little as a bar spoon (about a teaspoon) and it adds a smoky flavor accent.”

“You can make great cocktails with mezcal,” Alexander said. “You can replace scotch or gin with mezcal. You just know you’re going to get a little more refined flavor, a little more smoke, depending on the mezcal you use.

“It’s just a real versatile spirit. You can do a lot of fun stuff with it.”

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.