NOM-070: mezcal, artesanal and ancestral mezcal, explained
NOM-070-SCFI-2016 is Mexico's official standard defining what can be called mezcal. It splits mezcal into three categories by process (mezcal, mezcal artesanal and mezcal ancestral) and six classes by what happens after distillation (blanco or joven, madurado en vidrio, reposado, añejo, abocado con and destilado con). All mezcal must be 100% agave.
The three categories
| Stage | Mezcal | Mezcal artesanal | Mezcal ancestral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roasting | Pit, masonry or autoclave oven | Pit or raised masonry oven | Pit oven only |
| Crushing | Tahona, Chilean or Egyptian mill, trapiche or diffuser | Mallet, tahona or similar methods | Traditional methods (mallet, tahona) |
| Fermentation | Wood, masonry or stainless steel vessels | Hollows in stone, earth or wood, or clay vessels; fiber may be included | Natural cavities or traditional vessels; fiber may be included |
| Distillation | Copper or stainless steel pot stills or columns | Direct fire in a copper pot still or clay pot | Direct fire in a clay pot with a clay or wood cap |
The bottom line: the closer to ancestral, the more hand work and the less industrial equipment.
The six classes
| Class | What it means |
|---|---|
| Blanco or joven | Colorless and clear, no further process |
| Madurado en vidrio | Rested more than 12 months in glass under controlled conditions |
| Reposado | 2 to 12 months in wood |
| Añejo | More than 12 months in wood, in vessels under 1,000 L |
| Abocado con | Ingredients added directly for flavor |
| Destilado con | Distilled with ingredients to take on their flavor |
Why it matters when you buy
Category and class must appear on the label. Reading them tells you how the mezcal was made, instead of relying on words like "premium" or "traditional", which aren't regulated.
How it applies to ZUNTE
ZUNTE is a blanco or joven mezcal: it never sees a barrel, so its flavor comes only from the agave, the stone oven, the tahona, wooden-vat fermentation and copper distillation. ZUNTE Gold also carries 24-karat gold flakes. Both ZUNTE and ZUNTE Gold are certified in the Mezcal Artesanal category by COMERCAM (Consejo Mexicano Regulador de la Calidad del Mezcal, A.C.).
FAQ
What's the difference between artisanal and ancestral mezcal?
Mainly distillation: artisanal may use a copper still or clay pot; ancestral only a clay pot. Ancestral also requires a pit oven.
What is joven mezcal?
A clear, colorless mezcal that doesn't go through wood or any other process after distillation.
Is all mezcal 100% agave?
Yes. The current NOM-070 requires mezcal to be 100% agave.
What does "madurado en vidrio" mean?
Mezcal rested more than 12 months in glass before bottling.
