As a regular reader, you know I have a fascination with the diversity of agaves from which mezcal can be made.  From my-likely-to-be-highly-inaccurate accounting, I am somewhere in the mid-40’s of species, sub-species, or varieties of agave from which mezcal is currently produced.

I recently came across an academic research piece from the noted agave expert, Ana Valenzuela-Zapata, that said there were 42 species in Mexico from which mezcal is made.  This is directionally where I came out on my last piece on this topic.  (I got to 47 but I know there is some overlap).  So while the exact number is hard to pin down, and is likely a moving target, my pursuit continues.

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