Pox vs Mezcal: What's the Difference?
The main difference is the plant. Mezcal is distilled from agave, and Mexican law requires it to be 100% agave and 35–55% alcohol. Pox (say "posh") is distilled mainly from corn in the Chiapas highlands, has no denomination of origin, and is usually softer and less smoky.
| Pox | Mezcal | |
|---|---|---|
| Made from | Mainly corn, usually with sugar cane or piloncillo, sometimes wheat | 100% agave (maguey), by law |
| Where from | The Chiapas highlands, around San Cristóbal de las Casas | The states in mezcal's denomination of origin, most of it from Oaxaca |
| Rules | No denomination of origin or official standard | Denomination of origin since 1994, plus the official standard NOM-070 |
| Strength | Varies. Some unflavored pox is 40%+; ours is 12–25% | Must be 35–55% alcohol |
| Taste | Soft, slightly sweet, dry corn notes. Little or no smoke | Often smoky, from agave roasted in earth pits; earthy and vegetal |
| Roots | Tzotzil and Tzeltal Maya ceremonies and healing | Agave-growing communities, above all in Oaxaca |
| Flavored versions | Common: fruit, cacao, coconut, chile, cardamom and more | Less common. Most mezcal is sold unflavored |
Ingredients: corn vs agave
Mezcal starts with the heart of the agave plant, which is cooked, crushed, fermented and distilled. Under Mexico's official standard for mezcal, NOM-070, it must be made from 100% agave.
Pox starts with corn. Most producers ferment it with sugar cane or piloncillo, and some add wheat bran. There is no agave in it at all. Read more in our guide What is pox?
Where they come from
Mezcal can only carry the name if it is made in the states covered by its denomination of origin, which dates from 1994. Most mezcal comes from Oaxaca.
Pox comes from Los Altos de Chiapas, the highlands around San Cristóbal de las Casas, where the Tzotzil and Tzeltal Maya have used it in ceremonies and healing for generations.
Rules and labels
Mezcal is tightly defined: the official standard sets the raw material, the alcohol range and three categories (mezcal, mezcal artesanal and mezcal ancestral), each tied to how it is cooked, milled, fermented and distilled.
Pox has no denomination of origin and no official standard, so recipes vary from one distiller to the next. Some bottles sold as pox are mostly sugar cane spirit. Ask what it is made from.
Strength
Mezcal must be between 35% and 55% alcohol. Pox varies more: some unflavored pox is bottled at 40% or more, while flavored pox is often lighter. The pox on our bar runs from about 12% to 25%.
Taste
Many mezcals taste smoky, because the agave is roasted in earth pits before fermenting. Pox is softer and slightly sweet, with dry corn notes, and people often compare it to a light rum or an unaged whiskey. Flavored pox, from cacao with chile to coconut, is a world of its own.
Which should you try?
If you already know mezcal, try pox: it's the spirit you can't easily find outside Chiapas. In San Cristóbal you can try both in one place. At La Independiente you taste 3 pox free, then order a mezcal or a comiteco, the maguey spirit from Comitán, at the bar. Our flavored mezcalitas, Mojito Pox and Pox Tonic are the house favorites.
Questions
Is pox a type of mezcal?
No. Mezcal must be made from 100% agave. Pox is made mainly from corn and has no agave.
Which is stronger, pox or mezcal?
Usually mezcal. By law it has to be 35% to 55% alcohol. Pox varies: some unflavored pox is 40% or more, and the pox on our bar runs from about 12% to 25%.
Is pox smoky like mezcal?
Not really. Mezcal gets its smoke from agave roasted in earth pits. Pox is made from corn and cane, so it tastes softer and slightly sweet.
Is pox like tequila?
No. Tequila is also an agave spirit, made from blue agave. Pox is closer to a light rum or an unaged whiskey than to tequila.
What about comiteco?
Comiteco is another Chiapas spirit, made from maguey and cane sugar on the Comitán plateau. We pour it too.
Can I try both at La Independiente?
Yes. Taste 3 pox free, then order mezcal or comiteco at the bar. Our cocktails are made with pox or mezcal.
Taste 3 pox free
Then try a mezcal or comiteco at the bar. Real de Guadalupe 44, no booking.
Read next: What is pox? · Our pox flavors