mescal

American  

[me-skal] / mɛˈskæl /

noun

1. an intoxicating beverage distilled from the fermented juice of certain species of agave.

2. any agave yielding this spirit.

3. Also called peyote.  either of two species of spineless, dome-shaped cactus, Lophophora williamsii or L. diffusa, of Texas and northern Mexico, yielding the hallucinogen peyote.

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mescal British  

/ mɛˈskæl /

noun

1. Also called: peyote.  a spineless globe-shaped cactus, Lophophora williamsii, of Mexico and the southwestern US. Its button-like tubercles ( mescal buttons ) contain mescaline and are chewed by certain Indian tribes for their hallucinogenic effects

2. a colourless alcoholic spirit distilled from the fermented juice of certain agave plants

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Etymology

Origin of mescal

1695–1705, < Mexican Spanish mescal, mezcal, mexcal < Nahuatl mexcalli intoxicant distilled from agave (perhaps equivalent to me ( tl ) maguey + ( i ) xcalli something cooked)

Example Sentences

The researchers couldn’t get DNA samples from three of the worms, which was likely because those worms had been baked before being placed in the mescal, they wrote.

From Scientific American

For drinks, there are lots of agave tweaks on the classics such as mescal- and tequila- based takes on negronis and martinis.

From Seattle Times

After all, some gin fanatics are really after the complex taste of the herbs, and some mescal aficionados are in it for the whiff of smoked agave.

From Seattle Times

The Guerrero Health Department said the liquor was labeled as “distilled agave,” the cactus-like plant from which both tequila and mescal are made.

From Washington Times

It’s a prescription for cocktail geeks and connoisseurs of spirits, especially Scotch and mescal.

From Seattle Times