I tapped the brake pedal and instantly felt the Grand Marquis drop out of cruise control as it neared the modern port city of Veracruz, which historically is the third Veracruz. The first Veracruz, an official, legal city created by Hernan Cortes was a camp. Here, Bernal Diaz wrote, Cortes ordered a fort built. But the site was poorly chosen, sandy, windy and lacked sufficient fresh water. The second Veracruz, later called La Antigua (The Older), was founded on the Huitzilapan (Hummingbird) River, but this site was ultimately considered a poor strategic choice. Finally, a permanent Veracruz was built and fortified.

There is a phrase in Mexico, "From Tijuana to Chetumal." It means from "one extreme to the other." Tijuana touches San Diego. It's north and west and on the Pacific Ocean. Chetumal abuts Belize. It's south and east and on the Atlantic side of Mexico.

I've heard: "You can get anywhere in Mexico by bus. Mexico has 800 bus companies and are the finest get-to-where-you're-going system in the world."

Crossing Mexico by bus sounded like an adventure, and taking the bus, stopping in places I've never heard of, could make me feel like a pioneer, a discoverer. I pulled out a large map of Mexico and looked it over. I'd avoid resorts and beaches. I wanted to see the heart of Mexico, the interior. I'd descend into the Copper Canyon, three times the size of the Grand Canyon, and cross deserts. I'd follow the mountainous Silver Trail, routes established by the Spanish and seek out early missions founded by Junipero Serra and stay in colonial towns. The route would take me through green jungles and past romantic waterfalls. I'd visit indigenous villages and I'd climb Mayan pyramids.

Mezcalero alongside a pine vat with fermenting baked agave

Think of mezcal as you would single malt scotch, or better yet as you would red wine with different vintages from different regions of France, or perhaps as wine from grape varietals from the diverse valleys and coastal areas of Australia. Forget about the worm for the time being, and forget forever the reputation with the college crowd of mezcal's better known sister, tequila.

Introduction

Mezcal is made from the agave plant, often referred to as maguey. Its production, according to most recent evidence, pre-dates the Spanish Conquest. Many of today's facilities use the same age-old technique, although some of the tools of the trade have changed. Clay pots originally used for manufacture and storage have been replaced with copper serpentine for distillation, and oak and glass for aging and transporting.