What is a Tequila Worm? Why There’s a Worm in Your Bottle
Photo: Triff/Shutterstock.com
If you’ve ever seen a tequila worm resting at the bottom of a bottle on the shelf, you’ve probably wondered what this bizarre garnish is doing inside a drink.
Rumors surrounding these little critters’ origin, taste and even their supposed hallucinogenic properties have swirled around for years. Here are a few commonly asked questions about these wiggly oddities.
What is a Tequila Worm?
The first misconception surrounding these bugs is in their name. They actually aren’t worms at all.
In reality, they are one of two types of mezcal larvae, either a meocuile (white maguey worm), or a chilocuile (red maguey worm).
These caterpillars infest agave plants before they are harvested. Were they not preserved as alcoholic garnishes, the caterpillars would flourish into the tequila giant-skipper butterfly or the comadia redtenbacheri moth respectively.
And just to be clear – the agave worm in your drink is not alive.
Does it Add Flavor?
Sort of. The actual benefits of adding agave worms to mezcal is the subject of some debate.
In Mexican cuisine, agave worms are a revered delicacy with roots dating back to the Aztec Empire. Nowadays, you can find them fried like pork rinds and added to soups, mole or tacos.
Despite the worm’s established culinary legacy, the flavor of agave worms in your mezcal probably won’t be putting its best foot forward.
Agave worms are soaked and pickled in mezcal before they’re bottled, so they definitely pick up an alcoholic bite.
Agave worms in mezcal are edible, but lack the salty crunch of their fried counterparts. Drinking the worm at the bottom of your bottle is not for the squeamish.
Did You Say Hallucinogenic?
One of the most common rumors surrounding agave worms is their alleged hallucinogenic properties. This is untrue, but not entirely unfounded.
These very same breeds of agave worms are known to feed on peyote cactus, from which the psychedelic drug mescaline is refined.
Suffice it to say, those are not the worms you will be finding in your mezcal.
Why do Distillers Put Tequila Worms in Mezcal?
Some would tell you that this tradition has its roots in an age-old litmus test. If an agave worm dropped into a bottle was still wriggling by the time it reached the bottom, the tequila was safe to drink. If the worm died before it reached the bottom, the tequila was deemed unsafe for human consumption.
Others allege that this story is fiction. As modern tellings would have it, this “tradition” was actually fabricated in the 1940s as a clever marketing ploy to distinguish certain mezcals on the shelf.
Either way, agave worms have established themselves as a mainstay in the mezcal industry.
4 Mezcals With the Iconic Maguey Worm
Here are a few mezcals to try if you want to taste an agave worm for yourself.
Monte Alban
Perhaps the best known mezcal with a maguey worm inside it, Monte Alban is one of the top selling mezcals in the United States. Heavy on mezcal’s signature smoky flavor, Monte Alban also brings note of chipotle and cigar leaves to the palate.
If you’re hoping to try a maguey worm as soon as possible, a $24 bottle of Monte Alban is the classic pick.
Find Monte Alban Mezcal at Total Wine
El Recuerdo Mezcal
El Recuerdo Mezcal, which can be bought with or without an agave worm, comes highly recommended at its reasonable $38 price point. Smoky but not bitter, El Recuerdo Mezcal boasts sweet hints of caramel, sugar, vanilla and nuts.
Find El Recuerdo Mezcal Joven at Reserve Bar
La Penca con Gusano
La Penca Con Gusano – which translates to “La Penca with a Worm” – is a mezcal that truly wears its agave worm on its sleeve. In fact, some bottles of La Penca can come with two worms inside them.
Salty and smoky with an aroma reminiscent of barbecue, this $29 mezcal is a good pick for those who want to find a quality balance of flavor with their agave worm.
Find La Penca Con Gusano near you.
Casta Pasion Worm Bottle Añejo
This one might be cheating. Rather than an agave worm inside a bottle of tequila, this is actually a bottle of tequila within a giant spectacle of an agave worm.
Though there’s no actual worm to be found within this extravagant bottle, Casa Pasion Worm Bottle Añejo earns a spot on this list because the fruit-forward añejo within it is far better than the gimmicky bottle might suggest. Lauded for a complex mix of orange, grapefruit, berry and oak, this $80 añejo is both a statement piece and a genuinely good sipper.
For those who are interested in the agave worm’s legacy but are skeptical of trying one for themselves, Casa Pasion Worm Bottle Añejo might be the perfect pick.
Find a bottle of Casta Pasion Worm Bottle Añejo near you.
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