The literal translation of silvestre is wild. In the mezcal world, it means wild agave. The mezcal made from silvestres generally taste extremely different due to greater genetic diversity and the environmental conditions that the plants survive. These agaves aren’t irrigated and generally live in truly wild circumstances, meaning that they’re about as far away as you can imagine from the clean row crops that spring to mind when imagining agriculture. True silvestres grow on hillsides, in forests, and along roadsides. Thus, it is difficult to harvest and transport wild agave to a distillery.
Mezcal made from agave silvestre is prized and often more expensive, which led to the deforestation of wild plants. Some producers are trying to rectify this by either cultivating agave varieties that were once considered silvestre or replanting agave in wild lands.
Updated Feb 2026
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