Here's where to get a good mezcal cocktail in Tampa Bay

A fun and somewhat surprising fact is that the United States as a country consumes the most tequila overall each year, although Mexicans drink the most tequila per person annually.

National Margarita Day is Wednesday, Feb. 22, and there’s no doubt a ton of options around the Bay area to score a chip and dip sampler with a traditional margarita. But if you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to consider swapping in mezcal, tequila's smoky relative that has soared in popularity in recent years and can be easily made into a well-balanced cocktail when prepared right.

You may have heard the difference between the two explained as all tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila, similar to how all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. One key distinction is that tequila must be made from the blue Weber agave plant and is traditionally made in Jalisco, while mezcal can be produced from several variants of the agave plant and typically hails from Oaxaca. Another major difference is that mezcal is most often made using traditional techniques that involve roasting the pina, or heart of the agave plant, in an underground pit oven, lending the liquor its characteristic smoky flavor profile.

Here are 11 Tampa Bay bars that serve a good mezcal drink.