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Tequila is North America’s first distilled spirit. The name comes from a Mexican town of the same name in the state of Jalisco. It’s made from the hearts of the agave plant and by law, to be called and labeled Tequila, 51 percent of it must be made from the blue agave plant grown near the town of Tequila. There are many types of agave plants and when many are used the spirit made with it is called Mescal. Mezcal (the one with the worm) can be made from any agave plant anywhere in Mexico. Legend has it that the Aztec ruler, Montezuma, welcomed the Spanish explorer Cortez with a wine made from the agave plant. Poor man. The ungrateful Cortez became his conqueror, took the agave wine, and distilled it to make Tequila. This all took place around the early 1500s and by the 1600s it was being mass-produced. With its distinctive dry taste, Tequila is the basis for marvelous drinks, not the least of which is the Margarita. There are five types of Tequila: Blanco (not aged and also called white or silver), Joven (blanco that is colored to look gold), Reposado (gold from aging), Anejo (aged the longest in oak barrels where it acquires its mellow color of gold), and Maduro (mature, vintage, or ultra aged). In the 1500‘s the Spanish conquered the Aztecs and founded a town named Tequila. At the time there was only a honey wine-type of alcohol being drunk, but the Spanish broke out their copper stills and tequila was born. In the 1700’s the King of Spain granted land to Jose Antonio de Cuervo to cultivate the agave plant. Then for a short while liquor was outlawed in Mexico, but a new Spanish King lifted the prohibition and granted the second generation of the Cuervo family the first license to produce tequila for a commercial market. Tequila became an icon of Mexican nationality, pride and culture, and recognized worldwide ever since. You should know that Mescal can be made from any ole’ or many types of agave plants combined, however by Mexican law tequila must be made by at least 51% from the blue agave plant. Premium tequilas are made from 100% from the blue agave and will say so on their labels. So what's up with the worm? The worm is only found in Mescal Tequila. Well, it's really not even a worm, it's a butterfly larve/caterpillar and is only used in a few varieties of Mescal (it's also suppose to be an aphrodisiac). It's also a big marketing ploy. On January 17, 2006, Mexico and the United States signed the Tequila Trade Agreement, which stated that Tequila can be imported in bulk then bottled in the U.S. In March of 2006 the Norma Official Mexicana created a new ultra-age category for Tequila called Maduro. This Tequila is aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels from France and Canada and produces a superior and smooth spirit that is often called the Cognac of Tequila.
Misc. Tequila Stuff The Four Types of Tequila
Tequila Facts
Tequila Books
Margarita Products
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