Tequila!!

Tequila is, to Mexico, what whisky is to Scotland or cognac to France: much more than just a drink. It has become a national icon, with its own unique history, lore and imagery. Think tequila and you think mariachi, charros and a call to freedom as well as sun and fun.

Tequila’s roots go back over 1,000 years to pulque. The natives of central Mexico would draw sap from local maguey plants and allow it to ferment naturally, producing a mildly alcoholic brew, usually reserved for religious ceremonies or the elite.

It was some 500 years later, when the conquistadors found themselves running out of imported brandy, that they turned their attentions to pulque. The Spanish discovered that by roasting the piñas (hearts or cores) of the maguey they could produce a sweeter juice. They then fermented and distilled this agua miel to produce a much more potent brew: mezcal.

Mezcal was made throughout colonial Mexico, but the quality varied with the species of maguey and growing conditions. Gradually it became apparent that the town of Tequila produced a superior product based on only one type of maguey, the blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber), which thrived on its volcanic slopes, and tequila was distinguished from other mezcals.

Tequila grew in popularity, and never more so than in periods of revolution and unrest, when it became a symbol of national unity. However, it wasn’t until the 1940’s, with the introduction of modern production methods and quality control standards and the invention of the phenomenally popular Margarita, that tequila rose above its reputation as the drink for rebels and outlaws.

Tequila production is now strictly regulated by Mexico’s Norma Oficial Mexicana: it must only be produced from blue agave grown in designated areas surrounding the town of Tequila and it must contain a specified percentage of agave. Mixto (mixed) tequilas, the cheaper hangover-inducing tequilas, are made from at least 51% agave, with distilled cane or brown sugars making up the balance, and can be bottled outside ?of Mexico. Premium tequilas are distilled from 100% agave, can only be bottled in Mexico and must be labeled as such. If the bottle’s label doesn’t say 100% agave, then it is a mixto.

These two basic classes are further subdivided based on aging times. Tequila Blanco (white) is bottled shortly after distillation and is colorless with a strong agave flavor. Distillers may add caramel to the young tequila for flavor and color, to produce Tequila Oro (gold). White tequila that is aged for up to one year in wooden barrels acquires a natural gold color and smoother flavor, and is called Reposado (rested). Tequila Añejo (old) is aged for at least 12 months, and up to three years, in oak where it develops a darker amber color and more complex flavor.

For a number of decades, white mixto tequilas, the base for Margaritas and Tequila Sunrises, dominated the market. That changed during the 1980’s when a booming global economy and a growing Mexican tourism industry resulted in tequila becoming one of the best selling liquors in the world. In 2005 Mexico produced a record-breaking 210 million liters of Tequila and, in another first, premium 100% agave tequilas accounted for over half of that production.

In recognition of this new trend, and in response to the powerful Tequila lobby, the NOM introduced a fourth category of Tequila in 2006; Tequila Extra Añejo (ultra aged) which must spend a minimum of three years in oak. Extra Añejo tequilas are rich and complex, more reminiscent of a single malt whisky or extra old Cognac than a fresh fruity blanco, and at well over $100 USD a bottle, are intended for sipping and savoring rather than slamming and shooting.

But, no matter your taste or pocketbook, in a country with over one hundred distilleries making more than six hundred different brands of tequila, there is one just right for you.