TEQUILA

Tequila is a Mexican agave distillate. It forms a special form of mescal that is protected from origin and may only come from the regions of Jalisco, Najarit, Tamaulipas, Michoacan and Guanajuato. Only the blue agave (Agave Weber Azul), which belongs to the lily family, may be used to make tequila. The cultivation of this form of agave is officially approved and strictly monitored, making tequila one of the most strictly controlled and regulated spirits in the world. During production, the ready-to-harvest agaves are harvested after they have been growing for about 6 to 8 years. After this long period of growth, they are about to flower for the first time. This point in time is crucial as the sugar content of the plant is at its highest. After the agaves have been harvested by hand, the heart of the plants begins to ferment immediately. Accordingly, the plants must then be dried as quickly as possible. After drying, the plants are crushed, soaked and pressed. Traditional presses are less profitable with this process, but lead to better quality of the end product. The resulting brew is fermented and distilled at least twice using column stills and pot stills. Tequila, which has a high social value in Mexico, can be fundamentally divided into 2 categories. In contrast to “Azul” (100% agave tequilas), “Mixtos” only have to obtain at least 51% of the sugar used for fermentation from agave. The remaining 49% may be added from other sources. Accordingly, the latter category has a significantly higher quality. Other names of tequila result from the maturing time. Reposado Tequilas are aged in barrels for a minimum of 2 months, Anejo for a minimum of 1 year and Extra Anejo for a minimum of 3 years.