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Tequila Primer

First concocted over 500 years ago near what is now the City of Tequila, Tequila owes its heritage to both sides of the Atlantic. When Spanish Conquistadors had exhausted their supply of alcohol, they turned to the fermented Aztec drink octli and distilled it, with the result being the birth of tequila. Tequila is made from the agave plant, and today it must be produced in accordance with very strict regulations. In fact, genuine tequila can only be produced in certain regions of Mexico, each of which is known for its own provincial variation. Some states in Mexico famous for their tequila are Jalisco (where the City of Tequila is located), Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacán, and Tamaulipas.

In addition to its geographic distinction, a tequila is generally classified as being one of four types:

  1. Plata or Blanco (meaning "Silver" or "White," respectively)
  2. Oro or Joven Abocado (meaning "Gold" or "Bottled while young," respectively)
  3. Reposado (meaning "Rested")
  4. 4) Añejo (meaning "Aged)"

The darkness of a tequila generally indicates how long it has been aged, though alternative means can be used to darken it. The darker the tequila is, the older and higher quality it is. Thus, a plata (or blanco) tequila will have very little color, whereas an añejo tequila will have a dark, caramel color.

Tequila Facts:

  • The first effectively aged Tequila was produced in 1800. Today, you can still buy bottles of "1800 Tequila," which were created in this first batch over 200 years ago.
  • The well-known story about the worm in the tequila bottle is actually a myth. A select few brands sold bottles with worms in the 1940’s as a marketing ploy, but the presence of the worm is really the mark of low quality agaves (in fact, infested avages!). The worm is not actually a worm, but a type of moth that lives on agaves.