Tequila is a spirit made primarily in the area surrounding Tequila, a town in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, 65 km northwest of Guadalajara and in the highlands of Jalisco, 65 km east of Guadalajara. It is made from the blue agave (also known as Agave tequilana azul, Weber's blue agave, and also called Maguey by the local people), part of the lily and amaryllis families, which is native to Mexico. Tequila is most often made at a 38-40% alcohol content (76-80 proof), but there are also several varieties of Tequila produced with 43-46% alcohol content (86-92 proof)
Types of tequila
Tequila is usually bottled in one of five categories:
oro ("gold") - un-aged tequila which is "joven y abogado" (young and adulterated) which means that caramel, fructose, glycerin and wood flavoring can be added to resemble aged tequila
blanco ("white") or plata ("silver") - un-aged white spirit
reposado ("rested") - aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels
añejo ("aged" or "vintage") - aged a minimum of one year, but less than 3 years in oak barrels
extra añejo ("extra aged") or ultra aged- aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels. This category was established in March 2006.
The aging process changes the color of tequila, but the liquid can sometimes be colored with caramel to show a darker color, indicative of a longer aging process; añejos tend to be darker, the reposados slightly less dark, while the platas are not colored at all.
It is a common misconception that some tequilas contain a "worm" in the bottle. Only certain mezcals, usually from the state of Oaxaca, are ever sold con gusano, and that only began as a marketing gimmick in the 1940s. The worm is actually the larval form of the moth Hypopta agavis that lives on the agave plant. Finding one in the plant during processing indicates an infestation and, correspondingly, a lower quality product. However this misconception continues, and even with all the effort and marking to represent Tequila as a premium (similar to the way Cognac is viewed in relation to brandy) there are some opportunist producers for the shooters and fun market who blur these boundaries.
In the 2000s, a distributor known for their Tequilas, launched Villa Lobos, a vodka which had the unique selling point that it too featured the "agave worm". The marketing of this product highlighted the drink's links with Tequilas and said that it was developed in reaction to the Tequila crisis of the previous years.
Types and brands
There is a very distinctive taste difference between the different types of tequila. The most notable is a "bite" for which tequila is often remembered. This "bite" is a characteristic of lower quality "gold" or "silver" tequilas and is mostly due to additives - commonly grain alcohols - that are less expensive than 100% agave.
With 100% agave tequila, blanco or plata is harsher with the bold flavors of the distilled agave up front, while reposado and añejo are smoother, subtler, and more complex. As with other spirits that are aged in casks, tequila takes on the flavors of the wood, while the harshness of the alcohol mellows. The major flavor distinction with 100% agave tequila is the base ingredient, which is more vegetal than grain spirits (and often more complex).
