The History of Tequila  

Centuries ago, legend has it that a bolt of lightning struck an agave plant in an agave field, setting it ablaze. The heat caused a natural fermentation process, resulting in a sweet liquid known as "pulque." Pulque quickly gained sacred status among indigenous people and was used in spiritual rituals due to its unique origins, extraordinary taste, and mystical aura. 

The arrival of the conquistadors in 1519 introduced the country to new distillation techniques and copper stills (the first on the continent). The Spanish explorers discovered they could distill agave to produce a more potent spirit beginning the transition from pulque to a drink they referred to as "Mezcal Wine from Tequila." As the distillate gained in popularity, the name "Tequila" emerged, a testament to its origin region. 

The Eight Steps of Tequila Production

Producing tequila is a truly distinctive blend of art and science, with craftsmanship and knowledge equally significant to the process. Tequila is a protected name, and it is made exclusively in five Mexican states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacan, and Tamaulipas. 

1. Harvesting: The process starts with harvesting blue agave plants, which take around 6-10 years to mature. The piña, or heart of the agave plant, is the part used for tequila production. 
2. Cooking: Jimadors remove the leaves and cook the harvested piñas to convert the starches into fermentable sugars. Traditionally, they are baked in stone ovens called "hornos." In modern distilleries, they may be cooked in autoclaves (drum-like pressure cookers). 
3. Shredding and Extracting Juice: After 24 to 48 hours in the oven, the softened piñas are shredded to extract their sweet juice  (Aguamiel) using mechanical shredders or crushed using traditional methods like the Tahona wheel, a large stone wheel pulled by a mule. 
4. Fermentation: The extracted juice, or "aguamiel," is transferred to fermentation tanks, and yeast is added to convert the sugars into a low-alcohol liquid called "mosto." Distillers can use up to 49% of other fermentable sugars (usually molasses or corn-base syrup) as part of their 'Mosto (wort) formulation. If blue Weber agave is the only source of sugar used, the tequila produced is labeled 'Tequila 100% Agave'. 
5. Distillation: Using a combination of column and pot stills (or, traditionally, only pot stills), after the first distillation, a flavorful clear spirit called Ordinario is collected at 20 to 25% ABV. However, tequila must be distilled at least twice, and the second distillation will refine the spirits further at around 55 to 75% ABV. 
6. Further Distillation (optional): Producers of higher-quality tequilas will aim for lower strengths to retain agave flavors and characteristics. Triple distillation in tequila is rare but does exist. 
7. Maturation (Reposado/Añejo/Extra Añejo): Tequilas are categorized on how long they have been aged (or not).  The type of cask used may be new or previously aged with tequila or other spirits. The size of the cask will vary based on how much oak influence is preferred and the type of tequila. The most common will be the ex-Bourbon cask.   
8. Bottling: According to Mexican regulation, tequila can be bottled between 35 to 55% ABV.  This is slightly different for the export market (U.S. 40% min ABV, Europe 37.5% min ABV).  Additives such as caramel coloring, sugar, and oak extracts may be used in limited quantities for all categories except Blanco Tequila. Tequila 100% Agave must be bottled within the five Tequila regions.

Other Agave Spirits

Mezcal: Noted for its characteristically smoky flavors, mezcal can be produced from eight different varieties of the agave plant, like Espadin or Tobala. Most of the smoky notes derive from the production process, where the piña is roasted in stone-lined pits, crushed, and added with water to a barrel to ferment. 

Raicilla: Made from a range of agave that are roasted and typically single-pot distilled. Raicilla is almost exclusively produced in Puerta Vallarta and the Occidental Mountains. 

Sotol: Made from a succulent called dasylirion instead of agave. Sotol is a regional spirit from Chihuahua and observes many regulations like tequila. 

Bacanora: An agave spirit made in the state of Sonora using only the Agave Angusifolia Espadin.