Tequila Guide: History & Production
Step into the world of tequila and learn more about its storied history, production process, premium expressions, and innovative cocktails.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Explore the world of tequila: its history, production process, cultural significance, and versatile appeal. Learn about the revered blue agave, the different types of tequila and the most popular tequila serves.
What is Tequila?
Tequila is a distilled spirit made from (and only from) the Blue Weber Agave. It’s the plant’s heart; the piña, that holds the power.
Want an in-depth look at how tequila is made? Join Karina Sanchez, Diageo Global Brand Ambassador for Don Julio, in the video below, as she takes us behind the liquid.
The Mysterious History
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 distil 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 INTRODUCTION OF DISTILLATION
You need distillation to create mezcal and tequila, so the history of these great spirits is tied to this process's invention in the region.
The issue is that no one knows when distillation became common in Mexico. There are two main theories about when it started:
The first suggests distillation was an ancient art in Mexico. Archaeologists have discovered old clay pots believed to have been used for distilling agave, with them appearing to create a beverage of around 32% ABV.
The second theory is that Filipino immigrants introduced distillation. When the Spanish colonisers first arrived, they brought many Filipino natives with them. With growing trade routes from Manila to Acapulco and Colima, an influx of Filipino people is said to have introduced Tuba, a fermented drink made from the sap of a palm tree consumed in the Philippines for hundreds of years.
Whatever the true origin, you can't deny the Philippines have influenced the production of both spirits.
Tequila Regulation and Recognition
In 1944, the Mexican government established regulations for tequila production to ensure quality and authenticity. Innovators like Don Julio González played a crucial role in defining industry standards and protecting the spirit's name from foreign imitators.
The man, the legend: Don Julio
The Agave
- The agave plant is endemic to Mesoamerica and has grown in Mexican soil for more than 10,000 years.
- More than 200 species exist, but since 1964, tequila can only be made with the Agave Tequilana Weber Azul.
- The blue Weber has a distinctly sweet flavour in comparison to other species of agave and grows into large succulents with spick fleshy leaves that can reach over two metres in height, distinguished by their green-blue hue.
- Agave plants reach maturation at around five years old.
Types of Tequila
The following categories will apply to both tequilas made from a minimum of 51% blue Weber agave and 100% agave:
- Blanco/Silver/Plata Tequila: A clear (but not necessarily colourless) spirit aged for up to 60 days with vegetal, earthy agave notes.
- Joven/Gold Tequila: Joven (young) or oro (gold) tequila is generally basic tequila with additives such as colouring and flavourings. Exceptions include blending silver tequila with reposado, añejo and muy añejo tequilas whilst retaining the 100% de Agave classification.
- Reposado Tequila: Reposado (rested) tequila must be matured in American oak or Encino oak cask for at least 60 days. The casks used impart oak and caramel flavours and give a distinctive golden hue, as well as softening the agave characteristics.
- Añejo Tequila: Tequila like Don Julio Añejo is aged for a minimum of 1 year, often in bourbon or French oak casks, resulting in darker, hearty spirit that entertains a balance of agave and wood flavours.
- Muy Añejo tequila – Muy Añejo (Ultra Aged) tequila must be aged for a minimum of 3 years in cask with a maximum capacity of 600 litres. This softens the spirit with notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak and makes it ideal for sipping.
Other Agave Spirits
Mezcal: Noted for its characteristically smoky flavours, mezcal can be produced from right 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.
Tequila Recipes
On the rocks or a Negroni with a twist, explore Tequila cocktails and more in our recipes section.
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