Happy National Tequila Day! Tequila is only made in 5 regions in Mexico, and in order to be classified as tequila, a spirit must be at least 51% derived from blue agave.
All tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. Mezcal is a category of spirits made from agave and tequila is just a small subset, kind of like how bourbon is a type of whiskey. Mezcal is made from over 30 different agave species, while tequila is only made with blue agave. The processing of the two spirits is different as well. For mezcal, the heart of the agave is roasted in pits in the ground, which is what gives it its smoky flavor.
The red volcanic soil in the Mexican region of Tequila is well suited for growing the blue agave and more than 300 million plants are harvested there each year. The plants take 8-12 years to harvest and can grow up to 7 feet tall. The flavor of the agave plants varies on the region it’s grown. Plants grown in the highlands are sweeter in aroma and taste while agave harvested in the valley have a more herbaceous flavor.
Tequila’s color ranges from clear to a brownish amber depending on the aging process and the type of wood used for storage. The purest form with no aging is white (also known as blanco or silver) tequila. The Cuervo family was given the first license to make tequila commercially.
You may have heard that some tequila and mezcal is sold with a worm in it. But these are added as a marketing gimmick and aren’t traditional. In fact, the worm in some mezcals is the larva of a type of moth that lives on the agave plant. If found during processing, that indicates an infestation and a lower-quality product. In other words, if you see a bottle of tequila with a worm, steer clear!
Learn more here.