Contrary to popular belief, tequila is not made from cacti. Tequila is actually made from the Blue Agave plant, which is classified as a succulent, and actually a member of the lily family. Tequila is exclusively produced in five regions of Mexico: Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan, Guanajuato, and Tamaulipas; it is well-regulated by the Mexican government. Almost all aspects of the production of tequila come under regulatory practices–from fermentation and double distillation to aging, bottling, and distribution.
History
There are different legends as to the origins of Tequila. One legend tells us that the Aztecs discovered the fermented sap (nectar) of the agave plant, and it was originally used for medicinal purposes, rituals, and celebrations. The nectar was viewed as a “gift of the gods.”
By the time the Spanish arrived, the Aztecs were harvesting the plant and crushing its root into a pulp, producing the sap of the agave plant. The sap was fermented and called pulque. The Spanish, longing for a stronger drink than pulque, used their knowledge of the distillation process to create Mezcal from the pulque. A second distillation process was added and the final product was Tequila, as we know it today.
In the late 19th century, it was determined that of all the approximately 400 agave species, only the Blue Agave plant was ideal for the production of tequila.
Tequila earned its name from the village of Tequila where its production originated. It is located in the region of Jalisco, where most Tequila producers still operate today.
Types of Tequila
With over 700 Tequila brands to choose from, it helps to know the different types of Tequilas and the categories they fall into. Strict regulations on labeling assist the consumer in determining the type of the spirit, where it was produced, and the time it was aged (if any).
The main two types of Tequila are first split into two categories, 100% Blue Agave, and Tequila Mixto (Mixed). Mixto Tequila contains a minimum of 51% Blue Agave, and the remaining 49% from other sugars (cane alcohol). The additional products allowed in Mixto Tequilas are caramel color, oak extract flavoring, glycerin, and sugar based syrup. Mixto Tequila can now be bottled outside of the Tequila territory, including in other countries, a practice which began January 6, 2006.
By reading the label on the bottle, you can tell to which category it belongs, as all Tequila that is made from 100% Blue Agave will say “Tequila 100% de agave,” or “Tequila 100% puro de agave.” All other Mixto Tequila labels will only read “Tequila.” Salena’s proudly serves only 100% Blue Agave Tequilas.
The above two categories of Tequila are then divided into the following five types of Tequila and are labeled as such:
Blanco – Silver – Plata – White
This is the Blue Agave in its purest form. It is clear and typically un-aged; the true flavors and the intensity of the Agave are present, as well as a natural sweetness. It can be bottled directly after distillation, or stored in stainless steel tanks to settle for up to 4 weeks. There are some Blanco products that are aged for up to 2 months to provide a smoother or “Suave” spirit.
Joven Abocado – Gold
This type is typical to Tequila Mixto, where colorants and flavorings have been added prior to bottling. These “young and adulterated” Tequilas are less expensive and used in many bars and restaurants for “mixed drinks.”
Reposado
A Reposado Tequila is the first sort of “rested and aged” Tequila. It is aged in wood barrels or storage tanks for at least 2 months, but no more than 11 months. The spirit takes on a golden hue, and the taste becomes a good balance between Agave and wood flavors. Many different types of wood barrels are used for aging, with the most common being American or French oak. Some Tequilas are aged in used bourbon, whiskey, cognac, or wine barrels, and will inherit unique flavors from the previous spirit.
Añejo
After aging for at least one year, Tequila can then be classified as an “Añejo”. The distillers are required to age Añejo Tequila in barrels that do not exceed 600 liters. This aging process usually darkens the Tequila to an Amber color, and the flavor can become smoother, but it will always become richer and more complex.
Extra Añejo
A new classification added in the summer of 2006, used for labeling any Tequila aged more than 3 years. Following the same rule as an “Añejo,” the distillers must age the spirit in barrels or containers with a maximum capacity of 600 liters. With this extended amount of aging, the Tequila becomes much darker, more of a Mahogany color, and is so rich that it becomes difficult to distinguish it from other quality aged spirits. After the aging process, the alcohol content must be diluted by adding distilled water. These Extra Añejos are extremely smooth and complex.
Other types of Tequila spirits you can find on the market include Tequila Liqueurs, Tequila Cremes, Tequila Infusions, Flavored Tequilas, and Tequila soft drinks. Many of these products are used in specialty cocktails, restaurant dishes and desserts.
How Tequila is Made
The process of tequila begins when a blue agave plant is ripe, usually 8 to 12 years after it is planted. Leaves are chopped away from its core by a “jimador” who assesses the plant’s ripeness. If the plant is harvested too soon, there won’t be enough sugars for fermentation. If the plant is harvested too late, the agave’s sugars will have already been used to form a once-in-a-lifetime stem “quiote” that springs 25 to 40 feet high so that the seeds grown at the top of the stem can scatter with the wind. The jimador’s task is a crucial one; once he decides that the plant is ready, he wields a special long knife known as a “coa” to clear the core. The cores or piñas (Spanish for pineapple) weight an average of 40 to 70 pounds, but can weight up to 200 pounds. The photo shows a ripe agave (at least 8-years-old) that is being harvested. The “piña” in the photograph becomes visible when all the leaves (pencas) have been cleared.
Depending on the distiller and the type of tequila to be made, the piñas are hauled to the distillery where they are cut in half or chopped and put to roast. Starches turn to sugar as the piñas are roasted in furnaces called “hornitos.” Modern distilleries use huge steam ovens to increase output and save on energy. Oven cooking traditionally takes approximately 36 hours. Roughly speaking, seven kilos (15 lbs.) of agave piña are needed to produce one liter (one quart U.S.) of tequila.
Different agaves and processes produce mezcal with different names throughout Mexico: stotol in Chihuanhua, mezcal in Oaxaca, and bacanora in Sonora.
Fermentation
The roasted piñas are then shredded, their juices pressed out and placed in fermenting tanks or vats. Some distilleries use the traditional method to produce tequila. In this method–artesian tequila–the cores are crushed with a stone wheel at a grinding mill called “tahona,” and the fibers are dumped into a wooden vat to enhance fermentation, and to provide extra flavor. Once the juices are in the vats, yeast is added. Every distiller keeps its unique yeast recipe a closely guarded secret. During fermenting, the yeast acts upon the sugars of the agave plant converting them into alcohol.
Distillation
Juices ferment for 30 to 48 hours then they are distilled twice in traditional copper stills, more modern ones made of stainless steel, or in continuous distillation towers. The first distillation produces a low-grade alcohol, and the second results in a fiery, colorless liquid that is later blended before being bottled. Alcohol content may be between 70 and 110 Proof. At this stage the liquor is no longer mezcal, but tequila.
All types of tequila start with this colorless distilled spirit. See Types of Tequilas, above.