Making Tequila

From its humble origins as a regional variety of mezcal, tequila has grown through the past century into a massive global spirit category, all while protecting its geographic specificity and assertively regulating production to maintain quality and integrity.

Without rules and regulations, tequila wouldn’t be the specific national treasure it is today. Here’s what you need to know about the history of tequila regulation and the organizations that oversee the laws.

While there are many types of agave, only one variety — Weber Blue Agave — can be used to make tequila. Understanding the plant, how and where it grows, and how it is harvested is essential in understanding tequila production.

Tequila is just one of many kinds of agave spirits produced in Mexico. Get to know the other more common types to better understand tequila’s place within the wide world of Mexican spirits.

The production of any spirit requires a series of conscientious decisions: in this section we will cover the tequila production process and highlight some instances where we have deliberately chosen a time-consuming method that preserves tradition over a more modern method that may be more efficient.

Aging is the slow transformation of tequila as it spends time resting in wood barrels. This process allows the spirit to gain additional flavor characteristics through the natural physical and chemical processes that take place over time. understanding the aging process for each type of tequila will illustrate how each one is special.