Our Spirit of the Month: Tequila

A short history of tequila

In various forms, what we know today as tequila has been around for centuries. The Aztecs fermented the sap of the agave plant and worshipped 2 gods around the creation of it, Mayahuel and Patecatl. When the Spanish arrived, they couldn't go long without their brandy, so they created mezcal from primitive mud stills and the agave. (Like all bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon, this is the same with tequila. All tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila.)

The first large scale distillery was created in Tequila, a town in the state of Jalisco. The blue agave variation of the agave plant is native to this area. The Cuervo Family started distilling in 1758, and the Sauza family in 1873. Sauza was the first to identify blue agave as the best for producing tequila, and by this point, what we now call tequila was being made at these distilleries.

During Prohibition, as northern states were smuggling Canadian whiskey in from the north, southern states were smuggling Tequila in from the south. Bars along the border also sprung up, particularly in Tijuana, to quench Americans desire for alcohol. Just after prohibition ended, the Margarita was created by an Irishman who owned a bar in Tijuana (Irishman in Mexico? There's an interesting history of Irish-Mexicans, including actor Anthony Quinn and comedian Louis CK being of Irish-Mexican descent)

In the 1970s, the Mexican government claimed Tequila as their intellectual property and made moves to protect and regulate the spirit, to keep tequila distilleries in Mexico (and the industry behind it). It became illegal for tequila to be distilled and/or aged outside of the specific region in Mexico and they created a regulatory council to protect quality and promote the spirit.

As craft tequilas exploded in the 2000s, mixologists around the world moved beyond the simple Margaritas and Tequila Sunrises and have created amazing cocktails out of this amazing, versatile spirit. Try an Oaxaca Old Fashioned sometime, with reposado tequila in place of the whiskey and agave nectar in place of the sugar!

Tequila Styles

There are 3 main types of tequila, with variations on two of them, for a total of 5 styles you may see on the shelves.

Tequila Blanco - Unaged, clear tequilas, also known as "silver". Look for 100% Blue Agave for the best, cleanest taste. These tequilas are perfect for mixed drinks like Margaritas.

Tequila Joven - Blanco tequilas blended with a small amount of aged tequila.

Tequila Reposado - Aged in American or European oak for 2 months, or up to a year. The color is a light gold and the flavor is a bit more dynamic.

Tequila Añejo - Aged in American or European oak barrels for at least a year. Can be blended. Best for sipping neat or as an alternative in recipes that call for brown spirits like whiskey. Heavier gold in color. Avoid tequilas called "Gold" that aren't also called Añejo, because they could be silver tequilas with coloring and flavoring agents.

Extra Añejo - Añejo aged at least 3 years. Darker in color still, approaching amber, and rare.