Where is tequila

While there is some geographical overlap, tequila and mezcal primarily come from different regions of Mexico. Conversely, mezcal is produced in nine different areas of Mexico. Tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots.

The production of tequila is a painstaking process. The blue agave plant takes years to reach maturity. Producing tequila requires patience and commitment. Also known as Blue Weber Agave, the plant thrives at higher altitudes, and in sandy soils.

It needs adequate sun, little water, and high heat. The farming and harvesting of agave is less mechanical and more artistic. Traditional methods and tools prove to this day to be effective. The pineapple-like element of the agave plant is then cooked, mashed, and finally distilled into tequila. The techniques used by jimadores have been in use for hundreds of years and handed down through generations of farmers. High demand for true tequila might mean harvesting machines are expected in the future.

But for now, the majority of tequila begins with time-honored practices. Tequila is only produced inside the Mexican state of Jalisco and in some municipalities in Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.

Any agave-based distilled spirit outside those regions are called "mezcal. In other words, all tequilas are mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequila. Just like all bourbons are whiskeys but not all whiskeys are bourbons.

Read More 10 things you didn't know about Kentucky and bourbon. How is tequila made? The fructose-rich pina — or heart — of the agave succulent, which resembles a pineapple, is roasted or steamed to release sugars for fermentation. Mezcals and tequilas are both agave-based distilled spirits. How is it harvested? A pina can weigh up to pounds and take 12 years to reach maturity.

The harvesters, called jimadores or campesinos, will procure a pina with a tool called the coa de jima, a circular blade and wooden handle. A well-coordinated and skilled crew of jimadores can move through a plantation and harvest between three and four thousand kilograms of agave over six hours of hard labor. How do I know it's tequila? Look for percent agave tequila printed on your bottle label. This designation is allowed only to those bottles containing tequila with no added sugars.

When sugar or corn syrup is added to a fermentation tank along with the agave, the tequila style is called a mixto. What does "anejo" mean? Where does tequila come from? Words by Simon Difford. Welcome to. Receive updates packed with drinks, bars and cocktails content. Please confirm you are over 21 years old and enter your email. No thanks, continue to diffordsguide.