A type of mezcal, tequila is a widely popular spirit which has a unique personality. It’s a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed on the rocks, with mixers, or in the form of varied cocktails. No matter how you like your tequila, its sublime taste makes it stand out. Having said that, it’s definitely a spirit that most people don’t know enough about. And if you’re one of those people, you’ve landed on the right page! We’ve come up with the ultimate tequila guide that will answer all the questions you have about this spirit. So let’s get right into it!
What Is Tequila?
Tequila is a Mexican liquor that is distilled from the blue agave plant. In the past decade, agave has made quite the noise in the alcohol industry. It’s used in cocktails for its rich flavor and sweet notes. A lot of people also use it as a substitute for honey. However, it’s majorly known among the masses to have birthed tequila. There are numerous kinds of agave plants, but the blue agave plant is the one that is used to make this delicious spirit.
Talking a little more about tequila, it’s a spirit that belongs to the mezcal family that comes in a variety of colors ranging from dark brown to blue and clear. While there are thousands of brands that sell tequila, its alcoholic content ranges anywhere between 38% to 50%. It originated in Mexico and is one of the most popular drinks there. But we’ll talk about its history a bit later, and talk about some interesting facts associated with the drink first. To be called Tequila, by law, it must be manufactured in any of the five states of Mexico namely: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, or Michoacán. It should also be made exclusively with agave plants.
Also Read: What Is Cognac? Your One-Step Guide To This Brandy
History Of Tequila
Tequila has been known to people for thousands of years now. The Aztecs used the agave sap to make a fermented drink called pulque. The reserved milky liquid is what the people of Aztec culture worshiped. They had two pulque-centric gods: Goddess Mayahuel and God Patecatl. Mayahuel is the Goddess of the maguey and her husband Patecatl is the God of pulque.
Even though this drink has been made for thousands of years, it wasn’t until the Spanish invaded Mexico that it was known to the rest of the world. The Spanish ran out of their alcohol and needed to find a substitute. That’s when they learnt about the agave plant and started harvesting it to make some alcohol for themselves. Tequila was then known and a popular drink among the Spanish. The Spanish government opened up a trade route from the Philippines and Mexico which became a way for the spirit to move across the country.
It wasn’t until the 1600s when the first large-scale distillery of tequila was established by none other than Don Pedro Sánchez de Tagle aka ‘The Father Of Tequila’. Since then, the production of the drink went up and so did its popularity. But, the Jose Cuervo family was the first one to export tequila to the United States. They were also the family that got the first license to produce tequila commercially. Once they started exporting the tequila, it became even more popular among the masses and soon a lot more distilleries and manufacturing units were set up in different parts of Mexico.
Fun Fact: About 80% of the tequila from Mexico five tequila-producing regions is sold and consumed in the U.S.
Different Types Of Tequila
Over time with the growing popularity of tequila, the process of distillation evolved and so did the drink. Today, when you look for this spirit in the market, you’ll see a wide range of brands and some different types as well. Tequila is classified into five types based on the duration of time the spirit was aged. During the process of aging, the flavors, colors, and the smoothness of the liquor intensifies and deepens. In this part of this guide about tequila, we’ll dive into the different types of tequilas and know more about them.
Blanco
Blanco also known as silver or white tequila is the purest form of tequila. This type of tequila is bottled or stored immediately after distillation which is how it retains its sweet and vegetal flavor of blue agave. At most, this type of tequila is aged for a maximum of two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels. It has flavors of citrus, spices, and sweet along with the most authentic taste of the agave plant.
Joven
Joven means “young” in Spanish and this type of tequila is commonly known as gold tequila. This type is a lot sweeter than Blanco and has citrusy as well as spicy notes. A golden tequila is made by blending a non-aged tequila (Blanco) and an aged tequila. The combination of the two gives it the light golden hue. At times, oak extract, caramel coloring, sugar syrup, or even glycerin is added to make this spirit.
Añejo
Añejo is the type of tequila that is aged for anywhere between one and three years. This kind is strictly aged in oak barrels that do not exceed 600 liters for a minimum of one year at least. Once past a year’s mark, they can be restored in larger barrels. But if the yearly mark is not met, this tequila cannot get the añejo classification. Because it’s distilled for a longer time, its taste grows sweeter and dense while its color also deepens. The sugary and caramel notes in an añejo are very distinct.
Extra Añejo Or Ultra Añejo
This type of tequila is a recent classification that came into being only in 2006. Here, the tequila is aged for more than 3 years and has a darker color, sweeter taste along with spicy, citrusy, fruity, and caramelized flavors. An extra or ‘Ultra’ añejo is often compared to a scotch whiskey as it has similar smoothness and caramelized flavors.
Reposado
Reposado is the Spanish word for “rested” or “aged”. This is the type of tequila that is aged for a minimum of two months and maximum for 12 months in wooden barrels or storage tanks. Most times American or French oak barrels are used in the aging process to give this spirit a woody and toasty flavor. The pale golden color of the reposado and the flavor notes of vanilla, cinnamon, honey, and chocolate are what makes it a popular choice among tequila lovers.
Also Read: What Is Gin? A Guide To this Exquisite Drink
Summing Up
Well, that is all that you need to know about this drink. We hope this guide about tequila answers any questions or doubts you have about this unique spirit. That being said, now that you know more or enough about tequila, maybe it’s time you give it a try?
FAQs
Is Vodka And Tequila The Same?
No, vodka and tequila are two different kinds of alcoholic drinks. Vodka has no distinct aroma or taste, while tequila has strong flavors of blue agave. That’s the major difference between the two drinks.
Is Tequila Alcoholic Or Not?
Tequila is an alcoholic drink that is made from a blue agave plant. On average, this spirit has about 38% t0 50% alcohol in it.
What Are The 5 Classes Of Tequila?
The five classes of tequila are: blanco, reposado, añejo, extra or ultra añejo, and Joven.
Is Tequila Very Strong?
Tequila is an alcoholic drink that contains similar amounts of alcohol to that of a vodka or whiskey. With an alcoholic content of about 50%, it’s surely a strong spirit.
Which Tequila Type Is Smoothest?
Añejo is the smoothest type of tequila that you can try. It’s a sweet and dense flavored drink that is popular among tequila lovers.
Is Reposado Better Than Blanco?
Reposado is known for its mellow flavors while Blanco has dense agave and strong flavors. If you like strong flavors, blanco is the one to try, but if you like mellow flavors, reposado is the kind of tequila to try.
What Are The Top 5 Tequila Cocktails?
Margarita, Paloma, Tequila Sunrise, Siesta, and Bloody Maria are the top five tequila cocktails.
