What Is Tequila?

Tequila is a distilled spirit made from the blue agave plant (*Agave tequilana* Weber var. *azul*) and produced exclusively in designated regions of Mexico. It is one of the world's most tightly regulated spirits, protected by both Mexican law and international agreements as a Denomination of Origin product—meaning authentic tequila can only come from specific geographic areas, much like Champagne or Cognac.

The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), Mexico's official tequila regulatory council, oversees production and certification. Every bottle of legitimate tequila carries a NOM number (Norma Oficial Mexicana), identifying the distillery where it was made. The standard governing tequila production is NOM-006-SCFI-2012, which defines everything from agave content to aging classifications.

Geographic Requirements

Tequila can only be produced in five Mexican states: all of Jalisco (where the town of Tequila is located) and designated municipalities in Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. The volcanic soil and climate of these regions—especially the highlands (*Los Altos*) and lowlands (*El Valle*) of Jalisco—impart distinct characteristics to the agave and finished spirit.

Agave Content: 100% vs. Mixto

Under NOM-006-SCFI-2012, tequila must contain at least 51% sugars derived from blue agave. The remaining 49% may come from other sugars, typically cane sugar. These products are called mixto (though the term doesn't appear on labels). Premium tequila is labeled "100% agave" or "100% puro de agave" and contains no added sugars—only those from the agave plant itself.

Production Basics

Blue agave plants mature for 7–10 years before harvest. The heart of the plant, called the piña (because it resembles a pineapple), is roasted or steamed to convert starches into fermentable sugars, then crushed, fermented, and distilled. The resulting clear spirit is either bottled immediately as Blanco (silver) tequila or aged in oak barrels to create Reposado, Añejo, or Extra Añejo expressions.

Understanding tequila begins with recognizing its roots: a single plant, a protected region, and centuries of tradition now codified in law.