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What is Tequila?
Tequila is a spirit made from the swollen stem of the blue agave plant (specifically
Tequilana Weber, blue variety).
What categories are there?
There are four different categories of tequila. Blanco or Plata (aka White, Silver),
Reposado, Añejo, and Joven Abocado or Gold
How is Tequila Aged?
- Blanco: Most Blanco's are bottled directly after distillation or
stored for 15 to 25 days in stainless steel tanks. Clear in color, Blanco tequila's
harbor the truest, most intense agave flavor.
- Reposado: "Rested" tequila is aged in wooden storage tanks or barrels
for up to 11 months. From a light to medium golden hue, reposado's have a smooth
taste and are a balance between the agave and the oak flavors in the wood.
- Añejo: This tequila must be aged in wooden barrels (no larger than
600 liters). Amber in color, añejo's are typically very smooth, complex and rich.
- Joven Abocado, Gold: Usually unaged, Gold tequila's derive their
coloring from the addition of cane or caramel. Joven Abocado tequila's are Mixto
tequila's.
What is the Alcohol content?
The alcohol content is a minimum of 37.5% up to 50% abv. The average is usually
40% abv. In the U.S., tequila must contain 40% abv.
Where does the Agave plant grow?
The Mexican government restricts the production of tequila to certain regions in
Mexico--Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and mainly in the state of Jalisco.
These regions are to tequila what Cognac, France is to Brandy.
How long does it take to grow the Agave plant?
The blue agave is a succulent, not a cactus. It takes between 8-12 years to mature.
In the growth process, the flowering stalk is cut, forcing the juices into the central
stem and swelling the heart of the plant.
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