Tequila

Tequila is an alcoholic beverage made during distillation from the blue agave (Agave tequilana). It may sound unusual put these agave plants are pollinated by bats.

Blue Agave

Tequila is traditionally made in the town of Tequila and in the Los Altos (Highlands) region located in the northwest of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Tequila between 38 and 40% of alcohol by volume.

According to the level of agave present in the beverage there are two basic types of tequila. The Mixtos can have up to 51% of agave. There is also so called 100% agave.

Tequila producers usually keep it oak barrels. Some of them use steel barrels too. Time spent aging in those barrels in the key factor in defining five types of tequila - ``blanco'' (``white'') or ``plata'' (``silver''), ``joven'' (``young'') or ``oro'' (``gold''), ``reposado'' (``rested''), ``añejo'' (``aged''), ``extra añejo'' (``extra aged'').

Most Mexicans drink their tequila from a vessel called ``caballito'' or ``little horse''. This glass is also know as ``tequilito''. This glass originates from something what is called ``cuernito'' (``little horn''). It is actually part of animal horn that was once often used as kind of cup. Some people still use cuernitos today.

Mexicans drink tequila without any extras. There are people who enjoy just the opposite. For example, some mix tequila with a drink called sangrita. Still the most famous cocktail that includes tequila is Tequila Sunrise. Apart from tequila it is has some orange juice and grenadine syrup

Various Tequilas

Out of Mexico tequila is drank in a special ritual with some salt and a piece of lime. First you lick the area just behind your index finger to moist it up. Then put little bit of salt on the same place and lick it off your hand. Drink some tequila and then chew the piece of lime.

Tequila, salt and a piece of lime

References

Tequila
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila

Agave Tequilana
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_tequilana

Drinking & Buying Tequila
http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/drinking.htm

Tequila Facts - Tequila Trivia
http://www.tequilawisdom.com/tequilafacts.html


Images

Blue Agave (photo by Jay8085, Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89649959@N00/3343476586/

Various Tequilas (photo by Photomag, Wikimedia)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tequilas.JPG

Tequila, salt and a piece of lime (photo by Alan Levine, Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/17328227485/