Tequila & Mezcal
Tequila is a distilled spirit made from the agave plant that can only be produced in five regions of Mexico. Even though there are more than 200 varieties of agave, only one, the Blue Weber Agave, can be used to make Tequila.
Styles :
Blanco - Sometimes referred to as silver, is Tequila aged for up to two months.
Reposado - 2-12 months ageing in Oak casks which softens and imparts some cask character on the spirit like Vanilla and spice.
Añejo - 1-3 years in oak casks with a capacity of 600L or less. Tequila emerges darker and the fresh agave notes subdued.
Extra Añejo - Introduced in 2006 to classify Tequila aged more than three years.
Cristalino - This is essentially an Añejo Tequila that has been filtered (often through charcoal) to remove the naturally occurring colours.
Tequila Vs Mezcal
All tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila. While Tequila can only be made from Blue Weber Agave, Mezcal can be made from more than 30 types of agave but is mostly made from Espadin Agave. While tequila can only be produced in five regions, Mezcal can be produced in nine different areas of Mexico. Mezcal also tends to have a smoky, earthier taste.