18/06/2024
If you had to choose between cities in Mexico that perfectly reflect the country's rich cultural heritage, flavors and spirit, Guadalajara would definitely be at the top of the list. Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco, and Tequila, the birthplace of the drink of the same name, are both fascinating destinations that offer a deep insight into Mexico's traditions and history.
When the conquering army of Hernan Cortès first entered Central America in 1519 in the territory of present-day Mexico, he found a highly developed Indian culture. The Aztecs drank a milky drink with a taste and origin unknown to the Spanish conquistadors, in addition to chocolate, they also consumed octli, which they had never seen or tasted.
According to Indian mythology, the gods created the first plant, the agave, and then sent a lightning bolt to split it in two, showing their followers the "instructions for use". The inside of the agave was almost cooked by the lightning, so the delicious juices that flowed from it were attributed not only a divine origin, but also a divine effect.
According to the regulations, agave distillate can be tequila if it contains at least 51% of the blue agave produced in Jalisco, with a minimum of 2 distillations. The prescribed alcohol content is around 40%.
Visit to the distillery:
When we arrived in Jalisco, we immediately felt that we had arrived in a special place. The endless line of blue agave fields was a stunning sight.
Our first stop was an agave field, where we learned about the work of the jimadores. These workers use special tools, the so-called coa, to cut the strong prickly leaves of the agave, then cut its "trunk", and then, in order to get the precious juice.
Cooking and Fermentation:
It is steamed or boiled for long hours. The sweetened concoction is ground, pressed (called aquamiel) and first fermented. During fermentation, the agave's sugars turn into alcohol, and agave wine is created
Distillation:
The fermented ageve juice is then distilled twice in copper stills and then raw tequila is born,
Aging and Bottling
After distillation, the tequila is aged in different types of barrels, depending on the type of tequila they want to produce. After resting in Blanco tequila tanks, they are bottled immediately (i.e. white) or matured longer in oak barrels (i.e. bottled with a yellowish or brown color). However, according to the latest fashion, tequila aged for 3-5 years or even longer is not uncommon.
The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the tasting. We had the opportunity to taste different types of tequilas and learned to appreciate the subtle difference between each variety
White, blanco, silver, plata: unripened tequila that does not contain any flavoring, sweetener or coloring matter
Young, joven, gold, adocado: also unaged tequila, which, however, can be flavored to a maximum of 1%, slightly sweetened, or colored golden yellow
Aged, reposado: i.e. a drink aged for at least 2 months in an oak barrel, which does not contain any flavoring, sweetener or coloring matter, but can acquire its color and taste only through barrel aging.
Extra-aged: tequila aged for at least 1 year (but preferably 1-3 years) aged in oak barrels, which does not contain any flavorings and coloring agents, but its color and taste can only be obtained by aging in wooden barrels.
Tequila has been continuously improved, and its quantity and popularity have increased nicely. In the US, alcohol tourism along the Mexican border began en masse for the first time under the prohibition of alcohol.
At the same time, tequila smuggling also increased due to the shortage of liquor in the United States. In the 1960s, it was the favorite drink of the Rolling Stones, who were at the top of their game in America at the time, and along with spicy food and huge sombreros, tequila remained the defining exotic experience of the American masses' trips to Mexico.
Tequila is not just a drink, but a symbol of Mexico's cultural and historical heritage. During our trip, we not only got to know the technical details of making tequila, but also gained a deeper insight into the passion and commitment of the people who make this wonderful drink.
Author: VCL Team
18/06/2024
