Tequila is associated with a night of debauchery alongside a favourite addition to ‘Taco Tuesdays’ but there is more than meets the eye to this alcoholic drink.
We have compiled a few interesting unique facts about tequila.
Best served chilled in a traditional shaken margarita or taken straight as a shot, there is more to know about tequila than the ‘lemon and salt’ trick.
Here are Five facts about tequila that you didn’t know:
1.Nine-year production time
Altos tequila, available in South Africa, takes an average of nine years to produce. The duration of production is nine years due to the harvest of the agave plant which only happens after six to eight years of growing.
2. Mexico only
Tequila is controlled by appellation of origin, meaning that it is only allowed to be produced in Mexico. There are five specific states of Mexico that host production, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Guanajuato and Michoacan.
3. Five categories of tequila
There are five different categories of tequila, Blanco, Gold, Reposado, Anejo and Extra Anejo. Often Reposado tequila is confused with Gold tequila which is actually silver tequila that has added colouring and flavour.
A Reposado tequila is an entry level tequila as it has been aged for two to twelve months. The word ‘Reposado’ means rested as the tequila is placed in wooden barrels.
4. Purest form
The purest form of tequila is Blanco, according to Mexican law, makers are not allowed to add anything to this form of produced alcohol ensuring that it remains the purest form.
The other four categories of tequila such as Gold, Reposado, Anejo and Extra Anejo have an additional one percent or less of additives in the final product.
5. Lime and salt is not a tradition
Although we may drink our shots of tequila with salt and a lemon in order to deal with the aftertaste and flavours, it is not how Mexicans consume their tequila. Tequila is traditionally drunk in Mexico by slowly sipping it neat or with ice and is sometimes included in long drinks and cocktails.
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