Tequila is an agave based spirit made primarily in the area surrounding tequila, about 30 miles northwest of Guadalajara and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco. The Volcanic soil in the region is well suited to the growing of the cactus like blue agave which is the only genus of the agave plant used to make tequila. Over 300 million of the plants are harvested there annually.
Tequila was first produced in the 16th century by the Spanish conquistadors. When they ran out of their own brandy they began to distill this agave drink to produce North Americas first indigenous distilled spirit.
Tequila is bottled in the following categories:
-Blanco (white) or Plata (silver) : white spirit, un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation.
-Reposado (rested) : aged a minimum of 2 months but less than a year in oak barrels
-Anejo (aged) : aged a minimum of one year but less than three in oak barrels