Tequila? What is it?

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 Tequila? What is it?

 

 Tequila is country dominationan alcoholic drink made from fermented blue agave (cactus) which is then left to mature in oak barrels. It is native to Mexico and can only be produced in certain states (Jalisco) and partially in the states of Guanajuato, Nayarit, Tamaulipas and Michoacán.

The use of cactus for alcoholic drinks dates from pre-Hispanic times. It is a slow and laborious process in order to produce the highest quality tequila. On average the agave cactus takes 8 years to mature, it is then cut by professional farmers (jimadores) with a special tool; the heart of the cactus is then cooked in a slow oven, creating a warm sugar-cane texture/sensation when tasted, and it is then distilled.  The tequila is then matured in oak barrels and the flavor and quality depends on the quality of the cactus, the distillation process, the maturation period (approximately 7 months to 4 years) and the kind of barrels used (usually aged-oak).