Tequila is a strong Mexican beverage with a distinctive character, made from the agave plant and sugar cane using distillation. Tequila made from 100% blue agave is fruity and rich in nuances, and barrel ageing can add spicy flavours to it.
You can discern fruity, herbal, root vegetable and spicy notes in tequila. Some tequilas are aged in oak barrels, adding spicy and peppery notes to the beverage.
The most highly valued tequila – made from 100% blue agave and often aged in barrels – can be enjoyed from snifters or on the rocks.
Tequila can be served as a shot, accompanied by salt and a slice of lemon or lime. Tequila is also used in many drinks, such as Tequila Sunrise and Margarita. As a shot or grog, tequila is served chilled, at 6–8°C. Enjoyed on its own from a snifter, tequila should be slightly below room temperature, 16–18°C.
Tequila is not a cactus spirit, although it is commonly called that. The main ingredient, blue agave, is closely related to the lily family and is not related to cacti. About seven kilograms of the heart of the plant, piña, is needed to make one litre of tequila.
