The story of how tequila was born in Mexico

Tequila is one of the elements that has given Mexicans national identity, as it is one of the many products that are unique and originating in the country. Although there are many people today who enjoy pampering their palate with this drink, it is very common that they do not know the history of their birth.

The formal origins of this elixir date back to the 16th century, when the Spaniards began to distill the fermentation of the agave liquid previously discovered by pre-Hispanic groups. However, before the European country set foot on the territory, different cultures gave different uses to blue agave.

Since pre-Columbian times, the hill of Tequila in Jalisco has been the perfect home for planting the Blue Agave tequilana Weber variety. For a long time it was worked by local civilizations, although at first only elements were extracted from the specimen to make tools of everyday life.

The Federal Consumer Procurator's Office (PROFECO) indicates that elements such as “pulp” were used for the manufacture of codices and offerings; it served as fuel and wood for construction; its stalks and dry leaves as roofing tiles and as fuel; the thorns as needles for arrows and instruments of sacrifice; and its skin and its fluids such as medicinal balm”.

In addition, it was given a varied gastronomic use, its mead was a type of sugar, vinegar and oil. According to the writings of the Spanish friar Bernardino de Sahagún, with him they prepared a type of sweet that they called mexcalli.

On the other hand, according to the Ministry of Culture, the ancestral tradition explains that the birth of tequila was caused by lightning that struck a field of agaves, the strong impact caused a fire that gave rise to a vapor with a particular smell. The situation caused “a sweet-tasting liquid to start coming out of the plant”.

It was precisely this liquid that was soon learned to ferment and it was discovered that it had relaxing and stimulating powers. The same source details that the process was achieved thanks to the “tatemado, which was carried out by depositing the agave pineapples in wells or conical ovens built with volcanic stone, previously heated with firewood”.

The Florentine Codex shows how the stalk was used to obtain its fiber and form threads, but once the alcoholic properties of agave were discovered, “drinking was only allowed for priests”. Then the Spaniards brought a new distillation process that resulted in the liquid that is currently known. At first they called it “mezcal wine from the Tequila region”.

Little by little, the procedure was perfected and it was taken to Spain, where it caused a stir among the upper classes, since only they could access the newly imported product. The success of tequila caused the Spanish Crown to start investing in infrastructure so that New Spain (Mexico) could continue to produce it.

Currently, the only thing used for its manufacture is the agave pineapple. It must first be sown and it takes 5 to 10 years before it is ripe to be harvested. Experts in the art of preparing tequila say that “the pineapple must bleed (that is, it must come out) a kind of red sap with a sugary flavor, which means that the agave is ready to be used.”

PROFECO points out that the Mexican tequila industry is a major generator of foreign exchange and employs a large number of people. Among the countries that most buy this brew are “United States, Germany, Spain, France, Latvia, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, South Africa, France and Singapore. However, most of what is sold abroad (82%) is destined for the US.”

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