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Tequila is a recognised Appellation of Origin (AOC) and can only originate from an officially delimited region, which includes 181 municipalities in five Mexican states, being the entire state of Jalisco and specific bordering areas of the surrounding states of Guanajuato, Michoacán and Nayarit. The exception to this is a small area of the State of Tamaulipas.

Tamaulipas, most notably the home of Chinaco tequila, lies far away from Jalisco on the eastern coast of the country. When the designated tequila region was originally established in December 1974 the state of Tamaulipas was not included. However, plantations of agave were established in Tamaulipas back in the late 1960s, and in 1977 the officially delimited region was modified to include several municipalities in Tamaulipas. This controversial inclusion is suspected as being largely political and brings the total delimited region up to a sizeable (11,194,600 hectares / 43,222 square miles).

The two main production areas remain in the state of Jalisco, in the Amatitán-Tequila valley, where tequila production originated around the town of Tequila (about 34 miles/55 km west of state capital Guadalajara), and in the highland region of Los Altos, in eastern Jalisco around the town of Arandas. At an average of 2,000 metres above sea level, Los Altos has less humidity and is cooler than the Tequila Valley which has an elevation of 1,200 to 1,600 meters, so tends to produce agaves with a higher sugar content due to greater differences in the temperature between night and day.

Agave grown in highland areas needs more time to mature so tend to be more expensive per kilogram. The way the land faces will also affect the maturation time. West facing slopes receive more sunlight so produce mature agave the quickest. South facing slopes are the second best with north facing slopes requiring the most time.
the iron oxide rich red soil of the highlands
The microclimate and soil conditions also have an effect on the flavour profile of the agave. Those grown in the volcanic soil of Tequila Valley tend to produce more "masculine" tequilas with herbal, spicy flavours while those grown in the lower pH red coloured (due to iron oxide) clay soil of the highlands tend to be more "feminine"; sweeter, softer and fruitier.

The sheer numbers of agave required to produce the major brands means these are usually produced using agave from many different regions so eliminating any discernable link to regional terroir. Some 70% of all agave used in tequila production is grown in the highlands of Los Altos, much more than is grown in the Tequila Valley where much of the highlands grown agave is actually distilled.

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An in-depth guide to tequila from production to cocktails

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As spirits connoisseurs show an increasing appreciation of premium sipping tequila terroir is starting to be explored with single-site bottles.

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How TEQUILA is Made From Agave Plant | DON JULIO Tequila Production

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Explore the Espolòn Tequila lineup. Made from 100% Blue Weber agave, our range embodies the spirit of Mexico. Discover your favorite.

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Discover Espolòn Tequila Blanco, made from 100% Blue Weber agave. Our smooth and balanced tequila can be enjoyed neat, over ice, or in a cocktail.

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Is a spirit that can only be made in certain states of Mexico. It must be made using the blue agave plant , which is native to Mexico.

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The blue agave has a large hard core surrounded by long spiky leaves. When a plant is harvested , the leaves are cut away to leave the hard core . In common with grains , blue agave needs to be processed once it has been harvested in order for sugars to be created. This done by cooking the agave cores in ovens, which makes them soft and creates sugars. After cooking the core is crushed , releasing a sweet juice. Blue agave has a complex range of herbaceous , vegetal,olive, earthy and peppery aromas.

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The agave juice is mixed with water to create a sugary liquid that can be fermented. Tequila producers can add other sugars to the liquid before fermentation but at least 51 percent of the sugars must come from blue agave.

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Tequilas can be made in column stills but the best aere double pot distilled to a notably low strength. This produces a very distinct and characterfuol spirit that shows off the very recognisable herbaceous , peppery aromas of the blue agave.

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After distillation, the distiller can choose whether to age the newly made spirit or leave it unaged . In order to achieve the desired balance between oak aroma of vanilla and spice and the agave character of the spirit , oak aged Tequilas are rarely matured for very long periods . Oak-aged Tequilas are blended and caramel colour may be used befor dilution.