When we hear "tequila," thoughts turn toward beachy vacations, a party that was a bit too hearty, and rousing nights of karaoke, but tequila is to be treasured—as it is in its native Mexico. It has a rich and fascinating history with origins in Mesoamerican mythology, and the process used to create this popular spirit has been honed over centuries by generations of dedicated maestro tequileros (masters of tequila).
From the Heart of the Agave
Aztec legend holds that a passionate but tragic love between Mayahuel, a fertility goddess, and Ehecatl, the serpent god of wind, brought the maguey (agave) into existence. Agave proliferated across the land, a symbol of enduring love and a critical resource providing food, sisal rope, and the sugar-rich sap from the plant’s heart that is the soul of tequila.
All Tequila is Mezcal, but Not All Mezcal is Tequila
Pulque is an alcoholic beverage that has existed for millennia and is made from fermented agave sap. Once stills were brought to Mexico during Spanish colonization, mezcal was developed. Mezcal, also made from agave, is a distilled beverage rather than a fermented one. Tequila is a type of mezcal, as it, too, is made from agave. What distinguishes it from other mezcals is the fact that it is only produced from blue agave.
In the mid-1700s, the José Cuervo family released the first commercial tequila. The Sauva family followed about a century later. In 1974, the Mexican government claimed tequila as its intellectual property. It created highly regulated standards to ensure the drink's quality and to require that its production remain exclusively in Mexico.
What’s Your Tequila Style?
For aficionados of wine or whiskey, tequila has much to offer. Variations in process yield rich and nuanced spirits that satisfy a range of purposes.
Tequila types include:
Tequila Blanco:
Clear in color from being bottled shortly after distillation with minimal aging, it’s used in mixed drinks like margaritas where its sharper, spicier flavor stands up to fresh ingredients.
Tequila Reposado:
Aged or rested from 2 to 12 months in oak barrels, its flavor is smooth, taking on the oak’s vanilla and caramel notes. Reposado is great for sipping and mixed drinks alike.
Tequila Añejo:
Aged in oak barrels for 1 to 3 years (4+ years for extra añejo), the extended time imparts unmistakable richness and color. This is the good stuff you sip and savor like a rare whiskey or brandy.
Modern Meets Traditional
Juan Domingo Beckmann Legorreta is an 11th generation tequila producer at Maestro Dobel Tequila, a family-owned single-estate distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. He honors the company's rich heritage while also being at the forefront of tequila innovation.
Blue agave can take up to ten years to mature, and if you’re in the 100% agave tequila business, there are no shortcuts. Agave piñas are harvested at peak sugar and flavor are cooked in natural clay ovens then milled before fermentation. The resulting agave musts are filtered and slowly run through copper alembic stills twice before maestro Tequileros begin the aging and blending process.
In 2004, Dobel Diamante debuted as the first “Cristalino” style of Tequila, a 100% blue agave blend of Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. A proprietary filtration process bestows this richly complex Tequila with a crystal-clear body, making it a versatile choice, equally at home in a Paloma, Tequila Sunrise, Mexico Mule, on the rocks, straight, or with salt and lime.
For those seeking an elevated sipping experience, try Maestro Dobel Añejo, a classic aged Tequila with long notes of spiced, buttery caramel and a bright pineapple finish. Scotch fans will love it.
Barrel Select bottles of Maestro Dobel’s Diamante and Añejo chosen for their unique and traditional qualities after multiple samplings of Dobel’s portfolio of tequilas are available exclusively at Metropolitan Market.
Volcanic-rich soil and clay deposits provide an ideal environment for agave, and adherence to tradition has kept Mexico’s Tequila industry robust, but as you sip or mix your next cocktail, consider it a gift from the gods.