Tequila

Tequila (Spanish pronunciation: [teˈkila] ()) is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (Los Altos de Jalisco) of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco. Like mezcal, tequila is also made from the agave plant and originates from the same regions of Mexico. The distinction is that tequila is made only from blue agave and they are prepared in different ways. Tequila is commonly served neat in Mexico and as a shot with salt and lime around the world. The red volcanic soils in the region of Tequila is well suited to growing the blue agave, and more than 300 million of the plants are harvested there each year. Agave grows differently depending on the region. Blue agaves grown in the highlands Los Altos region are larger and sweeter in aroma and taste. Agaves harvested in the lowlands have a more herbaceous fragrance and flavor. Mexican laws state that tequila can only be produced in the state of Jalisco and limited municipalities in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Tequila is recognized as a Mexican designation of origin product in more than 40 countries. It is protected through NAFTA in Canada and the United States, through bilateral agreements with individual countries such as Japan and Israel, and has been a protected designation of origin product in the European Union since 1997. In 2018, the Mexican government approved a proposal to celebrate the third Saturday of March as National Tequila Day. Tequila can be between 35- and 55-percent alcohol content (70 and 110 U.S. proof). It must contain at least 40-percent alcohol (80 U.S. proof) to be sold in the United States.