Tequila Facts

Over the years, numerous myths, stories and legends have resulted in some common misunderstandings about Tequila and Mezcal. Let's take a look at some of the more popular myths surrounding Tequila and set the record straight:

MYTH: Tequila is made from cactus juice
FACT: Tequila is made from the fermented and distilled juices taken from native Mexican Agave plants. By Mexican law, Tequila can be produced from only the Blue Agave (Weber Blue Agave, Agave Tequilana). The Agave plant is botanically classified as a succulent, and is a relative of the lily family. While cacti and Agave both share a common habitat, the Agave is not a cactus.

MYTH: Mezcal is a type of Tequila
FACT: To the contrary, Tequila is a type of Mezcal. By Mexican law, Tequila can be produced only in specifically designated geographic areas, primarily the state of Jalisco in west-central Mexico, and must be produced from only the Blue Agave (Weber Blue Agave, Agave Tequilana). Similar Agave spirits are produced from other regions and from other species of Agave. These other types of Agave are known locally as Maguey. Spirits made from Maguey outside of the appellation of origin are known as Mezcal. All Tequila is Mezcal, but not all Mezcal is Tequila. As an analogy, Champagne is a sparkling wine but not all sparkling wines are Champagne. In order to be Champagne, the sparkling wine must be made from a specific grape within the appellation of origin in France. Mezcal is made by 'palenqueros,' Tequila by 'Tequileros'.

MYTH: Tequila is traditionally packaged with a worm in the bottle
FACT: Tequila is never, ever bottled with a worm. The CRT enforces the NOM that specifically prohibits placing a worm in the bottle.

Although technically the larvae of one of two kinds of insects, the “worm” is frequently seen in bottles of Mezcal. The most common type of larva is the Agave Snout Weevil (doesn’t that make you want to run right out and devour one or enjoy as a side dish with Tacos) or the red worm which is the caterpillar of the Hypopta Agavis Moth. A gastronomic genius named Jacobo Lozano Páez discovered in 1940 that the “worms” changed the taste of the spirit (makes you wonder, doesn’t it). The “worms” are now considered a delicacy and can be found on some restaurant menus.

MYTH: Gold Tequilas are better than Silver Tequilas
FACT: Just as you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge a Tequila by its color. In fact, the majority of Gold (Oro) Tequilas are artificially colored with caramel coloring, while some of the finest aged Reposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo Tequilas acquire a golden color from the wooden barrels in which they age. Similarly, there are Silver (Blanco) Tequilas ranging from high-quality brands made from 100% Weber Blue Agave, to cheap, low-grade mixto brands that contain only the minimum 51% Agave. There is simply no way to determine quality solely by a Tequila's color.

MYTH: Tequila and Mezcal are hallucinogenic
FACT: This myth probably stems from the similarity between the words "Mezcal" and "mescaline," Mescaline is an alkaloid that produces hallucinations and is found organically in the peyote, a variety of cactus. While drinking too much Tequila might seem to cause hallucinations to some people, alcohol is the sole intoxicant in Tequila.