II · After 6–8 years

The Harvest

An agave takes six to eight years to mature. The jimador shaves away its leaves, the pencas, with a coa, a long-handled tool with a flat, round blade. What's left is the piña, a dense heart that can weigh anywhere from 30 to over 100 kilograms.

III · One to three days

The Oven

Raw agave is starchy and bitter. Halved piñas are slow-steamed in brick or stone hornos, turning their inulin into fermentable sugars and their flesh a deep, sticky amber. Many modern distilleries use steel autoclaves, which do it much faster.

IV · The tahona

The Stone Wheel

The cooked piñas are crushed to free the sweet juice, called aguamiel or “honey water,” from the fibers. The traditional way is the tahona: a volcanic stone wheel of around two tons, rolled around a pit. Most producers now use roller mills.

V · Several days

The Vats

In open wooden or steel vats, yeast turns the sugars into alcohol. Over several days, and sometimes up to two weeks, the must foams and bubbles as it releases carbon dioxide, reaching a gentle 4 to 7 percent alcohol.

VI · At least twice

The Stills

By law, tequila is distilled at least twice. The first pass through the copper pot stills yields the ordinario, at roughly 20 to 25 percent. The second produces the clear spirit, which is then brought down with water to bottling strength.

VII · Time in oak

The Cellar

Blanco is bottled young. Reposado rests in oak for two to twelve months, añejo for one to three years, and extra añejo for longer still. The wood lends amber color and notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice.

VIII · Salud

The Glass

From a field planted nearly a decade ago to the glass in front of you. Sip it slowly: good tequila tastes of cooked agave, pepper, and the earth it grew in.

Please enjoy responsibly.