Drinks · spirits
Tequila — agave, not cactus
Tequila is not made from cactus, and it does not have to be thrown back with salt and lemon. That ritual grew out of bad tequila: salt and citrus hid what nobody wanted to taste. Good tequila is as smooth as good cognac.
In short
- Strength
- 38–40% vol
- Raw material
- blue agave (Agave tequilana)
- Origin
- Mexico, mainly the state of Jalisco
- Markings
- blanco, reposado 2+ months, añejo 1+ year
- Serving
- neat at room temperature, or in a cocktail over ice
- In cocktails
- Margarita, Paloma, Tequila Sunrise
Look for «100% de agave» on the label. Without it you have a mixto, where up to half the alcohol comes from other sugar — and that is where the rough morning comes from.
How tequila is made
Agave grows for six to eight years. The leaves are cut off, the heart — the piña — is baked, pressed, fermented and distilled twice. The baking method shows: brick-oven baking is sweeter and cleaner, autoclave baking faster and flatter.
Mezcal is the wider name for the same family: made from various agave species and often baked in an earth pit over embers, which gives the characteristic smoke. All tequila is mezcal; not all mezcal is tequila.
Three levels of ageing
The longer in cask, the softer and more oaky.
Unaged or up to 2 months. Pure agave, pepper, citrus. The best choice for a margarita.
2–12 months in cask. Softer, vanilla alongside the agave. Good neat and in cocktails.
1–3 years in cask. Dark, caramel and spice, close to cognac. For drinking neat.
Over 3 years. Rare and expensive, a collector's shelf.
A separate category: smoky, vegetal, often stronger. It changes the character of a cocktail immediately.
Margarita ratios
Three ingredients and one correct ratio.
50 ml blanco tequila
100% agave. Mixto makes the drink sharp and sugary at the same time.
25 ml fresh lime juice
Fresh lime cannot be substituted. Concentrate gives a rubbery taste.
20 ml orange liqueur
Triple sec or Cointreau. Without it, 15 ml of sugar syrup works, but the drink gets simpler.
Shake with ice; salt optional
Salt only half the rim — then you can choose with every sip.
What goes with it
The simplest good tequila drink is not the margarita but the Paloma: tequila, grapefruit soda, a pinch of salt, plenty of ice. Two ingredients, and better than most margaritas made from a mix.
With food: citrus seafood, grilled meat, coriander, spicy salsa, lime over everything. Smoky mezcal goes with roasted vegetables and salty cheese.
Common questions
What does 100% agave mean?
That all the alcohol comes from agave. Without the mark, half may come from other sugar — sharper taste, worse after-effects.
Are salt and lemon necessary?
No. Good tequila is sipped neat. Salt and citrus exist to cover up bad tequila.
How does tequila differ from mezcal?
Tequila is made only from blue agave in a defined region; mezcal from many agave species and is usually smoky.
Which tequila makes a good gift?
A reposado marked 100% agave — soft enough to sip, still recognisably agave.