Agave tequilana is a species of succulent plant belonging to the ancient family of Agavaceae now subfamily Agavoideae. Agave tequilana is monocarpic, blooms only once in its life and dies next. Flowering occurs after a decade. The plant produces a floral stem a few meters high, with numerous umbels of greenish and vertical tubular flowers.

It is the main economic product of the state of Jalisco in Mexico. It is used as the only basic raw material for the making of Tequila, the popular Mexican drink. Throughout the Mexican Republic there are different varieties of Agaves:

It is the main economic product of the state of Jalisco in Mexico. It is used as the only basic raw material for the making of Tequila, the popular Mexican drink. Throughout the Mexican Republic there are different varieties of Agaves:

• Pulquero, for the manufacture of ropes
• and the Azul variety, which gives rise to Tequila.

The Tequilana Weber agave used as raw material for the production of tequila is found in five states of the Republic such as Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas.The Agave Tequilana Weber Variety Azul is located in 180 municipalities of five states of the Republic that are part of the Tequila Denomination of Origin such as: Jalisco, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Nayarit and Guanajuato. Only in those municipalities can the raw material be used for the production of Tequila.

The production process of Tequila lasts an average of 8 years and begins with the planting of the main raw material used in the production of Tequila, which is the Agave. Plant of the family of the Agavaceas, with long, fibrous leaves, lanceolate, bluish in color, whose useful part for the production of Tequila is the pineapple or head. The only species admitted is Agave tequilana weber blue variety, cultivated within the territory included in the Declaration.

Tequila Categories

According to the percentage of sugars from the Agave used in the production of Tequila, it can be classified into one of the following categories:

• 100% agave: is the product, which is not susceptible to be enriched with other sugars than those obtained from the Agave tequilana weber blue variety grown in the territory included in the Declaration.

For this product to be considered as "100% agave tequila", it must be packed in the plant controlled by the Authorized Producer, which must be located within the territory included in the Declaration.

• Tequila: is the product, in which the musts are susceptible to be enriched and mixed together in the formulation with other sugars up to a proportion no greater than 49% of total reducing sugars expressed in units of mass.

This product can be packaged in plants other than an Authorized Producer, as long as the packagers comply with the conditions established in the Official Mexican Tequila Standard.

Tequila Classes

According to the characteristics acquired in processes subsequent to distillation, Tequila is classified into one of the following classes:

• White tequila: product whose commercial alcoholic content must, if necessary, be adjusted with dilution water.

• Young or golden Tequila: product susceptible to be drunk, its commercial alcoholic content must, if necessary, be adjusted with dilution water.

The result of mixtures of white Tequila with aged or aged Tequilas is considered as young Tequila or gold. Tequila reposado.- Product susceptible to be brewed, subject to a ripening process of at least two months in direct contact with the oak or oak holders. Its commercial alcoholic content must, if necessary, be adjusted with dilution water. The result of the mixtures of Tequila reposado with Tequilas añejos is considered as Tequila reposado.