TEQUILA

Everyone knows Tequila – or at least they think they do. But there’s so much more to this world-class spirit than headaches and nausea from ill-advised drinking sessions. It’s subtle, distinctive and, in its finest form, as complex and worthy of contemplation as any fine Cognac or single malt.

DID YOU KNOW?

• THE BLUE AGAVE PLANT IS NOT A CACTUS, DESPITE ITS SPIKY APPEARANCE; INSTEAD, AGAVE TEQUILANA IS A SUCCULENT THAT MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLES A LILY
• ACCORDING TO GENERIC ORGANISATION CONSEJO REGULADOR DEL TEQUILA, THERE WERE 150 DISTILLERIES MAKING TEQUILA IN 2013, AND NO FEWER THAN 1,377 REGISTERED BRANDS
• ROUGHLY 85% OF ALL TEQUILA IS CONSUMED IN MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES, WITH THE LATTER ACCOUNTING FOR 75%OF EXPORT SALES

MEZCAL

Mezcal is produced in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico, from several varieties of agave, but not blue agave. The pinas are cooked using wood-fired ovens, giving the spirit a pungent smokiness. Traditionally bottled with a worm (the original reason for this being unclear), mezcal uses the same terms as tequila: blanco, reposado and anejo.