Tequila is a blue agave–based spirit made primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila northwest of Guadalajara Mexico. The deep red volcanic soil in the region is well suited to the growing blue agave and more than 300 million blue agava plants are harvested there each year. Mexican laws state that tequila can be produced only in the state of Jalisco and limited to the 124 municipalities in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Mexico has claimed the exclusive international right to the word “tequila”.
Tequila is usually made at a 38–40% alcohol content (76–80 proof), but can be produced between 35–55% alcohol content (70–110 proof). Though most tequilas are 80 proof, many distillers will distill to 100 proof and then dilute it with water to reduce its harshness.
