Fun Facts About Tequila for National Tequila Day

Does that mean it’s healthy? Not exactly. Tequila is made from the blue agave plant, which, despite its appearance, is not a cactus. Blue agave is actually closely related to the lily, and its core contains aquamiel, or honey water, which produces syrup and tequila. To be classified as tequila, the spirit must contain at least 51% blue agave. Many tequilas are made with 100% pure agave, while mixtos are made with a combination of blue agave and other sugars.

Hangovers are generally the result of dehydration and something called congeners, which are chemical byproducts found in alcohol, especially in darker-colored spirits. If you want to skip the hangover — and who doesn’t? — opt for 100% blue agave tequila blanco. Blanco is a clear spirit, and 100% agave tequilas don’t contain corn syrup or other cheap sugars that are more likely to lead to a hangover. Of course, you'll want to take it easy, either way.

Much like champagne, which comes only from a specific region in France, tequila can only be produced in some parts of Mexico. Specifically, tequila comes from five regions surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara. The largest of these is Jalisco, though the drink is produced in Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas, as well. In 2006, this region near Tequila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical and cultural importance.

Simply put, this means that the region tequila comes from affects the way it tastes, thanks to variations in the soil where the plant grew and the yeast used in the distilling process. Generally speaking, tequilas from the valleys and lowland regions have an earthier, spicier taste, while those from the highlands tend to be sweeter, fruitier, and more floral.

• Blanco, or silver tequila, is a clear spirit that is either bottled immediately after distillation or aged for less than two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels
• Reposado, meaning "rested," is aged in oak barrels for more than two months but less than a year
• Joven, also known as Oro, is usually a mixture of blanco and reposado, and may be blended with added colorants to give it its signature gold color
• Añejo, meaning "aged" or "vintage," is aged for one to three years in oak barrels
• Extra Añejo, a relatively new classification, is aged for at least three years, with the oldest tequilas being aged for around 10 years

All tequila is a type of mezcal, but not all mezcal is a type of tequila. Mezcal encompasses spirits distilled from any of the 150 species of agave plants native to Mexico; tequila must be made specifically from blue agave. Mezcal typically has a smokier flavor and is made by roasting the heart of the agave plant over hot rocks in a pit oven.

Only some brands of mezcal are sold with a worm in the bottle, and none of them are tequila. These larval worms, most often found in spirits from the Oaxaca region, were originally added as a marketing gimmick. In fact, the Norma Oficial Mexicana, which regulates the production of tequila, prohibits the inclusion of worms or scorpions in tequila.

Blue agave takes eight to 12 years to mature and grow up to seven feet tall. The heart of the agave plant, the piña, is harvested by hand and can weigh up to 200 pounds. People who harvest agave plants are called jimadors, and they use a machete with circular blades — known as a coa — to chop the agave leaves.

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That’s right — tequila does have some health benefits. During the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, people drank tequila with salt and lime in a bid to ease their symptoms. Though most no longer believe tequila can cure the flu, however much they may wish it, researchers do think it contains a compound that can help break down dietary fat and lower bad cholesterol. In particular, blanco tequila contains agavin, which lowers blood sugar levels, and inulin, which aids digestion. Other studies show that tequila can help soothe a sore throat, ease congestion, and assist sleep.

A group of Mexican physicists at the National Autonomous University used tequila to create artificial diamonds. Though the diamonds were too small to be used in jewelry, they are suitable for electronic and industrial purposes. There is also a car that can run on tequila: the 1964 Chrysler features a turbine engine that will run on anything flammable. The vehicle costs the equivalent of $400,000 today, and there are only three in existence.