🥃 Jalisco
Western Mexican state where the town of Tequila lies: all 125 of its municipalities fall within the “Tequila” appellation of origin, together with parts of four other states.
Jalisco is a state in western Mexico with its capital in Guadalajara, the birthplace of tequila. The spirit takes its name from the town of Tequila in this state, and all 125 municipalities of Jalisco fall within the “Tequila” appellation of origin. Blue agave fields grow here, and tequila is distilled from their hearts.
Protected name. According to the Regulatory Council of Tequila (CRT), the general declaration of protection was published in Mexico’s Official Gazette on 9 December 1974. The territory covers 181 municipalities in five states: all of Jalisco and parts of Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. So tequila is not made only in Jalisco, but Jalisco is the only state that lies entirely within the zone.
Agave and production. The Mexican standard NOM-006-SCFI-2012 allows only Agave tequilana Weber, the blue variety grown in the appellation territory, for tequila. The process starts with the jima: the plant is cut from the soil and its leaves trimmed down to the core, the piña. The hearts are then baked in brick ovens or autoclaves, fermented and distilled; the finished tequila is 35–55% alc. vol.
Landscape and volumes. The agave fields and old distilleries around the towns of Tequila, Amatitán and El Arenal were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2006 as the Paisaje Agavero. According to Expansión, 427.2 million litres of tequila were produced in 2023, of which 264.8 million litres were exported.
Why this matters to you. The word “Jalisco” on a label names the state, but the protected name is “Tequila”, guaranteed by CRT certification rather than by a mention of the state. Mezcal is a separate name with its own territory and rules. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | General declaration of protection of the name “Tequila” (Official Gazette of Mexico, 9.12.1974); NOM-006-SCFI-2012 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Agave tequilana Weber, blue variety grown in the appellation territory |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | tequila — 35–55% alc. vol. |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Jalisco → kind of → 🌵 Agave: tequila and mezcal → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🥃 Horno
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Related to
- 🥃 Paisaje Agavero, 🌵 Tequila, 🥃 Blue agave, 🌍 Latin America, 🥃 Tahona, 🥃 Raicilla
- Part of
- 🌵 Agave: tequila and mezcal
- Similar and different
- 🌵 Mezcal, 🥃 Los Altos de Jalisco, 🥃 Los Altos de Jalisco, 🥃 Jimador, 🥃 Jimador
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that tequila is made only in Jalisco?
No. The “Tequila” appellation covers 181 municipalities in five states: all of Jalisco and parts of Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.
Why is tequila linked to Jalisco?
The drink is named after the town of Tequila in Jalisco, and only this state lies entirely within the appellation of origin.
Which agave is tequila made from in Jalisco?
Only from Agave tequilana Weber, the blue variety grown in the appellation territory; this is required by the NOM-006-SCFI-2012 standard.
Since when has the name “Tequila” been protected?
The general declaration of protection was published in Mexico’s Official Gazette on 9 December 1974; compliance is checked by the Regulatory Council of Tequila.
What is the Paisaje Agavero?
An agave landscape around the towns of Tequila, Amatitán and El Arenal in Jalisco, with agave fields and old distilleries; it was added to UNESCO World Heritage in 2006.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🌍 Latin America — A region from Mexico to the south of South America: about 9% of the world's milk, dulce de leche and fresh cheeses, Argentine and Chilean wines, olives.
- 🥃 Los Altos de Jalisco — Highland region in eastern Jalisco around Arandas: red iron-rich soils, about 2,000 m above sea level; about 70% of the blue agave for tequila is grown here.
- 🥃 Jimador — The worker who harvests agave for tequila and mezcal by hand: with a coa tool he cuts the plant from its root and trims the leaves down to the piña; this stage is called the jima.
- 🥃 Paisaje Agavero — UNESCO cultural landscape (2006) in Jalisco, Mexico: 34,658 hectares of blue agave fields, the towns of Tequila, Amatitán and El Arenal, and their old distilleries.
Sources
- Consejo Regulador del Tequila: Appellation of Origin — General Declaration of Protection published in the Official Gazette 9.12.1974; territory of 181 municipalities in Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit and Tamaulipas; only blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber)
- NOM-006-SCFI-2012, Alcoholic Beverages — Tequila — Specifications (English text, CRT): 4.2 only Agave tequilana Weber blue variety from the Declaration territory; 4.20 'jima' — cutting the plant from the soil and trimming the leaves to obtain the 'piña'; stages jima, hydrolysis, extraction, formulation (51 % agave sugars), fermentation, distillation; Table 1 — 35–55 % alc. vol.
- Expansión, 20.04.2024: El tequila celebra 50 años de obtener la denominación de origen — 181 municipalities in five states (125 in Jalisco); production 2023 — 427.2 million litres (2022 — 470.4), exports 2023 — 264.8 million litres
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)