🥃 Tequila (town)
Tequila is a town in Jalisco state, Mexico, founded in 1530 near the Tequila volcano; it gave its name to the drink and lies in a UNESCO landscape.
Tequila is a town in Jalisco state, Mexico, from which the drink takes its name. It lies in a valley near the Tequila volcano, about 67 km north-west of Guadalajara, and is surrounded by fields of blue agave. According to Imbibe, the settlement was first founded in 1530.
Distilleries. Dozens of producers work in the town. The largest distillery is Sauza, the oldest is Jose Cuervo, whose history goes back to 1795. Beyond the town, the agave region includes Amatitán, home of the Herradura hacienda, and El Arenal.
Heritage. The agave landscape and the old production buildings around the town were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 12 July 2006. According to INAH, the site covers the municipalities of Magdalena, Tequila, Amatitán and El Arenal and about 60 factories. Mexico counts Tequila among its "Pueblos Mágicos".
Town and drink. The name of tequila is protected: according to the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT), the zone of origin covers 181 municipalities in five states, not just this town. From Guadalajara the trip takes about 45 minutes by car, or about two hours by the Tequila Express train. The town also has the National Museum of Tequila, which shows the way from piña to finished drink, and the fields around it are worked by jimadors.
Why this matters to you. A visit here is a way to get to know agave, not a reason for tastings without limit. Do not drive after a tasting. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1530 (first settlement); UNESCO landscape — 12.07.2006 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | the town lies within the "Tequila" appellation of origin zone (CRT, declaration of 09.12.1974) |
| Raw material | blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber, azul variety) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Tequila (town) → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health ← affects ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🥃 Sauza
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🥃 Paisaje Agavero, 🥃 Jimador, 🌵 Tequila, 🥃 Blue agave
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Mexicans
- Part of
- 🥃 Jalisco
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Tahona, 🥃 Tahona
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that tequila is made only in the town of Tequila?
No. According to the CRT, the zone of origin covers 181 municipalities in five Mexican states; the town only gave its name to the drink.
Where is the town of Tequila?
In Jalisco state, about 67 km north-west of Guadalajara, near the Tequila volcano.
When was the town founded?
According to Imbibe, the settlement was first founded in 1530.
Which famous distilleries are in the town?
Sauza is the largest, Jose Cuervo dates from 1795; nearby in Amatitán is the Herradura hacienda.
How do you get there from Guadalajara?
About 45 minutes by car, or about two hours by the Tequila Express train.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Mexicans — People of Mexico; Oaxaca cheese is the country's best-selling cheese, cajeta is made from goat's milk, and 2023 milk output topped 13 billion litres.
- 🥃 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.
- 🥃 Tahona — Tahona is a volcanic stone wheel in a pit that slowly crushes roasted agave hearts and presses out the juice for tequila or mezcal.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Paisaje Agavero · 🥃 Samohon · 🥃 Bardstown · 🍷 Wine in Islam
Sources
- INAH — Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia: Paisaje de agaves y antiguas instalaciones industriales de Tequila (UNESCO, 12.07.2006; municipalities Magdalena, Tequila, Amatitán, El Arenal; about 60 factories)
- World Heritage Travel: Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila — Tequila about 67 km north-west of Guadalajara, Pueblo Mágico, Sauza the largest distillery in town, Jose Cuervo since 1795, Tequila Express (about two hours from Guadalajara)
- Imbibe Magazine: Drinks Atlas — Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico (town first established in 1530, valley near the Tequila Volcano surrounded by agave fields)
- Consejo Regulador del Tequila: Denominación de Origen (declaration 09.12.1974; 181 municipalities in five states)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)