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| SPIRITS |
| Tequila |
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| As much as cognac is protected and regulated by the French |
government, the production of tequila is managed by the rulers of Mexico. Traditionally, spirits advertised as tequila could only originate in the state of Jalisco. But because of this liquor's popularity, the Mexican government expanded the tequila region to include the states of Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Nayarít, and Guanajuato.
Many drinkers believe that mezcal is tequila, which is incorrect. Tequila is the best of mezcals, just as cognac is the best of brandies. Mezcal can be produced anywhere, from any variety of the agave plant grown in Mexico or in the southwestern United States.
Tequila, on the other hand, must contain at least 51 percent spirits distilled from the pulp of the blue agave plant, grown in one of the five states of the Tequila region. Only 1 percent of all tequilas are 100 percent blue agave, and those brands proudly state this single ingredient on their labels. |
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