History
Tequila Don Fermín
Nobody Knows when the agave plant started growing in Mexico. This plant is the base for many distilled and fermented beverages that have been used as medicine and trading good. The Agave is used in the production of many beverages that have been part of Mexico's history: Mezcal, tequila, bacanora, raicilla and pulque.
The agave plant was used since 400 B.C. according to recent discoveries.
In 1500 Spanish conquerors arrive to Nueva Tenochtitlán and people started to use alembics to extract "aguardiente" with a higher level of alcohol and to export mezcal to Zacatecas and Guanajuato.
In 1600 was launched the first mezcal wine factory due to the popularity of people traveling through commercial routes going to North and Central America.
In 1700 tequila becomes the first product that Mexico exports to other countries.
In 1758 José Antonio de Cuervo becomes the owner of several lands where he grows agave to produce mezcal wine which was forbidden at the end of century.
In 1800 the brand Cenobio Sauza is born and buys a distillation factory which is named "Perseverancia". At the same time Ambrosio and Carmen Rosales launch "Tequila Herradura". They start using "Tequila" name for the mezcal wine.
During Porfirio's government, people started to promote consuming brandy and coñac. Because of that, tequila becomes unpopular for some but popular for others, specially miners and train drivers across the country.
At the end of Mexican Revolution in 1900, nationalism and tequila become popular among citizens. The mexican movies promote to consume tequila in a wrong way. Everybody wants to be, and drink tequila like Pedro Infante. United States stops importing whisky, but not tequila.
In 1960 the "Margarita" drink becomes popular in United States.
In 2000 tequila is rebranded, the mezcal leads the market and pulque is sold on cans.
Tequila Genealogy
From the agave is obtained Mezcal and Pulque. Pulque has no progeny. From Mezcal is obtained Tequila, Bacanora, Raicilla and Sotol.
Agave Anatomy
PENCAS
It's used to elaborate paper, sacks, to wrap mexican food and now is used for the new generation of fuel.
APICAL SPINE
The spines of every penca are used like craft, tools and jewerly (piercing).
BALL, PINEAPPLE OR HEART
This is the main resource for the elaboration of distilled berberages. They cook, grind, and ferment it to elaborate pulque, mezcal and tequila.
COGOLLO
The heart of plant Cogollo must be removed in order to avoid changing the taste of distilled.
QUIOTE
This is the flower that is born in the center. It's removed immediately to avoid draining the energy from the agave plant.
SHOOTS
These are small shoots born from mature plants. These can be used to seed new plants.
