Tequila Volcano and the agave fields in the town of Tequila, Mexico. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

While it’s possible to find a beverage other than tequila in the town of Tequila, most people seem to be drinking the nectar of the blue agave. The plant and drink are everywhere.

The name of this Mexican town in the state of Jalisco existed before the liquor officially got its name. The drink was first known as mezcal wine.

The tequila selection at El Beso Cantina in Tequila. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

“The name that the pre-Hispanic people used for the fermented agave was mexcalli, which means, ‘agave cooked in a stone oven’,” according to a sign in town.

This mezcal wine being produced in the Tequila region was highly sought offer because it was deemed the best. It was soon known as “vino mezcal de Tequila.” Eventually, it simply became tequila.

A statue in Tequila honoring the jimadores who harvest the pina of the agave to make tequila. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

While there are more than 200 types of agave, tequila can only be made from Blue Weber Agave. (However, mezcal can be made from about 60 of them.) For it to be called tequila it has to be made with 51 percent blue agave sugars. Bottles that say “Tequila 100% Agave” have nothing added; and are deemed the better, more authentic beverage.

To be called Tequila it must be made in only certain locations—much like Champagne may only be called Champagne if it comes from Champagne, France. Otherwise it is sparkling wine. Tequila made from unauthorized areas is called agave spirit.

In Mexico, tequila may be produced anywhere in the state of Jalisco and in 55 municipalities in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Ninety-nine percent of tequilas are made in Jalisco.

A food court in Tequila serves authentic Mexican dishes. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

“Tequila’s reputation grew steadily from colonial days to the present. It began as only a regional drink in the early years, but the demand grew considerably in other areas, both nationally and internationally as its quality became widely known. Since the mid-1800s it has become an international favorite and is now part of any well stocked bar,” according one sign in town.

Another sign points to the medicinal virtues of tequila.

“Since that time long ago in 1637 when the supreme justice of the court in Guadalajara, Don Juan de Canseco y Quiñones, defended mezcal because of the many healthy benefits for those who drink it, many testimonies have been presented to confirm the same. … This drink is taken for the stomach, to give strength and above all it is very healthy and it is given to the sick.”

This tiny police car might be easy to maneuver, but it won’t fit many bad guys, if any. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

It went on to say tequila rarely intoxicates the imbiber assuming one does not consume more than what is normal. No definition of “normal” was given.

The town itself was established as Santiago de Tequila by Franciscan Father Juan Calero on April 15, 1530, as a settlement for the Caxcane lndians who lived in the area.

“In 1541 this group of Indians joined other Chichimeca tribes in Jalisco in a revolt against the Spanish that is known as the Mixton War. Calero was killed trying to mediate a settlement,” according to information in the town. “The first viceroy of New Spain put down the rebellion, but not until after the city of Guadalajara was forced to relocate to a more defensible location.”

Looking toward the church in Tequila. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

The town gets its name from the 9,580-foot Tequila Volcano. While dormant for more than 200,000 years, the debris it left behind is credited with making the soil so rich and ideal for growing the signature blue agave, as well as for continuing to provide the water from its higher reaches that flow into town that are then used in the process to make tequila. The Atizcua River, also known as La Tuba, flows nearby.

The word tequila came from tequillan or tecuila, according to information in town, which means “place where they cut.” This is said to refer to the obsidian that was mined here.

The streets of Tequila are full of shops, restaurants and vendors. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Today, the city of Tequila, which was named a World Heritage Site in 2006, has a population of more than 35,000. The elevation is about 3,900 feet.

Tours of tequila distilleries abound. Tastings are available multiple places. Restaurants are flush with choices.

While there is certainly a touristy aspect of Tequila, it is rich in history and tradition. Some of the streets are cobblestone. Plenty of traditional Mexican food can be found in various price ranges.

With the volcano and agave fields surrounding the area, it has a bit of everything—agriculture, industry, tourism—but most of all—authenticity.