Tequila is regulated by the Mexican government, which considers the spirit its national property. By law it comes only from Weber blue agave plants grown in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas - semiarid regions where the soil contains high levels of volcanic ash.
Premium "sipping" tequilas are hitting the market at $30 to $75 a bottle. Tequila- long considered a lowlife of the spirit world- now has the nation's fastest-growing distilled spirit sales, with pricey premiums carving out a small but highly visible niche.
Production of Tequila:
Long before the Spanish arrived with sophisticated methods of distilling, the Aztecs were using the agave plant to produce a sacred beverage. By cutting away the spiky leaves to expose the agave's core, they were able to extract its juice and create a milky, mildly alcoholic beverage.
