A visit to Tequila

Tequila is a town about an hour northwest of Guadalajara, and the center of the tequila growing area. It is part of the UNESCO world heritage area for the Tequila industry, and also a "Pueblo Magico", designated by the government of Mexico.

We got there by taking a taxi to a small bus station that we did not know existed, on the NW part of Guadalaja. This meant a short taxi ride, and completely avoiding the traffic of downtown. Our taxi driver, Felipe, suggested it, and it worked very well. This is probably mostly a good option for those who are already some distance north and west of the center of town; if you were downtown you would only have a short taxi ride to the old bus station, which has frequent departures to Tequila.

Tequila has cobblestone streets, and many old buildings. The Tequila industry started there, in the early 1800s.

One interesting chapel in the square may be the world's largest ex-voto! It was built in the 1940s, funded by a woman who was completing a vow. A little bigger scale of thank you than most of us are used to thinking of.

We started our visit to the town with a visit to the Tequila museum, which focuses on the history of the industry. The Cuervo and Sauza families were some of the largest tequila producers, even 150 years ago. But there are dozens of brands of tequila, and many producers offer many different types of Tequila, at a range of prices.

Tequila is distilled mezcal, which was believed to be fermented by the indians. Tequila became more of an international drink in the 1970s. The Tequila industry has been producing more and more expensive tequila in recent years, and found good acceptance. The more expensive Tequilas are 100% Blue Agave, and are aged longer.

We took the elaborate factory tour at Cuervo, starting with a video, and continued through the process of making Tequila.


Tequila is made from Blue Agave, which is the primary crop for many miles around the town of Tequila. It has a beautiful blue color, and the larger plants are spectacular. It takes seven to ten years for a plant to mature. When the plant is ready for harvest, it is dug up, the spines/leaves are cut off, and the heart or base of the plant is saved to be processed. They start with cooking the plant for 36 hours or so, and then squeeze out the juice. The juice is then fermented and distilled.

After our tour, we had a very good lunch in the Fonda Chamula, also owned by the Cuervo family. We strolled around the town a bit, and then headed for the bus station. After an hour bus ride, and a short taxi ride home, we relaxed on the patio, watching the world (and the dog) go by. The dog takes himself for a walk about this time every day; we have no idea who its master is.