Tequila
Tequila is created from the blue Mezcal, a member of the Agave family otherwise
known in America as the century plant. The mezcal resembles a tall cactus and
produces elongated blooms that can take up to 12 years to appear. At the heart
of this matured plant lies the key to tequila - a huge fruit resembling a pineapple
and weighing 75-150 pounds. The fruit, known as a pina, is stripped and sent
to the distillery for production. The juice of the pina is extracted and left
to ferment for 3-5 days, the resultant mash starts a pot-still double distallation
process, producing a colourless tuquila approx 50% alcohol. It's aged in white
oak barrels. For a white or silver tequila the barrel will be lined with wax,
whereas a gold or anejo (aged) tequila will be matured in a normal barrel so
the final product receives a golden tint. Tequila is only tequila if it's made
within a specific area, anything produced outside this area is known as mezcal.