Facts about tequila
- Tequila can only be produced in five regions in Mexico—Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and Jalisco, though far and away the largest producer is Jalisco.
- To be classified as tequila, a spirit must be at least 51% derived from blue agave (with the rest made up from another neutral spirit), though many brands today up the ante and use 100 percent blue agave.
- Agave tequilana weber, or blue agave plants, take between 8 and 12 years to harvest and can grow as much as 7 feet tall.
- During the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, patients were instructed to drink tequila with lime and salt to ease their symptoms. Today, tequila isn't considered a cure, but might still help sooth sore throats, ease congestion and aid with sleep.
