Abocar, abocado (mellowing)
Spanish term referring to the process to mellow, soften the flavor of Tequila by adding one or more of the following ingredients: 1) caramel coloring, 2) Natural oak extract, 3) Glycerin, 4) Sugar syrup.

Abocante, abocamiento

A special type of softener that can be used as a special “mellowing” type of additive in case of gold, reposado, añejo and extra añejo tequilas. Refer to Abocado for more info.

Agave

Succulent plant from the Agaváceas family. Approximately 150 species of the little more than 200 can be found in Mexico. Mexico’s iconic alcoholic beverages are made of agave and tequila is made specifically from the agave tequilana Weber variedad azul.

Agave Azul

Refer to agave tequilana Weber blue variety.

Agavero

Agave farmer. A person who is making a living by growing and selling agaves.

Agave tequilana weber blue variety

Plant from the Agaváceas family, with long and fibrous leaves forming lances, bluish in color. The only agave variety that is allowed in tequila production.

Amatitan

A famous tequila producer town in the Tequila Valley of Jalisco. Amatitan is located right next to Tequila on the way to Guadalajara on road 15.

Angel’s share

The natural process of evaporation of wine and spirits due to the porousness of the wooden barrels they are stored in. 

Añejo

Tequila classification. Aged for more than 1 year in oak barrels of a maximum capacity of 600 litres. A mix of añejo and extra añejo will also qualify as añejo. Addition of dilution water and “mellowing” are allowed.

Arandas

A famous tequila producer town right in the center of the Los Altos/The Highlands of Jalisco.

Atotonilco El Alto

A famous tequila producer town of the Los Altos/The Highlands of Jalisco.

Barrica

Spanish word, it means barrel. Tequila can be aged in new, old, charred barrels as long as it is made of oak. Aging or resting in any other type of wood does not count towards the tequila’s aging classification.

Blanco

The official classification for unaged tequila. A maturation of up to 2 months is allowed in oak containers. The only additive allowed by the NOM is dilution water.

Brix

Measurement of sugar content as a % of the total quantity. Commonly used to check the sugar content of agaves and to set the ideal sugar(%) content for fermentation.

Cabeza (Agave)

Spanish word, it means head. Another reference for Piña. Refer to Piña for more info.

Cabeza (Distillation)

Spanish word, it means head. In a classic pot still distillation the head is the part that is collected first as soon as the still reaches the temperature for the evaporation to start. Once the cabeza is collected producers make a cut to heart. It has a high ethanol content.

Chaptalization

The enrichment of the must with sugar in the wine world is referred to as Chaptalization. Refer to “enrichment” for more info.

CNIT – Camara Nacional de la Industría Tequilera

The National Chamber of the Tequila Industry (CNIT) has the objective of representing, promoting and defending the common interests of its associates to propose and carry out actions that meet their needs and expectations to strengthen the prestige and image of the Tequila Industry in general and Tequila in particular.

Cogollo

The concentrated leave part at the top of the piña (harvested agave).

Cola

Spanish word, it means tail. The cola is the last part collected as part of the classic pot still distillation. It is rich in heavier alcohols, fusil oils and other congeners that producers do not wish to be part of the end product. As the cola still has useful congeners too, some producers decide to redistill it with another batch.

Cold Mixing

Refer to “mezclas en frío”.

Contraseña Oficial

The NOM sign with a specific design that is a compulsory element for every tequila label.

Congener

Reference to the molecules in alcoholic beverages that are not water and alcohol: esters, aldehydes, fusil alcohol, methanol, acetone, tannins etc. These are the molecules which are primarily responsible for the taste of alcoholic drinks.

Consejo Regulador del Tequila

Refer to CRT. 

Corazón  

Spanish word, means heart. In a classic pot still distillation, the heart is collected right after the cut was made from the first part that is called the head. This part contains the correct combination of molecules for the final spirit, it is collected to be included in the final spirit or is redistilled in the second/third distillation.

Cosecha

Refer to Jima

CRT – Consejo Regulador del Tequila

The regulating body of tequila ensuring that tequila producers produce tequila according to the applicable regulations.

Cut (Jima)

The length of the “penca” that is left on the agave after it has been harvested.

Cut (Distillation)

The process of switching the flow of the distillate from one container to the other one. First distillers make a cut from head to heart and then heart to tail.

Declared Territory of Denomination of Origin

It is reference to the regions that are part of Tequila’s geographical protection which includes the state of Jalisco and certain parts of the following states: Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacán and Tamaulipas.

DOF: Diario Oficial de la Federación

The newspaper forum through which the legal acts are published in Mexico.

DOT – Denominación de Origen de Tequila

It is a reference to the geographical and quality protection of the tequila. The Chapter “Denomination of Origin” explains this in detail.

DGN: Dirección General de Normas

The administration unit for the Mexican NOM and NMX quality protection standards. Governed by the Secretary of Economy. 

Destrozador

Spanish word, means destroyer. Name of the pot stills that are used for the first distillation. They are bigger than their “rectificador” counterparts and the “destroyer” reference refers to the large amount of mosto being “destroyed” in the process leaving a large amount of vinazas.

Dilution water

Water that is added to the tequila to dilute it from still strength to commercial bottling strength.

El Arenal

A famous tequila producer town in the Tequila Valley of Jalisco. El Arenal is located close to the town of Tequila, it is the second town from Tequila after passing Amatitán on the way to Guadalajara on road 15.

Encino

Refer to Roble.

Enrichment

The process of adding sugars into the formulating “mosto”. This process is used to dilute the agave content of the tequila without “cold mixing” which is not allowed for tequila production.

Envasado de origen

In English it means “bottled at origin”.

Extra añejo

Tequila classification. Tequilas aged for more than 3 years in oak barrels with a capacity of less than 600 litres qualify. Addition of dilution water and “mellowing” are allowed.

Fábrica

Spanish word, it means Factory or Plant – in the tequila industry the word is commonly used as a reference for a tequila distillery.

Farm Plantation Register

Refer to Registro de Plantación de Predios.

Gold

Refer to Joven for more info. 

Hecho en México

Spanish word, it means “Made in Mexico”. It (or a similar variation) is a mandatory element for all tequila labels.

Head (agave)

Refer to “Cabeza (agave)” for information.

Head (distillation)

Refer to “Cabeza (distillation)” for information.

Heart

Refer to “Corazón” for information

Highlands

Refer to “Los Altos” information.

Hijuelo

Agave sapling that sprouts from a maturing agave plant. It is a DNA clone of its mother plant that can be separated and replanted to multiply agaves asexually for agricultural purposes.

Horno

Also referred to as Hornos de mampostería. Traditional brick ovens to cook/hydrolyze the piñas of the blue agave. This method uses steam technology and takes approx. 24 hours from start to completion.

Hydrolysis

Referred to as “cooking” informally. The process of breaking down large polysaccharides chains  into monosaccharides like fructose and glucose to create fermentable sugar.

IMPI – Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial

The Mexican Patent Office. They assist the CRT in protecting “Tequila” as a Mexican Denomination of Origin.

Inulin

Polysaccharide molecular chain primarily built up by fructose molecules – the agave stores its energy in this form. It is the inulin that gets converted into fermentable sugars during the process called hydrolysis.

Jalisco

The biggest tequila producer state in Mexico. The vast majority of the tequila comes from this state and only four other states are allowed to produce tequila at all.

Jesus Maria

A famous tequila producer town of the Los Altos region.

Jima

The process of harvesting agave.

Jimador

The worker who is doing the “jima”

Joven

Tequila classification. Same as Oro or Gold. Joven is a either a mix of blanco and reposado tequilas or more typically a blanco/silver tequila that has been subjected to certain mellowing additives.

Lote

Identification number. A mandatory element on tequila labels identifying the batch of tequila in which it was produced.

Los Altos

One of the two main tequila producing regions. The average elevation is higher, the soil is rich in iron coloring the terrain to red. The town of Arandas is considered as the center for Highlands tequila production. Other famous producer towns include Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jesús María and Atotonilco el Alto.

Lowlands

Refer to “Valle de Tequila” for information.

Maguey

Another commonly used word for the agave in Mexico.

Mellowing

Refer to “Abocado” for more information.

Mezcal

Mexico’s oldest distilled spirit, the word is possibly a reference to the Nahuatl word “metl ixcali” which means cooked agave. Tequila was once referred to as “mezcal vino de Tequila”. Mezcal and tequila are now two drinks with each of their separate denominations. A producer cannot make both Tequila and Mezcal in its premises.

Mieles amargas

“The bitter honey” is collected in the first few hours of hydrolysis in case of a traditional tequila production. It contains wax, dust, dirt and other undesirable components, so producers typically discard this.

“Mixto”

The unofficial name of the category “tequila”. The lack of 100% agave sign on the label usually means that the particular tequila is a “mixto”. The word mixto is never written on the bottle, but is commonly used to distinguish between the category and the drink’s name.

Molienda

Spanish word, means mill. Specifically referred to as the roller mill. This a mechanized mill used to press the agave fibers to get the valuable juice from them.

Mosto

Must. In the tequila industry it is a reference to the extracted agave juice where the fermentation has started.

Mosto muerto

Dead must. It is the reference to any must (mosto) that has finished its fermentation process and is ready for distillation.

NOM: Norma Oficial Mexicana

The local quality standards for products similar to ISO but its scope is national instead of international. It is also a quick reference to the most up to date legal quality regulation which is NOM-006-SCFI-2012 at the time of writing this book.

NOM Number

Also referred to as registration number. Four digit number that is allocated to each Authorized Producer by the CRT. It identifies the responsible producer of tequila. Producers are allowed to produce, bottle and sell their own tequila or buy then blend and bottle other producers’ tequila under their own NOM number.

Ordinario

The “heart” collected from the first distillation.

Oro

Refer to Joven for more info.

Oxygenation

Post distillation process to speed up the aeration process of the tequila.

Penca

Spanish word, means “leaf”. Reference to the leaves of the agave plant.

Piña

Spanish word, means “pineapple”. Also called “cabeza”(head) or “bola”(ball) – the middle, pineapple shaped part of the plant that is collected for tequila production.

Plata

Spanish word, means silver. Refer to Blanco for more info.

PROFECO

Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor. The Mexican Government’s consumer protection body.

Quiote

Quiote is the concentrated leaves part growing from the center of the plant that develops flowers and fruits. For agaves that are reserved for tequila production, it needs to be removed as the agave dies shortly after blossoming.

Rectificador

The name of the pot stills that are in charge of the second distillation. The second distillation is focused more on the rectification, to reach the desired level of alcohol content.

Rectification

“Putting it to right” – in distillation it is a reference to aim for a certain still strength for the alcohol during the second distillation.

Registro de Plantación de Predios

CRT maintains an information system about the inventory of all the registered the agave tequilana weber blue variety. Agave farmers have to register all new agave plants within one year of its plantation and have to file annual reports on their stock.(Section 6.5.1)

Reposado

Tequila classification. Aged for more than 2 months in oak containers with a capacity of less than 600 litres. Addition of dilution water and mellowing are allowed.

Reserva de la Familia

It is a reference for a special single barrel or a special edition tequila that the producer decides not to commercialize but to keep it and share it with friends, family and special guests.

Roble

Spanish word, it means oak.

Roller Mill

Refer to Molienda.

Silver

Refer to Blanco.

Suave

Spanish word for soft. A popular term on some tequila bottle labels referring to the fact that the tequila underwent a special process so it is softer than a traditional tequila. The most common processes are oxygenation, triple distillation and filtration. The phrase “Suave” on the bottle is not a legally binding term.

SAT

Servicio de Administración Tributaria. The Mexican Tax Authority. 

Tail

Refer to Cola.

Tahona

Egyptian mill, extraction method. A typically 2 tons heavy mill drawn by mules or electric wheels to press the agave juice from the fibers.

Tequila (drink)

The famous Mexican drink, formerly known as “mezcal vino de Tequila” which received its name and denomination from the town called Tequila.

Tequila (town)

The famous town in Jalisco gives its name to the famous Mexican drink of the same name. It is still the center of tequila production giving home to several distilleries including some of the largest ones.

Tequila Regulatory Council

Refer to CRT.

Tequila Valley

Refer to Valle de Tequila

Tequilero

Tequila producer – it refers to a person or family that 

makes its living by producing and selling tequilas.

Triple Destilacion (Triple Distillation)

Tequilas are double distilled traditionally. With the extra distillation, the tequila will typically reach a higher still strength with a lighter body.

Valle de Tequila

It is the local phrase for the Tequila Valley or the “Lowlands”. The oldest tequila producers are located here. The most important towns in the region are Tequila, Amatitán and El Arenal.

Vinazas

The byproduct liquid from the distillation that could not be collected as head, heart or tail.