first, an introduction

Long before tequila became the most popular spirit at your local liquor store, it had humble beginnings as pulque — a 1,000 year old fermented agave-based beverage, said to have mythical ties to the Aztecs.

Then, when Spanish conquistadors came to central Mexico in the early 1500s, they began to distill agave to make something more like the brandy they missed.

At the cusp of the 17th century, tequila began being mass-produced in what we now call Jalisco and history was changed forever.

Unfortunately, new technology has drastically changed the landscape of production. Here we’ll break down the old and the new, so that you can make a more informed choice next time you order a cocktail or buy a gift for a friend.