Tequila! – The Perennial Pilgrim

Tequila is both a drink and a town in Mexico. Yesterday I was able to explore both.

First, the drink.

Our small group left Guadalajara and started off at the Tres Mujeres (three women) tequila distillery. We went through the whole tequila process from the taking of the mezcal “pineapple” from the center of a seven year old agave plant, to the heating process, to the various distillery processes, to the aging process. We had “samples” throughout the tour, and this being Mexico, there was no supply shortage for any of us. I guess they figured the more we drank, the more we’d buy at the end!

You can barely see the Tres Mujeres lettering at the top center of the building.

There was actually classical music playing in this section of the caverns. A Japanese scientist discovered that classical music created a smoother aging process at the cellular level of the alcohol, so a boutique brand using the Tres Mujures facilities required the music in their section of barrels, which was on the left of the end of this tunnel in a small locked side cavern.

One of the tasting areas in the caverns.

Our guide on the far left, an environmental scientist from Hermasillo on his right, and two students from Merida next to me.

After Tres Mujeres we went to the small town of Amatitan, which was actually where the Spanish first fully fermented the “mezcal wine”, taking things a step up from the fermentation the native Nahuatls’ did. The production moved to the town of Tequila when the railroad was laid in, and that’s when the future name of the drink was born.

A really cool small cave complex we tasted more tequila and sampled agava beer they made there.

There was no stable water supply to Amatitan so the Spanish dug these tunnels to pull up water from natural springs just under the ground. Just past where we were standing was the actual spring water.

Next we went to a huge roadside cantina to get some cantartios. It’s a unique local drink made from various freshly squeezed juices (orange, grapefruit, pineapple), Squirt and, you guessed it….tequila!! It was a great, strong, refreshing drink.

In goes the juice mix. Then just behind that the Squirt soft drink.

Add some ice, then a whole bunch of tequila.

They even sold these huge 21 liter cantartios that you see on the right of this picture. A group of friends would buy one and scoop it into their smaller glasses, like buying a huge pitcher of beer. It was hilarous watching small Mexican women carry these to their tables.

Of course, there was loud Mexican music playing throughout our time at the cantina.

And finally, the town of Tequila. There was a small, very crowded (on a Saturday at least) tourist area we ate at and wandered around for an hour or two…trying to sober up a bit.