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Tequila is truly the "essence of Mexico," reflecting its people's warmth, strength, and passion. It's a magical compound, part agave, part ambrosia, first pioneered by the conquistadors and refined into a sublime art, an art that goes way beyond salt and lime.
So where did it all begin?
Centuries ago the Mayans produced a fermented beverage called pulque that was primarily used in medicinal and ritualistic ceremonies. The source of sugar in the fermentive process was the agave or maguey, a member of the botanical family Agavaceae, which includes over 400 species.
As the early Spaniards searched for a source of fermentable sugar for the production of distilled spirits, they naturally looked to the agave, which grew in abundance in the rich volcanic soils of the high valleys around Guadalajara.
Trial and error led them to one particular species that always seemed to produce the most full-bodied taste. This special plant was the Agave Tequilana Weber, the legendary blue agave or agave azul.
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