Tequila, Mexico

Tequila, the town where tequila is made. Common consecption is that tequila is made everywhere in Mexico and can come from any part of Mexico and can be called tequila. This is untrue, the same applies to tequila as is does champange. Tequila is made in a special region of Mexico called Jalisco and is made from the blue agavay plant. Any product made outside of this region is called mezcal. Different types of the agavay plants are used to produce these delisicous alcohols and the distilling process is different. However both produce a very unquice taste of Mexico to be enjoyed.

Our day trip to Tequila started around 8 am when we left Ajijic with Paul, Rhonda and Bianka to meet up with our soon to be Mexican Family. We rented a large passenger van that sat 14 people. By the time we got everyone loaded (11 people plus the driver) we left for Tequila around 9 ish making a quick stop for some snacks and beverages. Then it was off to try some tequila.

As we drove through the mountains, we looked out the windows and took in the entracing views and the blue-green colour of the agave pants that grow all across the country side.

When we got to Tequila, we took a few minutes to wander around see the old church in the middle of the town. Then find a spot for brunch to fill our bellies before starting our tequila tasting.

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Photo Credit: V.Gray

We found a nice little restuarant in facing out into the town square and got to know our group better. As the tables only sat 4 people, we paired up with Scott and Melissa. They are taking time away from Canada with their 3 teenage son's (who were all doing online learning) and travelling through the States and Mexico with their 5th wheel trailer.

Once breakfast was done, we started the next big task of the day. Picking a tequila distillory! In Mexico there are over 134 active tequila distillories, we wanted to pick one close to the town center and

Photo Credit: V.Gray close to our pick up location for the bus.

Scott was no rookie when it comes to the town or Tequila and tequila as a beverage. He has visited the town multiple times and tequila is one of his favourite drinks. The group broke off into two groups, 3 people going to wander the streest of Tequila and see the sights and the rest of us were heading to a distillory. I am personally not a tequila lover and I was not sure I was going to enjoy this tour, but being in Tequila and not doing a Tequila tasting, well that just sounds silly. When in Tequila, right?

We followed Scott's lead into Jose Cuervo distillory, walking through arche ways into the court yard to the gaint crow statue. Jose Cuervo offers 5 different tour packages, fitting all budgets and sampling needs. We did the Jose Cuervo tour that was 440 pesos each ($27 CAD/person), the rules regarding covid during our visit is we were required to wear a mask when inside the building. We started our tour with a quick video in Spanish with English subtitles about the history of Jose Cuervo and processing of the agave plants. We then started our walking tour through the building and processing plant. Photo Credit: V.Gray

As we walked through the processing plant we learned about the old process and tools they used when they first started making tequila and how those processes of digging up and chopping the leaves off is still done by hand today. How the "pineapple" (the part of the plant that grows underground) is what is used to make tequila.

How the pineapples have to be a certain size and weight to be processed to get the best quality juices for tequila. We walked by the ovens, through the processing plant, the different barrels for distilling, the cellars for aging tequila and finally came to the part we had all been waiting the tasting.

Photo Credit: V.Gray

Photo Credit: V.Gray

We entered into a large court yard with a bar where our guide offered us 3 samples of tequila in small plastic shot glasses along with cooked agave. This cooked agave was AMAZING, it is sweet and tastes like candy. Being new to this, I thought this was the end of our tasting and it felt so anti climatic from what Scott had been telling us and after we had walked by serveral beautiful big rooms clearly designed and set up for tastings.

Waiting until everyone in the group had sampled their 3 shots (which I generously shared most of mine with Ryan), the tour guide then asked us to follow him as he opened to large wooden doors into a beautifully set up tasting room. Nervous and excited is the best way to discribe my feelings about this, this room was beautiful big wooden table, big comfy high backed chairs and infront of each chair 3 tall champaign like glasses (tequila glasses) with 3 different colours of tequila (again not a huge tequila person).

Photo Credit: V.Gray

Honestly after the first few shots at the bar (that I sipped), I was not excited about the 3 glasses waiting for me when I entered the tasting room. However what I learned next has changed my prespective on tequila for the rest of my life. Did you know there is a proper way too taste tequila? AND I am not talking about taking it as a shot with salt and lime. Well I did not know this, our guide walked us through inhale, sip the tequila, swish it around your mouth, swallow and then exhale quickly. NO BURN. I REPEAT NO FREAKING BURN! NONE, at all. It was amazing and smelling the tequila with the different pieces on the plate beside (agave, lime and cinnanom for small, crackers to clean your palet and coffee beans to clear your sense of smell) holy moly, hole new world of tequila. After 45 minutes of tasting and talkig about the tequila, I figured out I do like tequila. But not the cheap blanco (white) tequila, no the expensive aged amber coloured tequila (far left in picture above), well now I know.

This tasting was only suppose to be an hour and a half it was closer 2 and a bit by the time we said good bye to our guide and ventured back out into the town square. Walking through the square we found the 3 party poopers and started going to back to find our bus. When we came across a guy selling crickets, you're probably thinking "gross" but I can tell you they are honestly not that bad.

Ryan and I ran into them a couple of times throughout our travels and have never tried them until this trip! A few tequilas deep, why not? A bit of salt, lime juice, garlic, and chilis they were not half bad.

Then we carried on to find our bus and coolers, now we were all thirsty and ready to keep the party going.

Photo Credit: Rhonda M.C.

We climbed into the bus, beverages in hand with laughter and chatter flowing constantly, honestly by the time we got to La Cantina my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. La Cantina, if we had started here we never would have made it to the tequila tasting, this bar is awesome. It has seating for over 200 people made of tree stumps, so they are heavy to try and move to bring tables together, bands playing live music, tacos stands, the bar, a gaint cup to climb into at the back for pictures and surround by agave fields.

You pick the size of jug for your drink and then they mix the tequila with limes and mix and your off. We got a 21L jug that had 3 bottles of tequila in it, with 11 cups and started pouring it out. The snacks were plentaful, the laughs were constant, the tequila was poured, pictures were taken and of course dancing happened.

Photo Credit: V.Gray

A few hours later everyone was feeling really good and it was time to call it a night, we loaded back up into the bus and cracked another beverage for our tour back to Ajijic.

Honestly if you are in the Guadalajar area and do not take the time to go to Tequila, did you even go to Mexico? This was one of the funnest day trips we have done in a long time, we lucked out and had an absolutely amazing crew of people, who made this experience what it was and so memoriable.

Cheers!

Photo Credit: V.Gray

Photo Credit: Bianka T.M. & Rhonda M.C.

Photo Credit: Bus Driver

**Please note that all opinions and views expressed in this post are my own, from my own experiences. If you would like to see more pictures follow me on Instagram vikki.gray **