Further reading
Tequila myths
No worms, no cactus, no hallucinations. What tequila is not.
Tequila has collected more myths than most spirits. These are the most persistent.
There is a worm in the bottle
Not in tequila. Mexican rules forbid it, and the CRT does not allow worms, scorpions or anything else in the bottle. The worm, or gusano, turns up in some mezcals from Oaxaca, as a marketing idea that dates from the 1940s. It is the larva of a moth that infests agave, and it has no magical, aphrodisiac or hallucinogenic powers. It is protein soaked in alcohol.
Tequila is made from cactus
Agave is a succulent, more closely related to lilies and amaryllis than to cacti, and it has its own genus. No commercial Mexican spirit is made from cactus.
Tequila is hallucinogenic
This one comes from confusing mezcal with mescaline, the psychedelic compound found in the peyote cactus. The names sound alike; they have nothing else in common. Agave contains no psychoactive compounds, and tequila affects you exactly like any other spirit of the same strength.
Tequila and mezcal are the same thing
Tequila is technically a type of mezcal, the way cognac is a type of brandy, but they are made differently. Tequila uses only blue agave, is usually cooked in steam ovens and distilled at least twice. Mezcal can use dozens of agave species, is traditionally roasted in earth pits, which gives its smoky flavour, and most of it comes from Oaxaca rather than Jalisco.
Tequila is basically moonshine
Tequila is one of the most tightly regulated spirits in the world, inspected from the field to the bottle. It is no stronger than other spirits either: most is sold at 38 to 40% alcohol.
Gold tequila is older and better
Most gold tequila is a mixto blanco coloured with caramel to look aged. A real aged tequila will say reposado, añejo or extra añejo on the label.
The more you pay, the better it is
Much of the price of a premium bottle goes on the bottle itself, the marketing and the name. Some of the best tequilas come in plain glass at modest prices. Check the NOM number, look for “100% agave”, and trust your own taste.