Ballad about Tequila for exotics lovers

January 15, 2006

The world demand for tequila – Mexican alcohol drink – is growing before your eyes. About fifty years ago the bottles with exotic tequila were rare guests in European, Asian and South American bars. Nowadays, the situation has radically changed. Mexican producers of tequila export it to more than 100 countries in the world – from the United States and Canada to South Africa and Japan. There are also tequila admirers in the vast expanses of Russia. But the Russian consumer can't match with the North American one. It is the United States that receive up to 80% of this alcohol drink.

Till recently, the year of 1999 has been the record one in production of tequila – 190 million litres. But last year – according to preliminary calculation – witnessed the record production of 220 million litres!
According to experts the glorious march of tequila throughout the world can be impeded by lack of the raw material – blue agave. It takes at least 9-12 years for it to grow till the required parameters. Only after that, pulpy sprawling leaves and roots will be cut away to “give freedom” to the “barrel” fruit that, in the company with other “barrels”, will be taken to the factory by a truck.

This Mexican drink got its trade name after a small village Tequila in the neighbourhood of Guadalajara. It was there since the pre-Hispanic times the Indians used to make a “merry” drink called “mezcal”. For decades the technology of its making used to change, get perfected, modernised till it reached the classic conditions, familiar to the modern consumer.

Quality, gustatory factors, produced quantity and other mandatory standards of the drink have always been under the scrutiny of “pagan priest controllers” from the State standard board, that also gives licence to grow agave and produce tequila. Not more than 180 municipalities have such a right throughout Mexico.

“Jose Cuervo Especial” - is one of the most renowned brands of tequila. The name, partly, contains the name of the very first producer of “real tequila” - Jose Antonio Cuervo. In 1795 he started selling this drink to residents of Tequila village as well as its neighbourhood and didn't lose. It was a truly Mexican drink for a passionate Mexican soul.

What emotions does a Russian consumer look for in tequila? First of all, it is the desire to touch the exotic character of that distant romantic country.