Alcoholic Beverages

Broadly, there are two categories of tequila-

• Mixtos and
• the 100 per cent Agave.

Mixtos use up to 49 percent of sugars in the fermentation process while 100 percent Agave Tequila is a far smoother and more powerful drink.

Depending on the vintage or aging process, tequilas fall into five classic categories :

Blanco (white) or Plata (silver) :

White in color, unaged and bottled straight after distillation.

Oro (gold) :

These are un-aged tequila, blended with aged tequilas, and often with caramel colouring.

Reposado (rested) :

These are aged for a minimum of two months, but less than a year, in oak barrels.

Anejo (aged or vintage) :

These are aged a minimum of one year in oak barrels;

Extra anejo (extra aged or ultra aged) :

The finest tequilas —these are aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels.