Tequila is a Mexican distilled spirit made from the heart of Blue Weber agave, formally known as Agave tequilana Weber blue variety. The agave must come from territory authorized by the Tequila Designation of Origin. Producers prepare its sugars for fermentation, add yeast, distill the fermented liquid, and bring the spirit to its final bottling strength with water.

Those rules matter. The Tequila Regulatory Council certifies tequila under Mexico's official standard and monitors its origin and production. A blue-agave spirit made outside the authorized system can't legally use the tequila name.

How LALO Tequila Blanco Is Made

LALO Tequila Blanco follows that path with a process built around the flavor of mature Blue Weber agave. The agave comes from the Jalisco Highlands and is generally harvested after six to seven years. At the distillery, the piñas steam in brick ovens for 20 to 32 hours, then rest for up to 18 hours before a roller mill extracts the sugar-rich juice. Other producers may source Blue Weber agave from another authorized region or use different approved equipment to prepare and extract its sugars.

LALO ferments the juice for three to four days with a proprietary Champagne yeast and distills the liquid twice. Deep well water brings the tequila to its intended bottling strength before it passes through paper filtration. LALO doesn't age its blanco in a barrel. Other producers may use different yeast strains, fermentation times or distillation setups, and tequila rules allow a blanco to spend less than two months in oak.

Founder and master tequilero Eduardo “Lalo” González describes the goal as “honor the agave.” Starting with mature Highland agave, cooking it slowly and skipping barrel aging keeps the finished tequila centered on the agave itself. For a closer look at each step, read How Tequila Blanco Is Made at LALO. You can also learn about the role of each ingredient in Three Ingredients: The Philosophy Behind Premium Tequila Blanco.

What Plant Is Tequila Made From?

Every tequila starts with Blue Weber agave. Other agave species can be used for different agave spirits, including many types of mezcal, but tequila is tied to this single variety.

The useful part of the plant is its heart, called the piña because its rounded shape resembles a pineapple after harvest. A skilled field worker known as a jimador cuts away the long leaves during the jima, exposing the piña for transport to the distillery.

The Tequila Regulatory Council says the process from field to finished product can take five to eight years. Harvest timing affects the sugars in the piña. Growing region matters, too. Agave from the Jalisco Highlands develops under different conditions than agave grown elsewhere in the authorized territory.

Is All Tequila Made From 100% Agave?

Tequila 100% Agave and the broader Tequila category follow different rules for fermentable sugars.

Tequila 100% Agave gets all of its fermentable sugars from Blue Weber agave and is bottled at origin. A bottle labeled simply “Tequila” must get at least 51% of its sugars from Blue Weber agave. The remaining portion can include other reducing sugars allowed under the standard, up to 49%.

Look for “100% agave” on the label when you want to know where all the fermentable sugars came from. The statement identifies the fermentation sugar source, not every production decision made after distillation.

How Is Tequila Made?

Production methods differ by distillery, but the basic path follows the same sequence from mature agave to bottled spirit.

1. Growing and Harvesting

Blue Weber agave grows for years before it can be harvested. When the plant reaches the right stage of development, a jimador removes the leaves and frees the piña from the ground. The harvested hearts then travel to the distillery.

2. Cooking or Hydrolysis

The carbohydrates stored in raw agave aren't ready for yeast to ferment. Cooking or another permitted hydrolysis method converts them into simpler, fermentable sugars. The process also prepares the agave material for extraction.

Equipment and timing vary. Some producers use brick ovens, while others use different approved systems.

3. Extracting the Sugars

Once prepared, the agave is processed to separate its sugar-rich material from the plant fiber. Depending on the distillery, that may involve crushing or milling. The resulting liquid becomes the base for fermentation.

4. Fermentation

Yeast consumes fermentable sugars and produces alcohol. Fermentation also creates aromatic compounds that can remain noticeable after distillation.

The yeast strain and fermentation time can influence the result. Temperature and tank material matter as well. This is one reason two tequilas made from the same agave variety can smell and taste different.

5. Distillation

Distillation concentrates the alcohol from the fermented liquid and lets the producer select which characteristics to keep. Still design and operating decisions shape the final spirit, so there isn't one universal distillation setup used across the category.

6. Blanco or Maturation

Blanco can be bottled without gaining color or flavor from a barrel. The aged tequila classes spend regulated periods in contact with wood. That maturation adds color and introduces flavors from the vessel over time.

7. Finishing and Bottling

Fresh distillate may be stronger than the intended bottling proof. Water can be added to reach the target alcohol level. The spirit is then filtered and bottled with the required labeling.

How Production Shapes Tequila's Flavor

Blue Weber agave sets the foundation, but growing conditions, maturity, cooking, fermentation, distillation, water, and time in wood all affect the finished spirit.

LALO's official tasting notes include sweet potato and cinnamon at the top, followed by hints of dulce de leche. Gentle citrus and tropical fruit appear in the finish. Those notes describe LALO Tequila Blanco specifically. They aren't a universal checklist for every tequila.

The guide to sipping blanco tequila explains how to smell and taste those aromas.

Common Questions About Tequila

Is tequila made from a cactus?

Blue agave is a succulent perennial in the asparagus family, according to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Its pointed leaves may resemble a cactus from a distance, but the plants belong to different botanical families.

Can tequila be made outside Mexico?

Agave spirits can be produced in other countries. To carry the tequila name, however, the spirit must meet the protected origin and production requirements established in Mexico. A spirit made from Blue Weber agave elsewhere may share a raw material, but it isn't tequila.

Why is some tequila clear and some amber?

Blanco has no barrel-derived color. Tequilas matured in wood develop amber tones and take on flavor from the vessel. Color often signals whether wood maturation played a role.

Is tequila made from agave syrup?

No. Tequila starts with the heart of the Blue Weber agave plant. Producers prepare and extract fermentable sugars from the cooked or hydrolyzed piña. Bottled agave syrup is a separate sweetener and isn't the raw material described by tequila's production standard.

Is tequila a type of mezcal?

Tequila and mezcal are both Mexican agave spirits, but they follow different legal standards. Tequila uses Blue Weber agave and must come from its authorized production territory. Mezcal can use other approved agave species and has its own designation of origin and production rules.

Explore LALO Tequila Blanco or find LALO near you.