tequila

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Tequila, mezcal, and pulque are all traditional Mexican drinks made from the agave plant, but they differ in production and flavour. Tequila is made specifically from the blue agave plant and is produced primarily in the Jalisco region; it has a clean, sharp taste and is commonly drunk as a shot with salt and lime. Mezcal can be made from many types of agave and has a distinctive smoky flavour because the agave hearts are roasted underground before fermentation. Pulque is an older, fermented (not distilled) drink with a thick, milky texture and a sour taste. While tequila and mezcal are both distilled spirits with similar alcohol content, pulque has a much lower alcohol level and is closer to beer in strength. For example, a bartender might offer you a shot of tequila for a party celebration, but recommend mezcal if you want a smoky flavour, or serve pulque as a traditional fermented drink.

Common collocations

Etymology

The word tequila comes from the name of a town in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, where the drink was first produced. The town's name itself comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) language: 'tequitl', meaning 'work' or 'tribute', combined with 'tlan', meaning 'place', so tequila means 'place of work'. Spanish colonisers began distilling the fermented sap of the agave plant in this area during the 16th century, and the drink took the town's name.