The US Can't Legally Make Tequila, But Here's What They Can Make Instead
NEWS
By NIKITA EPHANOV
Tequila's a tightly controlled moniker, and only Mexico can label their spirit with the name. However, the U.S. can produce other agave-based spirits with a similar composition.
Such spirits have been distilled in the U.S. since 1936. The U.S Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau regulates the category, referring to such bottles as simply agave spirits.
There are many producers operating under such a label. For instance, Ventura Spirits produces Tecolotito with California-grown blue agave, yielding a liquor of pleasant complexity.
As the spirit falls out of tequila regulation, American-made agave spirits intrigue with new possibilities, allowing for innovative flourishes, like the blending of agave syrups.
