1) The document discusses visiting a tequila producer in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico since they are located in the region.
2) Tequila is produced from the blue agave plant, which is harvested at 8-10 years old and cooked in underground stone ovens before its juice is extracted and fermented.
3) The fermented agave juice is then double distilled to produce tequila, which has a slight smoky flavor due to the cooking process, and may be aged in wood barrels to develop more complex flavors.
33. Well, since we are in P. Vallarta it’s worthwhile to visit one of the old-Tequila producers. Tequila is Mexico's national drink. It is produced from the juice of a Blue Agave plant, by fermenting and double distilling it. The original Tequila is exactly 38% (not more or less). The Agave plant is harvested when it is 8-10 years old. Then the leaves are cut off ,and the fruit is placed in the “oven”. The “oven” is a conical hole in the ground lined with stones in which they make a fire to warm up the stones. When the fire is smoldering, the fruits are put in, covered with metal sheet and kept in the oven for a few days. This is why the original Tequila has a slight smoky flavor. When the fruits are removed, they are shredded, and the juice is extracted by a huge rolling stone wheel, based in a circle-shaped stone “mill”. The extracted juice is fermented for a few days, then double distilled, and stored in bottles. To add more complex flavors to Tequila, some of the big producers are aging it in different wooden barrels. The standard aging is 4 years.
