The agave reference
From the plant to the bottle, find the words that make agave spirits easier to understand.
All 150 terms, A–Z
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0–9
- 100% Agave#
On tequila, “100% agave” means all the sugars used for fermentation come from blue agave.
The term concerns fermentation sugars, so a 100% agave tequila can still contain permitted additives.
Also found as: 100% de agave, 100 percent agave
A
- Abocado#
Abocado describes a spirit treated with permitted ingredients to adjust its character.
Tequila A treatment to soften the flavor using one or more of caramel coloring, natural oak extract, glycerin or sugar-based syrup.
Mezcal “Abocado con” means ingredients are added directly to flavor the mezcal, such as honey, fruit or herbs.
Read the term alongside the spirit name: tequila and mezcal use different definitions.
Also found as: abocamiento, abocado con
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.1.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.5(e).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- ABV#
Alcohol by volume: the percentage of a drink’s volume that is alcohol.
A bottle at 40% ABV contains the equivalent of 40 ml of pure alcohol per 100 ml of liquid. Mexican tequila and mezcal standards express alcohol by volume at 20°C.
Also found as: alcohol by volume, alc vol, alcohol strength
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 6.1.1 Table 1; 11.1(e).
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.3 Table 2.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Acid-thermal hydrolysis#
Acid-thermal hydrolysis uses heat in acidic conditions to break agave carbohydrates into smaller sugars.
Those sugars can then be fermented. The term describes sugar conversion; extraction is the separate task of removing soluble material from the agave.
Also found as: acid thermal hydrolysis, acid hydrolysis
Sources
- Enzymatic hydrolysis of fructans in the tequila production process — Abstract.
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Molienda y extracción, printed pp. 180–185.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Acocote#
An acocote is a tool traditionally made from a long, hollow gourd, used to draw aguamiel from a maguey.
The tlachiquero uses suction to collect the sap through an opening at one end, then transfers it to a container. Modern versions can use other materials.
Also found as: sap collecting gourd
Sources
- IMPI — aguamiel production in Hidalgo — I.3 Production process; aguamiel extraction.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Activated carbon#
Activated carbon is porous carbon treated to give it a large surface area that traps certain substances.
It is used in filtration. Charcoal filtration can remove color from aged spirits, as in some cristalino tequilas.
Also found as: activated charcoal
Sources
- IUPAC Gold Book — activated carbon — Definition and note.
- Don Julio — 70 Cristalino — Charcoal filtration.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Additives#
Additives are substances used to adjust a spirit’s flavor, color or other characteristics.
For tequila, permitted treatments include caramel coloring, natural oak extract, glycerin and sugar-based syrup. “100% agave” describes the fermentation sugars and can appear on a tequila made with permitted additives.
Also found as: abocantes
- Agave#
A group of succulent plants used to make tequila, mezcal and other Mexican drinks.
Maguey is another common name for agave. Tequila uses blue agave; mezcal can use many agave species.
Also found as: maguey
Sources
- Kew — Agave — Descriptions: general habit and leaves; genus status.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.2; 4.36.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 3.14; 4.1.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Agave syrup#
Agave syrup is a concentrated sweetener made by converting agave carbohydrates into sugars.
Also sold as agave nectar, it is used to sweeten foods and cocktails. Processing and concentrating it produces a different ingredient from fresh aguamiel.
Also found as: agave nectar, agave sweetener
Sources
- Agave Syrup: Chemical Analysis and Nutritional Profile — Introduction; production of agave syrup.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Aguamiel#
The sweet sap collected from a living maguey plant to make pulque.
A tlachiquero gathers the sap from a prepared cavity in the plant. Aguamiel becomes pulque through fermentation.
Also found as: agua miel, honey water
Sources
- IMPI — aguamiel production in Hidalgo — I.3 Extraction and production.
- SIAP — maguey pulquero — Page 1: opening description, Product and Uses.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Aguardiente#
Aguardiente is a Spanish word for a distilled alcoholic drink.
Its meaning is broad: an aguardiente may come from sugarcane, fruit or other fermentable material. The raw material needs to be identified separately.
Also found as: aguardientes
- Alambique#
An alambique is a still that distills a batch of liquid in a vessel, or pot.
Agave spirits use several designs and materials. The mezcal standard describes copper-pot equipment and clay-pot systems among the permitted methods for its different categories.
Also found as: alembic, alembic still, pot still
Sources
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.4.1(d); 4.4.2(d); 4.4.3(d).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- American oak#
American oak is oak of American origin used to make aging barrels.
Don Julio 70, for example, matures in American white oak before charcoal filtration. A barrel’s previous use and treatment also influence what it contributes to a spirit.
Also found as: American white oak
Sources
- Don Julio — 70 Cristalino — Aging.
- WSET — The alchemy of oak: barrel ageing in spirits — Barrel age and usage impacts flavour.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Ancestral#
A regulated mezcal category that requires pit cooking and distillation in clay pots over direct heat.
Mexico’s mezcal standard also specifies the permitted milling and fermentation equipment. The category describes how the mezcal is made.
Also found as: mezcal ancestral
- Añejo#
An aging class for tequila and mezcal, with different rules for each spirit.
Tequila Añejo tequila is aged for at least one year in oak containers holding no more than 600 liters.
Mezcal Añejo mezcal is aged for more than 12 months in wooden containers smaller than 1,000 liters.
Read the spirit’s name alongside its aging class.
Also found as: anejo, extra aged
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.36.4.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.5(d).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Apéritif#
An apéritif is a drink served before a meal.
The word describes when the drink is served. Bitter liqueurs and vermouth are familiar examples; aperitivo is the Italian and Spanish form of the word.
Also found as: aperitif, aperitivo, aperativo
Sources
- WSET — Top 5 staples for every drinks cabinet — Bitters and vermouth sections.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Aroma#
Aroma is what you smell in a drink; tasting notes often call it the nose.
Descriptions such as citrus, flowers or cooked agave identify recognizable smells. Aroma is assessed separately from the flavors and sensations in the mouth.
Also found as: nose, bouquet
Sources
- WSET — Candidate Assessment Guide: Tasting — Spirits tasting: Nose and Palate.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Arroqueño#
Arroqueño is a local agave name used for mezcal, commonly associated with Agave americana var. oaxacensis.
Del Maguey includes Arroqueño among its single-agave mezcals. Kew recognizes oaxacensis as a variety of Agave americana.
Also found as: arroqueno
Sources
- Del Maguey — agave names — Arroqueño.
- Kew — Agave americana var. oaxacensis — Accepted variety; name and classification.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Artesanal#
A regulated mezcal category specifying permitted cooking, milling, fermentation and distillation methods.
Mezcal Artesanal allows pit or masonry ovens and direct-fire distillation in copper boilers or clay pots, alongside specified milling and fermentation equipment.
Also found as: mezcal artesanal, artisanal mezcal
- Autoclave#
A pressure vessel used to cook agave with heat and pressure.
In tequila production, an autoclave is an alternative to a masonry oven.
B
- Bacanora#
Bacanora is an agave spirit from the protected Bacanora region in Sonora, Mexico.
It is made from Agave angustifolia. Like other agave spirits, its production involves processing the plant’s sugars, fermentation and distillation.
Sources
- Secretaría de Economía — Bacanora denomination of origin — Protected origin and Agave angustifolia.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Bagazo#
Bagazo is the fibrous agave material left after the plant has been processed for its sugars.
Some mezcal methods keep these fibers with the liquid during fermentation and distillation. A producer’s process description can tell you whether the batch was made with or without fibers.
Also found as: bagasse, bagaso, bagasso
Sources
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.4.2(c–d); 4.4.3(c–d).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Barrel char#
Barrel char is the layer created by burning the inside surface of a wooden barrel.
Charring changes the wood’s contribution to a maturing spirit, including color and flavor. The treatment is one part of the barrel’s history.
Also found as: charred oak, charring
Sources
- WSET — The alchemy of oak: barrel ageing in spirits — Oak adds flavour; Barrel interaction adds colour.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Barrica#
Barrica is Spanish for a barrel, the wooden container often used to age spirits.
The wood, barrel size and previous contents all affect maturation. Tequila aging takes place in oak containers.
Also found as: barrel, cask, barricas
Sources
- WSET — The alchemy of oak: barrel ageing in spirits — Barrel age and usage impacts flavour; Beyond the barrel.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.24.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Barril#
A common name for a form of Agave karwinskii used to make mezcal.
Agave names vary locally. Del Maguey identifies its Barril as Agave karwinskii; use the producer’s botanical identification when comparing bottles.
- Blanco#
A tequila or mezcal class often associated with an unaged spirit; the rules differ.
Tequila Blanco tequila is usually unaged, although Mexico’s standard permits less than two months in oak. It is also called plata or silver.
Mezcal Blanco mezcal, also called joven, is colorless and has undergone no further processing after distillation.
Blanco means “white” in Spanish.
Also found as: plata, silver
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.36.1; 5.2.2.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.5(a).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Blue Agave#
The blue variety of Agave tequilana used to make tequila.
Mexico’s tequila standard specifies Agave tequilana Weber variedad azul. This identifies the plant used, while “100% agave” identifies the source of all fermentation sugars.
Also found as: blue Weber agave, Agave tequilana, agave azul
- Brix#
Brix is a scale used to estimate the concentration of dissolved solids in a sugar-rich liquid.
In a pure sucrose-and-water solution, 1 °Brix means 1 gram of sucrose per 100 grams of solution. Agave juice contains other substances, so its reading is an estimate rather than an exact sugar analysis.
Also found as: °Brix, degrees Brix, sugar concentration
Sources
- Hanna Instruments — standard Brix solutions — Making a Standard % Brix Solution.
- Colón-González et al. — Thriving in Adversity: Yeasts in the Agave Fermentation Environment — Agave must composition and sugar concentration.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Bulbils#
Bulbils are small plantlets that some agaves produce on their flowering stalk.
They provide another way to grow new plants, alongside seeds and the root-system offshoots called hijuelos.
Also found as: bulbillos, bulbos
C
- Caballito#
A caballito is a small glass used for drinking tequila.
The Spanish name means “little horse.” It commonly holds a neat serving.
Also found as: tequila shot glass
- Capón#
Capón describes an agave whose emerging flowering stalk has been cut before the plant is harvested.
After cutting, the plant may remain in the field before harvest. Timings vary by maker and batch: Creador records nine to twelve months for its JAEC0524 espadín from Zimatlán, Oaxaca; importer Skurnik records two years for Erika Meneses’s April 2022 cupreata batch from Guerrero. Time spent capón is part of growing the agave; glass resting happens after distillation.
Also found as: capon, capado
Sources
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Quiote.
- Creador — Espadín Capón production notes — Production Notes: Source, JAEC0524.
- Skurnik — Aguerrido Cupreata Capón, Erika Meneses — April 2022 batch: production location, agave and two years capón.
Checked 8 October 2026.
- Caramel color#
Caramel color is a coloring ingredient permitted in tequila’s abocado treatment.
It can contribute color to the finished drink, so color alone is an unreliable guide to the time a tequila spent in wood.
Also found as: caramel colouring, color caramelo
- Caramelization#
Caramelization is the breakdown of sugars during heating, producing new colors, aromas and flavors.
It differs from the Maillard reaction, which involves sugars reacting with amino compounds. Caramel coloring is an ingredient made separately and added to a drink.
Also found as: caramelisation, caramelizacion, caramelización
Sources
- ACS — Sweet Science: Having Fun with Candy Chemistry — Slides 19–21: Browning of Sugars, Maillard Browning and Caramelization.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.1 Abocado.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Cask strength#
Cask strength describes an aged spirit bottled at the strength it has when drawn from the barrel, without dilution for bottling.
The actual ABV varies. Cask strength refers to barrel maturation; still strength refers to the liquid leaving the still.
Also found as: barrel strength, barrel proof
Sources
- WSET — From 40% to cask strength: understanding whisky ABV — Cask strength.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Chaser#
A chaser is a separate drink taken after another drink.
Water or sangrita can accompany tequila this way. A mixer, by contrast, is combined with the spirit in the same drink.
Also found as: chaser drink
Sources
- Merriam-Webster — chaser — Noun 1, sense 2.
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Sangrita.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Clay pot still#
A clay pot still uses a clay vessel to heat fermented agave and collect the resulting distilled spirit.
Mezcal Ancestral requires direct-fire clay-pot distillation with a clay or wooden upper section. Other mezcal categories have different equipment rules.
Also found as: olla de barro, clay still
- Co-fermentation#
Co-fermentation means fermenting different ingredients together in the same batch.
In an agave ensamble, this can mean combining several agave types before fermentation. El Búho describes a batch made this way.
Also found as: cofermentation, co-fermented
- Coa#
A long-handled cutting tool used to remove agave leaves during harvesting.
A jimador uses the blade to trim the plant down to its piña.
- Colas#
Colas, or tails, are the later portion of a distillation run, collected after the heart.
The distiller separates portions of the run to shape the spirit.
Also found as: tails, tail
- Column still#
A column still separates a liquid through repeated contact between rising vapor and descending liquid inside a column.
Column systems can operate continuously, taking in fermented liquid while collecting distilled spirit.
Also found as: continuous still, distillation column
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Chapter 9: continuous fractional distillation, printed pp. 270–274.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Congeners#
Congeners are minor compounds in a spirit, beyond its main ethanol and water, that help shape its character.
They include esters and higher alcohols. Raw materials and fermentation supply these compounds, and distillation selects which pass into the collected spirit.
Also found as: congener, congéneres, congeneres
Sources
- WSET — Level 2 Award in Spirits specification — Learning Outcome 1, Ranges 1–4.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Copita#
A copita is a small cup used for tasting or drinking mezcal.
In mezcal service, the name often refers to a small ceramic cup. Its shape and capacity vary, so the word alone gives no fixed pour size.
Also found as: copitas
Sources
- Del Maguey — Copitas notice — Opening description of small artisan ceramic cups.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Corazón#
In distillation, the corazón is the middle portion of the run, usually retained for the finished spirit.
This use of “heart” refers to liquid, rather than the agave’s piña.
Also found as: heart cut, hearts, middle cut
- Cristalino#
A style of aged tequila filtered to remove much of its color.
The underlying aging class still matters: Don Julio 70, for example, is an añejo that is charcoal filtered. Cristalino is not one of the five aging and processing classes listed in Mexico’s tequila standard.
Also found as: cristalino tequila
Cristalino tequila explained →
Sources
- Don Julio — 70 Cristalino — 70 Cristalino description.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 5.2.1.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- CRT#
CRT stands for Consejo Regulador del Tequila, an organization that inspects and certifies compliance with tequila standards.
Its work includes producer inspections, laboratory testing and certification. NOM names the official standard; CRT is the organization checking compliance.
Also found as: Consejo Regulador del Tequila, Tequila Regulatory Council
Sources
- Consejo Regulador del Tequila — services — Introduction; inspection, certification and laboratory services.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Curado#
In pulque, curado means the drink has been flavored with additional ingredients.
Fruit, seeds and dairy products are among the ingredients used. Check the recipe when choosing a flavor, especially if you avoid dairy.
Also found as: pulque curado
Sources
- Mexico — draft alcoholic drinks standard PROY-NOM-199-SCFI-2015 — 7.1.2.2 Pulque curado.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Cut#
A cut is the point at which a distiller separates one portion of a distillation run from another.
These choices determine which liquid is collected as heads, heart or tails.
Also found as: distillation cut, corte
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Chapter 9: selection of distillation cuts, printed pp. 280–283.
Checked 4 October 2026.
D
- Damiana#
Damiana is an aromatic shrub whose leaves and stems are used to flavor liqueur.
The maker of Damiana Liqueur uses dried leaves and stems and suggests the liqueur in a tequila Margarita in place of triple sec.
Also found as: damiana liqueur
Sources
- Damiana Liqueur — plant and ingredients — The Damiana Secret; Damiana Margarita.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Denominación de Origen#
A protected product name tied to a place and its natural and human factors.
Tequila and mezcal each have a denomination of origin with their own geographical boundaries and production requirements.
Also found as: DO, denomination of origin, appellation of origin
Sources
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Appellation of Origin.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 1; 5.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 1; 4.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Desquiote#
Desquiote is the removal of an agave’s emerging flower stalk, or quiote.
Growers cut it to stop the flowering stalk from developing and drawing on the plant’s reserves. An agave managed this way may be described as capón.
Also found as: desquiotar, quiote cutting
Sources
- CIATEJ — Breviario Mezcalero: regionalismos y términos comunes — Desquiote, printed p. 88.
- Creador — Espadín Capón production notes — Espadín Capón production description.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Destilado con#
Destilado con is mezcal distilled with additional ingredients to contribute flavor.
The mezcal standard gives examples including poultry breast, rabbit, mole and plums. Pechuga is a familiar example of this approach; the named ingredients help explain the particular release.
Also found as: distilled with
- Destilado de agave#
Destilado de agave means “agave spirit”: a drink made by distilling fermented agave.
Some producers use this broader name when their spirit is outside a certified denomination such as mezcal. Read the agave, maker and process details alongside the name.
Also found as: agave spirit, agave distillate
Sources
- Microbial Communities in Agave Fermentations Vary by Local Biogeographic Regions — Introduction: use of destilado de agave.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Diffuser#
A diffuser washes soluble material from shredded agave fibers using water.
Extraction and hydrolysis are separate steps. A process using raw agave can extract carbohydrates first, then hydrolyze them to obtain fermentable sugars.
Also found as: difusor
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Chapter 6: Difusor, printed pp. 180–185.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Digestif#
A digestif is a drink served after a meal.
Spirits and liqueurs can fill this role. The term describes an after-dinner drinking tradition; an apéritif comes before the meal.
Also found as: digestivo, after-dinner drink
- Distillate#
Distillate is the liquid collected when vapor from a distillation is cooled and condensed.
In spirit production, this is the liquid leaving the still. Further distillation, dilution or aging may follow.
Also found as: destilado
- Distillation#
Separating and concentrating components of a fermented liquid by heating it and collecting condensed vapor.
In tequila and mezcal production, distillation follows fermentation and produces a spirit with a higher alcohol concentration.
Also found as: distilling
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.7; 4.36.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 3.17.
Checked 4 October 2026.
E
- Earthen pit oven#
An earthen pit oven cooks agave in a pit in the ground, commonly using heated stones and a covering over the plants.
Pit cooking is required for Mezcal Ancestral and is also permitted in Mezcal Artesanal.
Also found as: pit oven, horno de pozo, underground oven
Sources
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.4.2(a); 4.4.3(a).
- Creador — Espadín Capón production notes — Production Notes: Cook.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Ensamble#
An ensamble is a mezcal made with more than one type of agave.
The producer’s method explains how the agaves are combined. For example, El Búho’s documented Ensamble batch cooks, ferments and distills its different agaves together.
Also found as: ensemble, agave blend
- Espadín#
A cultivated agave commonly used for mezcal, generally identified as Agave angustifolia.
Espadín is a common name; Agave angustifolia is the botanical name used for it by producers such as Del Maguey.
Also found as: espadin, Agave angustifolia
- Esters#
Esters are compounds that often form from reactions between acids and alcohols.
Some contribute aroma to agave spirits. Fermentation microbes influence which esters develop and in what amounts.
Also found as: ester
Sources
- IUPAC Gold Book — esters — Definition.
- Colón-González et al. — Thriving in Adversity: Yeasts in the Agave Fermentation Environment — 1.2: yeast species and aroma compounds.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Ethanol#
Ethanol is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic drinks.
Yeast produces it during alcoholic fermentation. The ABV figure on a bottle expresses how much of the liquid’s volume is alcohol.
Also found as: ethyl alcohol, alcohol
Sources
- Diageo Bar Academy — ethyl alcohol and ABV — Ethyl alcohol and ABV.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.15.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Extra Añejo#
Tequila aged for at least three years in oak containers holding no more than 600 liters.
Extra añejo is a class defined by Mexico’s tequila standard.
Also found as: extra anejo, ultra aged
- Extraction#
Extraction separates the agave’s sugars or carbohydrates from the plant material.
Crushing cooked agave with a tahona is one way to release its sweet juice. Other equipment and production methods perform this step differently.
Also found as: extracción, sugar extraction
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.14.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.4.2(b); 4.4.3(b).
Checked 4 October 2026.
F
- Fábrica#
Fábrica means “factory”; in tequila, it commonly refers to the production facility or distillery.
The tequila standard uses the term for the facility where an authorized producer makes tequila.
Also found as: fabrica, tequila factory, distillery
- Fermentation#
The process in which microorganisms convert sugars into alcohol and other compounds.
In tequila production, yeast converts fermentable sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation also helps develop aroma and flavor before distillation.
Also found as: fermenting
- Filtration#
Filtration passes a liquid through a material that removes selected particles or substances.
A particle filter removes suspended solids. Carbon filtration can also change color and other characteristics, as with some cristalino tequilas.
Also found as: filtering, filtrado
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.16.
- IUPAC Gold Book — activated carbon — Definition and note.
- Don Julio — 70 Cristalino — Charcoal filtration.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Finish#
In tasting, the finish is the flavor and sensation that remain after a sip.
Notes may describe its length and character, such as a brief citrus impression or lingering oak. Barrel finishing is a separate use of the word.
Also found as: aftertaste, tasting finish
Sources
- WSET — Candidate Assessment Guide: Tasting — Spirits: Finish, intensity and complexity.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Flavor wheel#
A flavor wheel groups tasting descriptions so you can put a drink’s aromas and flavors into words.
Start with a broad family, such as fruit or spice, then look for a more specific description. Patrón’s tequila wheel follows this inside-to-outside approach.
Also found as: flavour wheel, tasting wheel, aroma wheel, rueda de aromas
Sources
- Academia Patrón — Tequila Tasting Wheel — Tequila Tasting Wheel: usage and shared vocabulary.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- French oak#
French oak refers to oak of French origin used for barrels.
Código 1530 describes aging its reposado in French white oak barrels previously used for Napa Valley Cabernet wine. Wood origin and previous contents both help describe the barrel.
Also found as: French white oak
- Fructans#
Fructans are carbohydrates built largely from linked fructose units that agaves store as an energy reserve.
Hydrolysis breaks these chains into smaller sugars that yeast can ferment. Agave fructans include branched structures, so “inulin” is not a precise name for every agave carbohydrate.
Also found as: fructan, fructanos, agavins, agavinas
Sources
- Enzymatic hydrolysis of fructans in the tequila production process — Abstract: agave fructans and hydrolysis.
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Jugo de agave, printed pp. 246–247.
- Molecular structures of fructans from Agave tequilana Weber var. azul — Abstract and conclusion.
Checked 4 October 2026.
G
- Garrafón#
A garrafón is a large bottle or jug used to hold liquid.
The traditional demijohn form has a rounded body and short neck. The word identifies the container, so check separately what it holds and how much.
Also found as: garrafon, demijohn, damajuana
- Glycerin#
Glycerin, also called glycerol, is one of the ingredients permitted in tequila’s abocado treatment.
The tequila standard lists it among the ingredients used to soften flavor.
Also found as: glycerine, glycerol, glicerina
- Gusano#
Gusano means “worm”; in mezcal, it usually refers to an agave-associated insect larva.
Larvae appear in some mezcal bottles and in sal de gusano. A 2023 study identified the larvae in its sampled bottles as the agave redworm moth, Comadia redtenbacheri.
Also found as: agave worm, mezcal worm, gusano de maguey
Sources
- Mezcal worm in a bottle: DNA evidence suggests a single moth species — Abstract and results.
- Del Maguey — sal de gusano ingredients — Ingredients: sal de gusano.
Checked 4 October 2026.
H
- Hecho en México#
Hecho en México means “Made in Mexico.”
Mexico’s tequila standard requires this wording or an equivalent origin statement on the label. It is separate from the tequila’s class and agave-sugar category.
Also found as: hecho en mexico, made in Mexico, producto de Mexico
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 11.1(i), 11.2.2; 5 Categories and classes.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Highlands#
In tequila, the Highlands usually means Los Altos, the elevated growing region in Jalisco.
Tequila Ocho describes single-estate fields in and around this region. A named growing site gives more detail than the regional label alone.
Also found as: Los Altos, Jalisco Highlands
Sources
- Tequila Ocho — terroir and growing fields — Single Estate; San Jerónimo.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Hijuelos#
Hijuelos are young shoots that grow from an agave’s root system.
Growers can separate and replant these offshoots to produce plants genetically matching the parent.
Also found as: agave pups, offshoots, hijuelo
- Horno#
Spanish for “oven”: equipment used to cook agave before fermentation.
In tequila descriptions, horno often means a masonry oven. Mezcal may be cooked in a pit oven or another permitted type, depending on its category.
Also found as: oven, hornos
Sources
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Hydrolysis#
Hydrolysis breaks the agave’s complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars that can be fermented.
Heating agave is one way to cause this conversion. The tequila standard also recognizes chemical and enzymatic methods, so the word alone does not identify the cooking equipment.
Also found as: hidrólisis, saccharification
J
- Jícara#
A jícara is a small bowl traditionally made from a dried gourd and used to serve mezcal.
Its broad, open shape differs from a narrow shot glass.
Also found as: jicara, gourd cup
Sources
- Del Maguey — vasos mezcaleros — Jícara: tradición, ritual y carácter terroso.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Jigger#
A jigger is a measuring cup used to portion spirits and other cocktail ingredients.
Many have two ends holding different volumes. Sizes vary, so use the markings on the tool rather than assuming every jigger measures the same amount.
Also found as: cocktail measure, bar measure
Sources
- Diageo Bar Academy — How to Use a Jigger — Styles and Measurements; Common Measurements.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Jima#
Jima is the harvest of an agave: cutting it free and removing its leaves to obtain the piña.
A jimador does this work, commonly using a coa. The piña contains the stem and leaf bases used to make the spirit.
Also found as: agave harvest, harvesting
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.20.
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Jimador.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Jimador#
A worker who harvests agave, cutting away the leaves to expose the piña.
In tequila production, the jimador commonly uses a long-handled coa.
Also found as: jimadora, jimadores
- Joven#
A class whose meaning changes between tequila and mezcal.
Tequila Joven tequila is blanco blended with aged tequila, or blanco treated with permitted mellowing ingredients. It is also called oro or gold.
Mezcal Joven mezcal, also called blanco, is colorless and has undergone no further processing after distillation.
Joven means “young” in Spanish. Check which spirit the label describes.
Also found as: oro, gold
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.36.2; 5.2.2.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.5(a).
Checked 4 October 2026.
K
- Karwinskii#
An agave species used for mezcal, associated with common names including Barril, Madrecuixe and Tobaziche.
These names describe locally recognized forms of Agave karwinskii. Check the producer and place when comparing agave names.
Also found as: Agave karwinskii, karwinski
L
- Lactic fermentation#
Lactic fermentation is the conversion of sugars into lactic acid by microorganisms.
Lactic acid bacteria can work alongside yeasts in agave fermentation, changing acidity and interacting with the organisms that produce alcohol and aroma compounds.
Also found as: lactic acid fermentation
Sources
- Colón-González et al. — Thriving in Adversity: Yeasts in the Agave Fermentation Environment — 1.1: lactic acid bacteria in agave fermentation.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Liqueur#
A liqueur is an alcoholic drink made by flavoring and sweetening a spirit.
Fruit, herbs, spices and cream are among the possible ingredients. Triple sec is an orange-flavored example used in Margaritas.
Also found as: licor, liqueurs
Sources
- WSET — Level 2 Award in Spirits specification — Learning Outcome 3, Liqueurs.
- International Bartenders Association — Margarita — Ingredients.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Lot number#
A lot number identifies a defined batch of bottled spirit.
It helps connect a bottle to the producer’s batch records. In the tequila standard, a lot is packaged during a specified period and carries an identifying code.
Also found as: batch number, lote
- Lowlands#
In tequila, Lowlands commonly refers to the Tequila Valley and surrounding growing areas in Jalisco.
Herradura describes its agave growing around Amatitán in this region. The name is relative to the Highlands; the growing sites are still above sea level.
Also found as: Los Bajos, Tequila Valley, Valley
Sources
- Herradura — tequila production — Heritage Blue Weber Agave.
- Fortaleza — Blanco Still Strength — Agave Source: Tequila Valley.
Checked 4 October 2026.
M
- Madurado en vidrio#
Madurado en vidrio is mezcal matured in glass for more than 12 months.
The mezcal standard specifies underground storage or conditions with minimal variation in light, temperature and humidity. Glass maturation is distinct from the wood aging used for reposado and añejo.
Also found as: glass matured, glass maturation
- Maestro mezcalero#
A maestro mezcalero is an experienced mezcal maker who directs production.
The work brings together decisions about agave selection, cooking, fermentation and distillation. Learning who made a mezcal helps connect the bottle to the person and methods behind it.
Also found as: maestra mezcalera, mezcal maker
Sources
- Del Maguey — maestro mezcalero — The Role of a Maestro Mezcalero; production responsibilities.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Maillard reaction#
The Maillard reaction is a series of reactions between sugars and amino compounds that creates new aromas, flavors and brown pigments.
It can occur during agave cooking. Caramelization also changes heated sugars, but follows a different route that does not require amino compounds.
Also found as: Maillard browning, reaccion de Maillard, reacción de Maillard
Sources
- ACS — Sweet Science: Having Fun with Candy Chemistry — Slides 19–21.
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Minor compounds in cooked agave juice, printed p. 247.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Mampostería#
Mampostería means masonry; in tequila production it usually describes a brick or stone cooking oven.
Agave is loaded into the oven and heated with steam. The masonry describes the oven’s construction, while horno is the general Spanish word for oven.
Also found as: mamposteria, mamposteo, horno de mamposteria, masonry oven
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Horno de mamposteo, printed pp. 164–166.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Margarita#
A Margarita is a tequila cocktail made with lime juice and orange liqueur.
The International Bartenders Association’s version uses tequila, triple sec and fresh lime, shaken with ice and served in a chilled cocktail glass. A salt rim is optional.
Sources
- International Bartenders Association — Margarita — Ingredients; Method; Garnish.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Methanol#
Methanol is a toxic alcohol, chemically different from the ethanol that makes up most of a spirit’s alcohol.
Small amounts arise naturally during agave processing, including from pectin breakdown. Mexico’s tequila standard sets a limit on methanol in the finished spirit.
Also found as: methyl alcohol, metanol, wood alcohol
Sources
- CDC / NIOSH — Methanol: Systemic Agent — Agent Characteristics.
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Hidrólisis, printed p. 161.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 6.1.1, Table 1.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Mexicano#
Mexicano is a local agave name used for mezcal, including plants identified as Agave rhodacantha.
Ndudi’ Ñuhu in San Juan Tamazola, Oaxaca, identifies its Mexicano this way. Local names can vary, so retain the producer and place when comparing them.
Also found as: maguey mexicano
- Mezcal#
A Mexican spirit distilled from fermented cooked agave.
Mezcal has a protected denomination of origin. Certified mezcal must meet its geographic and production requirements; the standard recognizes Mezcal, Mezcal Artesanal and Mezcal Ancestral categories.
Also found as: mescal
- Mezcalería#
A mezcalería is a place that specializes in selling mezcal.
In a travel or drinking guide, it commonly means a mezcal bar or shop. A palenque is where mezcal is made.
Also found as: mezcaleria, mezcal bar
Sources
- CIATEJ — Breviario Mezcalero: regionalismos y términos comunes — Mezcalería, printed p. 188.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Mixto#
Mixto is the common name for tequila whose fermentation sugars include sources other than blue agave.
The official category is simply “Tequila.” At least 51% of its fermentation sugars, by mass, must come from blue agave; up to 49% may come from other permitted sources. Those percentages describe sugars before fermentation, rather than the finished liquid.
Also found as: mixed tequila
- Molino#
Molino means “mill”: equipment used to break up agave during processing.
The word can describe different designs. A tahona crushes with a stone wheel, while a roller mill works the agave through metal rollers.
Also found as: mill, molienda
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Chapter 6: Tahona; Molinos de masas.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Mosto#
Mosto is the sugar-rich liquid prepared for fermentation.
In tequila production, it contains sugars obtained from hydrolyzed agave. For the category commonly called mixto, other permitted fermentation sugars can also be included.
Also found as: must, mostos
N
- Neat#
Neat means a spirit served by itself, without ice or a mixer.
It is a serving choice for tasting the bottled spirit as poured.
Also found as: served neat
Sources
- Diageo Bar Academy — Roe & Co serves — Roe & Co Neat serving description.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- NOM#
Short for Norma Oficial Mexicana, an official Mexican standard. On a tequila label, the accompanying producer number identifies the authorized producer.
NOM-006-SCFI-2012 is the tequila standard itself. The shorter number beside NOM on the bottle identifies its authorized producer, which may make several brands.
Also found as: Norma Oficial Mexicana, NOM number
How to read a tequila NOM number →
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.29; 10.4; 10.5; 11.1(j).
Checked 4 October 2026.
O
- Oak extract#
Oak extract is an ingredient made from oak and permitted in tequila’s abocado treatment.
Adding an extract is a different process from leaving a spirit to mature in an oak barrel.
Also found as: extracto de roble, extracto de encino
- On the rocks#
On the rocks means a drink served over ice.
The ice chills the drink and gradually adds water as it melts.
Also found as: over ice, rocks
Sources
- Diageo Bar Academy — A Bartending Guide to Glassware — Old Fashioned glasses.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Ordinario#
Ordinario is the spirit collected after the first distillation in tequila’s usual two-distillation process.
It is distilled again to make the finished spirit.
Also found as: first distillate
- Oxidation#
In spirit maturation, oxidation describes chemical changes involving oxygen.
Small amounts of oxygen enter through a barrel and react with the spirit, changing its aroma and flavor over time.
Also found as: oxidacion, oxidación
Sources
- WSET — The alchemy of oak: barrel ageing in spirits — Oxidation refines aroma and texture.
Checked 4 October 2026.
P
- Palenque#
A local term for an agave-spirit distillery, particularly in parts of Oaxaca.
At Ixcateco in Santa María Ixcatlán, for example, palenque describes a small family-run production site.
Also found as: palenques
- Paloma#
A Paloma is a tequila and grapefruit cocktail, commonly made with grapefruit soda.
The International Bartenders Association’s version includes lime and a pinch of salt, served with ice in a highball glass.
- Pechuga#
Pechuga is a mezcal style commonly redistilled with poultry breast and other ingredients, such as fruit or spices.
Pechuga means “breast” in Spanish. Recipes vary, so check the producer’s ingredient description—especially if you avoid animal products.
Also found as: mezcal de pechuga
Sources
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.5(f).
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Pechuga.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Penca#
A penca is a fleshy agave leaf.
The leaves are cut away during jima, leaving the piña for spirit production.
Also found as: pencas, agave leaf
Sources
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Pencas.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.20.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Perlas#
Perlas are the small bubbles that form when mezcal is poured or squirted into a vessel.
Experienced makers observe them as a traditional indication of strength. Bubble behavior depends on alcohol concentration and other compounds in the liquid.
Also found as: pearls, mezcal bubbles, perlado
Sources
- Brown University — science behind mezcal bubbles — Research findings on bubble lifetime and alcohol concentration.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Piña#
The harvested heart of an agave plant after its leaves have been removed.
Piña means “pineapple,” a reference to its appearance. It is the part processed to make tequila and mezcal.
Also found as: pina, agave heart, agave head, cabeza
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.2; 4.20; 4.36.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.4.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Proof#
In the United States, proof is twice the alcohol by volume percentage.
An 80-proof spirit is 40% ABV; a 100-proof spirit is 50% ABV. Use the ABV figure when comparing labels from different markets.
Also found as: US proof, alcohol proof
- Pulque#
A traditional Mexican alcoholic drink made by fermenting aguamiel, the sap of maguey.
Pulque is a fermented drink; tequila and mezcal undergo distillation after fermentation.
Sources
- SIAP — maguey pulquero — Page 1: opening description, Product and Uses.
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.36.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 3.17.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Puntas#
Puntas is a term used for an early, high-strength portion of an agave-spirit distillation.
The precise cut depends on the producer. Tequila Ocho’s 2024 Puntas selected the end of the heads and beginning of the heart, then added water before bottling at 54% ABV.
Also found as: early cut
Sources
- Tequila Ocho — 2024 Plata Puntas release — Description of cut selection and 2024 bottling strength.
Checked 4 October 2026.
Q
- Quiote#
The tall flowering stalk produced by a mature agave.
Preparing a maguey for aguamiel collection involves preventing the flower stalk from developing.
Also found as: cuiote, flower stalk
Sources
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Quiote.
- IMPI — aguamiel production in Hidalgo — I.3 Extraction and production.
Checked 4 October 2026.
R
- Raicilla#
Raicilla is an agave spirit with a protected origin in parts of Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico.
Its traditions include coastal and highland production using different agaves. The denomination covers its own region and production requirements.
Sources
- IMPI — Raicilla denomination of origin — II.4 Product description; II.5 Geographical territory.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Rectification#
In tequila production, rectification commonly refers to the second distillation of ordinario.
It increases the alcohol concentration and helps shape which flavor compounds remain in the collected spirit.
Also found as: rectifying, rectificación, rectificacion
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Chapter 9: rectificación, printed pp. 272–274.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Refrescadora#
A refrescadora is a water-cooled section around the head of some mezcal stills.
Cooling makes some rising vapor condense inside the still, where it can evaporate again. This adds internal rectification; designs and the number of distillation runs vary by producer.
Also found as: refrescadera
Sources
- Omar Muñoz / Mezcalistas — Refrescadera — Equipment description; cooling and internal rectification.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Reposado#
An aging class for tequila and mezcal; reposado means “rested.”
Tequila Reposado tequila is aged for at least two months in direct contact with oak.
Mezcal Reposado mezcal spends between two and 12 months in wooden containers.
The spirit determines the wood and time requirements.
Also found as: aged
Sources
- Mexico’s tequila standard — NOM-006-SCFI-2012 — 4.36.3.
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.5(c).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Roller mill#
A roller mill crushes agave between metal rollers to help release its juice.
Water can be applied during milling to wash sugars from the fibers. The collected liquid continues to fermentation.
Also found as: roller milling, tren de molinos
Sources
- CRT — Manual del Técnico Tequilero — Chapter 6: Molinos de masas, printed pp. 175–177.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- RTD#
RTD means ready-to-drink: a packaged drink sold already prepared for drinking.
In the alcohol aisle, RTDs include premixed cocktails, hard seltzers and wine-based drinks. Read the label for the actual alcohol base and strength.
Also found as: ready to drink, ready-to-drink, premixed drink, pre-mixed drink
S
- Sal de gusano#
Sal de gusano is a seasoning made with salt, dried agave larvae and chile.
It is served with mezcal or used on a cocktail rim. It contains insect ingredients.
Also found as: worm salt
- Salmiana#
Salmiana refers to Agave salmiana, a species used to make drinks including mezcal.
Derrumbes uses agave identified as Salmiana Crassispina for its San Luis Potosí mezcal, made in Bocas.
Also found as: Agave salmiana
Sources
- Derrumbes — San Luis Potosí — San Luis Potosí: Joven Salmiana Crassispina.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Sangrita#
Sangrita is a savory, spicy drink served alongside tequila.
Recipes vary, often using tomato or fruit with salty and spicy ingredients.
- Shot#
A shot is a small serving of spirits, often poured into a small glass.
The serving volume varies by country and venue. A shot-glass shape or the word “shot” on a menu does not establish the amount poured.
Also found as: shot glass, chupito
Sources
- Diageo Bar Academy — A Bartending Guide to Glassware — Shot glass section.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Silvestre#
Silvestre means “wild” and describes agave growing outside a cultivated field.
Wild agave can still be managed by local communities. Ask how the plants were grown and harvested when that matters to your choice.
Also found as: wild agave
Sources
- Del Maguey — agave management and nurseries — Gestión de agaves salvajes en aldeas productores.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Single estate#
Single estate describes a tequila made with agave from one identified estate or growing site.
Tequila Ocho’s Single Estate range identifies the field, or rancho, for each harvest. This helps drinkers compare where the agave came from across bottlings.
Also found as: single-estate, single estate tequila
Sources
- Tequila Ocho — terroir and growing fields — Pure Terroir — Single Estate.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Snifter#
A snifter is a stemmed tasting glass with a broad bowl that narrows toward the rim.
Also called a brandy balloon, it is often used for dark spirits. The bowl and rim shape help present the drink’s aromas.
Also found as: brandy balloon, balloon glass
Sources
- Diageo Bar Academy — A Bartending Guide to Glassware — Brandy balloon section.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Solera#
Solera is a system that blends liquid of different ages by replacing part of an older batch with younger liquid.
The classic sherry system moves liquid through successive age groups. Because only part is withdrawn each time, the bottled result contains a mixture of ages.
Also found as: criaderas y solera, solera system, fractional blending
- Sotol#
Sotol is a Mexican spirit made from Dasylirion plants, rather than agave.
Its protected region covers Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango. You may see sotol alongside tequila and mezcal, but its plant source makes it a distinct drink.
Sources
- Secretaría de Agricultura — Mexican denominations of origin — Sotol.
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Sotol.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Spontaneous fermentation#
Spontaneous fermentation starts with microorganisms already present in the ingredients, equipment and surroundings.
Agave fermentations can involve several yeast and bacterial species working together. Producers may instead add a selected starter culture to begin fermentation.
Also found as: wild fermentation, natural fermentation
Sources
- Colón-González et al. — Thriving in Adversity: Yeasts in the Agave Fermentation Environment — Abstract; agave must as a microbial habitat.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Still strength#
Still strength describes spirit bottled at the alcohol strength at which it leaves the still.
For example, Fortaleza describes its 46% ABV Still Strength blanco as bottled without adding water. Check the producer’s explanation and the label’s ABV for the particular bottle.
Also found as: still-strength, undiluted
Sources
- Fortaleza — Blanco Still Strength — Production Details; Tasting Notes.
Checked 4 October 2026.
T
- Tahona#
A large stone wheel used to crush cooked agave.
Crushing helps release the juice and breaks up the plant fibers before fermentation.
Also found as: stone wheel
Sources
- Academia Patrón — production vocabulary — Tahona.
- Ixcateco — how we make agave spirit — Milling & Fermenting.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Tannins#
Tannins are compounds that can create a drying or grippy sensation in the mouth.
Oak can contribute tannins as a spirit matures, affecting its texture as well as its overall character.
Also found as: tannin, tannic
Sources
- WSET — The secret language of wine: what is mouthfeel? — Tannins.
- WSET — The alchemy of oak: barrel ageing in spirits — Oak adds flavour.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Tepeztate#
Tepeztate, also spelled Tepextate, is a local name for Agave marmorata used in mezcal.
Del Maguey identifies its Tepextate with this species. The plant name helps distinguish it from Espadín and other agaves.
Also found as: tepextate, Agave marmorata
- Tequila#
Tequila is a Mexican spirit made by fermenting and distilling sugars from blue agave within its protected region.
The two sugar-source categories are “100% agave” and “Tequila,” the latter often called mixto. Blanco, reposado and añejo describe separate classifications of the finished spirit.
- Terroir#
Terroir describes how a place’s growing conditions and local practices contribute to a drink’s character.
In agave spirits, this can include soil, climate and the growing site. Tequila Ocho uses individual field releases to explore those differences.
Also found as: sense of place, growing conditions
Sources
- Tequila Ocho — terroir and growing fields — Of the Earth; Single Estate.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Tina#
A tina is a vat or tub; in agave-spirit production, it commonly means a fermentation vessel.
Vessels can be made from wood, clay, masonry or other materials, depending on the producer and the rules for the spirit’s category.
Also found as: tinas, fermentation vat, fermentation tank
Sources
- Mexico’s mezcal standard — NOM-070-SCFI-2016 — 4.4.1(c); 4.4.2(c); 4.4.3(c).
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Tinacal#
A tinacal is the place where aguamiel is fermented into pulque.
It houses the vessels used for fermentation and is a central part of traditional pulque production.
Also found as: pulque fermentation room
Sources
- INAH — the pulque route and tinacales — Tinacal and the fermentation of aguamiel.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Tlachiquero#
A person who collects aguamiel, the sweet sap of maguey used to make pulque.
The work includes preparing and scraping a cavity in the living plant and gathering the sap that collects there.
Also found as: tlachiquera, tlachiqueros
Sources
- IMPI — aguamiel production in Hidalgo — I.3 Extraction and production.
- SIAP — maguey pulquero — Page 1: opening description, Product and Uses.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Tobalá#
Tobalá is a local agave name commonly associated with Agave potatorum in mezcal.
Del Maguey uses that botanical identification for its Tobalá. Local naming and the producer’s stated plant identity are useful when comparing bottles.
Also found as: tobala, Agave potatorum
- Triple distillation#
Triple distillation means the spirit has gone through three distillations.
Tres Generaciones describes this process for its Plata tequila. The term tells you about production; the resulting character also depends on the equipment and distiller’s choices.
Also found as: triple distilled, triple-distilled
- Triple sec#
Triple sec is a style of orange-flavored liqueur commonly used in cocktails.
It supplies orange flavor and sweetness in a classic Margarita. Cointreau is a familiar example; check the chosen bottle’s ABV when making a substitution.
Also found as: triple-sec, orange liqueur
Sources
- Cointreau — Orange liqueur and triple sec — Official product description.
- International Bartenders Association — Margarita — Ingredients.
- WSET — Level 2 Award in Spirits specification — Learning Outcome 3, Liqueurs.
Checked 4 October 2026.
V
- Venencia#
In mezcal production, a venencia is a hollow reed used to draw up liquid and release it into a vessel.
The resulting bubbles, or perlas, help experienced makers estimate alcohol strength. It is a practical traditional estimate, rather than an exact laboratory measurement.
Also found as: venenciar, venecia
Sources
- CIATEJ — Breviario Mezcalero: regionalismos y términos comunes — Venencia and Venenciar, printed pp. 282–283.
- Brown University — science behind mezcal bubbles — Bubble size and lifetime research.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Vinata#
A vinata is a regional name for a place where mezcal or another traditional spirit is made.
La Luna uses the word for its production site in Michoacán, where agave is cooked, fermented and distilled.
Also found as: vinatas, viñata
Sources
- La Luna Mezcal — Artisanal mezcal from Michoacán — La Luna Artisanal Mezcal production account.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Vinazas#
Vinazas are the liquid residues left after distillation of fermented material.
Agave distilleries must manage this waste stream. Its composition and treatment determine how it can be handled or reused.
Also found as: vinasse, vinaza, stillage
Sources
- Utilization of vinasses as soil amendment: consequences and perspectives — Abstract; composition and environmental considerations.
Checked 4 October 2026.
- Viscosity#
Viscosity is a liquid’s resistance to flowing.
Honey has higher viscosity than water. In tasting language, viscosity helps describe a drink’s sense of thickness and body.
Also found as: viscous, viscosidad
Sources
- NIST — Rheology — Definition and honey/water comparison.
- WSET — The secret language of wine: what is mouthfeel? — Body; Not just wine.
Checked 4 October 2026.
Y
- Yeast#
Yeasts are microscopic fungi that turn fermentable sugars into alcohol and other compounds.
Agave fermentations can contain several species. Producers may use selected cultures or rely on local microbial communities.
Also found as: yeasts, levadura, levaduras
Sources
- Colón-González et al. — Thriving in Adversity: Yeasts in the Agave Fermentation Environment — Abstract; 1.2 Yeast species.
Checked 4 October 2026.
Follow the word further
Use the guide links for a fuller explanation, and “Sources” to check where a definition comes from. Tequila and mezcal classifications follow Mexico’s respective standards. Common plant names reflect local and producer usage.