100% Agave Tequila Agave tequila is the pure version of tequila. It is also known as 100% blue agave. This type of tequila utilizes sugar that comes purely from blue agave. That’s where it derives its name from.
Like its name suggests, mixto tequila is “mixed” with other ingredients. In fact, many of the tequila brands on American shelves qualify as mixto, meaning only 51% of the drink needs to be an agave spirit. What about the remaining 49%? Well, it’s usually made from non-agave ingredients like molasses, a Mexican cane sugar called piloncillo or high fructose corn syrup. Generally cheaper to produce, these mixtos can also contain nasty flavorings, glycerin and thickeners.
First things first: tequila, a distilled spirit made from the spiky blue agave plant, must be made in Jalisco (such is the case with champagne, which must be made in the region of Champagne, France to be labeled as champagne). So, you’ll want to look for a Made In Mexico label that reads: “100 percent agave” or “100 percent blue Weber agave.” The math is simple too: 100% tequila is exactly 100% pure agave and nothing else.
All tequilas are allowed to add 4 different kinds of additives up to 1% of volume: sugar-based syrup, glycerin, oak extract, and caramel color. Most 100% agave brands say “absolutely not” to this allowance, instead relying on quality of agave, process, and barrels when aged. Mixtos, on the other hand, use them as a crutch to hide the defects in the production process and less than desired flavors. These additional sugars, artificial flavors, and chemicals make your body feel just like they do in any other product: not so hot.
Our answer lies in a simple distinction between two categories: Tequila Mixtos and 100% Blue Agave Tequila. Choosing products with the latter on the label is the number one rule in quality Tequila selection. Selecting anything missing this label, may send you back to those not-so-good ol’ days.
We’ve all had those nights where we start with a nice cocktail, maybe bourbon based, and switch to red wine for dinner. The next morning, crawling out of bed, head pounding, we wonder where we went wrong. Mixing alcohol has generally been accepted as a bad idea and with mixto tequilas, it happens right away, in every single drink that you consume. In addition to the sugary mixers they are usually paired with, you’re teeing yourself up for a bad time.
If asked about their first experience with tequila, unfortunately, most folks do not have a positive story to tell. That infamous bottle of gold labeled liquid could be passed around a table like a torch, each person reliving those not so fond memories. How can this experience be so similar for so many people? And how is it that we’ve come to love and enjoy the good Tequila the way we do now?
Tequilas that say 100% Blue Agave on the label are spirits made from just that, 100% Blue Agave. Tequila Mixtos on the other hand, are only required to be made from 51% Blue Agave sugars, and the other 49% can be made from any other kind of sugar. Doesn’t sound too bad when we say it that way but let’s break it down a little bit further and see why we really want to stay away from those mixto tequilas.
What Brands Of Tequila Are 100% Blue Agave
FAQ
Is there a difference between 100% agave and 100% blue agave?
What is the difference between agave and blue agave?
What does 100 agave mean?
Is Jose Cuervo blue agave 100 agave?
What is a 100 percent agave tequila?
Regulations allow the synonyms 100 percent de agave, 100 percent puro de agave, and 100 percent puro agave, to which the word “azul” [“blue”] may be added. While tequila and the Blue Weber Agave in it must come from Mexico, the agave’s name came from France — specifically, from Frédéric Albert Constantin Weber.
What is the difference between blue agave and Tequila?
Blue Agave vs. Other Agave Plants: Understanding the Differences Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Blue agave is the most commonly used type of agave in the production of tequila due to its high sugar content and unique flavor profile.
What is the difference between agave & Blue Ave?
Agave and blue agave may have substantially different sensory properties, nutrients, and uses. These differences may include, Agave: Agave is derived mainly from the nectar of the Agave Salmiana or Green, Grey, Thorny, and Rainbow agave varieties. Blue Agave: Blue agave is derived from nectar of the Agave tequilana (also known as Blue Agave)
Is agave a sweetener?
Agave is mainly derived from plant sources. It is a sweetener, commercially manufactured from several species of agave, containing Agave tequilana and Agave salmiana . The main difference between Agave and Blue Agave is that blue agave is exclusively from the Blue Agave plant (Agave tequilana).