Timeline:
The Spanish bring distilling pots to Mexico and begin cooking the Mezcal plant. Mezcal was the first distilled spirit in the American continent.
The population of Santiago de Tequila was founded April 15th, 1530, when the Franciscans led by Fray Juan Calero, arrived in this region with indigenous from the Chiquihuitillo which was entrusted to Juan de Escarcena.
It was the expedition led by Nuno de Guzman, who in 1529 left the “New Tenochtitlan” in search of fortune. Nuno de Guzman was responsible for colonizing “Nueva Galicia”, part of what is currently known as the State of Jalisco. The first Spanish settlements in what is now Jalisco were founded in: San Miguel, Chiametla, Compostela, Purification, and Guadalajara. In “Nueva Galicia” the Spaniards discovered a tribe of indians known as the "Tiquili" they were a faction of the Toltecs. Their village "Tequitlan," land of hard labor," is later shortened by the Spaniards to "Tequila”.
With the intention of propelling the flow of Spanish Brandy into Mexico, King Phillip II prohibits the growing of grapevines in Mexico, this later works in favor of the production of Tequila, since the grow of Agave went unnoticed by the King.
Don Juan Canesco y Quinones authorized the growth and production of Mezcal. He also imposed tax collection on the production of this spirit.
The Swedish Botanist Carl Linnaeus classified the Agave plant as "Agave Tequilana", from the Greek word "Agavos" meaning noble.
Jose Antonio Montaño y Cuervo, purchases an existing tavern, he names it: La Taberna de Cuervo.
Spain prohibits production of Spirits in their American Colonies. In 1785, King Charles III of Spain decided to prohibit the production of spirits in their American colonies, again with the purpose of promoting the importation of Spanish wines and liquors. Tequila was then produced secretly until Fernando IV repealed this prohibition. The Spanish authorities had sought to suppress Mexican liquor production because it threatened to compete with Spanish brandy. This suppression led to the establishment of illicit distilling in many remote areas, including parts of Colima and Jalisco. Even today, the word "tuba", which means coconut wine in the Filipino Tagalog language, is used in Jalisco for me.
In order to collect taxes on Mezcal, King Ferdinand IV once again imposes taxes on mezcal.
King Charles IV grants large tracks of land and the first rights to commercially Tequila produce Mezcal wine to Jose Guadalupe Cuervo, son of Jose Antonio
During the night of September 15th, Hidalgo declared war against the government in what was known as the 'Grito de Dolores'. On the dawn of September 16th, the revolutionary army decided to strike for independence and marched on to Guanajuato, a major colonial mining centre governed by Spaniards and criollos. There the leading citizens barricaded themselves in the granary. The rebel army captured the granary on 28 September, and most of the Spaniards and Criollos were massacred or exiled. This is how it all began, and as of result of Mexico's Independence from Spain, the future of Tequila was no longer in the hands of the Crown.
The US enters Mexico through Veracruz, American soldiers are exposed to the wonders of Mezcal wine as they moved south.
During the US Civil War, the sales of Tequila across Rio Grande increased due to the shortage of Whiskey.
The Mezcal wine from the region of Jalisco is officially named Tequila, this in order to distinguish it from Mezcal spirits produced in the south of Mexico, such as those produced in Oaxaca.
Railroad System to the North of Mexico boosts sales of Tequila
Don Cenobio Sauza, founder of Sauza Tequila and Municipal President of the Village of Tequila from 1884-1885, was the first to export tequila to the United States. Don Cenobio's grandson Don Francisco Javier gained international attention for insisting that "there cannot be tequila where there are no agaves!" His efforts led to the practice that real tequila can only come from the State of Jalisco.
In 1897, Carl Lumholtz, the famous Norwegian ethnologist, who spent several years living with remote Indian tribes in Mexico, found that the Huichol Indians in eastern Nayarti distilled agave juice using simple pot stills, the pots being quite unlike any other Spanish or pre-Columbian vessels.
The Botanist Franz Weber categorizes the agave plant and names it "Agave Azul Tequilana Weber".
The first tequila bottling plant is built in Monterrey, Mexico. Ever since, the city of Monterrey has maintained its leadership in the innovation of technology, this aside from being a beatiful city.
In 1910, the Mexican Revolution took place. At that time, Tequila was associated with the revolutionary heroes of the period, this fabulous drink is adopted by the people as a symbol of national pride. Years later, the expansion of Tequila expanded into International markets.
In 1918, the Spanish Flu epidemic spreads across Europe and the US killing over 100 million people in five years, eventually the Flu found its way to Mexico. Due to the lack of medicine and hospitals in Mexico, doctors prescribed Tequila, lime and salt as a treatment against the Flu for people of all ages. This could have very well have started the prefered way to enjoy Tequila in the present day, which is by first licking salt off your hand, then drinking a tequila shot, this followed by biting into a slice of fresh lime.
During the 1930s, the Prohibition in the United States banned the importation of all liquors. The challenges presented of introducing European spirits into the country provided Tequila a great advantage since it was easily smuggled into the US. This boosted the popularity of Tequila.
Don Julio Gonzalez at age 17 opens his distillery, La Primavera in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco.
In the 1950s, Tequila consolidates its status along with Mexican cinema and music, since the movies of the period created mexican symbols surrounding three typical elements of Jalisco: the charro, the mariachi and, of course, Tequila.
Tequila producers ask the Mexican government for permission to dilute Tequila with other sugars as demand increases and Agave supplies deminish, creating the first Agave shortage and first "legal" mixtos.
In October 31, 1959, the Tequila Chamber (CNIT) is established thanks to the interest of the Tequila companies to join together to face the challenges of the sector.
Heublein, Inc. begins importing Jose Cuervo Tequilas into the US market. It is amber color with a sweet profile perfect for the American palate.
Sauza distillery formed a partnership with the leading Mexican brandy producer, Pedro Domecq.
"The margin a seal with the national emblem that says: United Mexican States .-- Department of Patrimony and Industrial Development .-- DG Inventions and Trademarks.
Number of craft: 16-I-57348." For complete details on this Declaration or any Tequila regulatory matters, visit the CRT website at:
In 1978, the Appellation of Origin Tequila is registered before the World Industrial Property Organization (WIPO), formally initiating is international protection. "An appellation of origin is a special kind of geographical indication, used on products that have a specific quality that is exclusively or essentially due to the geographical environment in which the products are produced. The concept of geographical indication encompasses appellations of origin. Examples of appellations of origin which are protected in states party to the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration include “Habana” for tobacco grown in the Havana region of Cuba, or “Tequila” for spirits produced in particular areas of Mexico."
Source: WIPO "Understanding Industrial Property". Refer to the following link for the offical WIPO document.
Don Julio Gonzales celebrates his 60 the. Birthday, his sons commemorate this date by creating a Tequila in his name, Don Julio, which is launched in 1987.
Pedro Domecq's complete purchase of Sauza distillery in 1988.
"The Tequila Regulatory Council, A.C. is the organization dedicated to promoting quality, culture and prestige of Tequila." For furhter details, visit the CRT's official website at:
Agave supplies in Mexico diminished due to the high demand for Tequila, this in addition to a Fungal infestation (Fusarium oxisporum) affecting Agave plants.
A bilateral agreement is signed to protect Tequila in the European Union. The Agreement, called the EU-Mexico Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement, entered into force in 2000 and has considerably strengthened bilateral relations between the EU and Mexico. This boosts sales of Tequila in the European Union.
The Official Tequila Standard comes into effect (NOM-006-SCFI-1994). For furhter details, visit the CRT's official website at:
Prices of Blue Agave reached an all time high due to the popularity of Tequila in the US and around the world.
Mexico and Japan reached a free-trade agreement in March, 2004. The pact between the two countries was signed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Mexican President Vicente Fox in Mexico City. According to the Foreign Ministry, Japan imported 680 million yen worth of tequila in 2003, almost twice as much from the previous year.
Fortune Brands acquires Sauza through the purchase of Allied Domecq Allied Lyos acquired Pedro Domecq in 1994, Allied Domecq was formed. The brand was purchased by Fortune Brands on July 26, 2005.
The Official Tequila Standard comes into effect (NOM-006-SCFI-2005 Bebidas alcohólicas-Tequila-Especificaciones). Among other changes, this norm introduced a category of tequila called "extra añejo" or "ultra-aged" which must be aged a minimum of 3 years. For furhter details, visit the CRT's official website at:
"Brown-Forman Corporation and Grupo Industrial Herradura, S.A. de C.V. (Casa Herradura), announced today that Brown-Forman has completed its previously announced acquisition of substantially all of the assets of the Mexican tequila company for $776 million. The purchase price was originally agreed to be $876 million, but was subsequently amended by mutual agreement of the parties. The final price is subject to customary post-closing working capital adjustments." Source: Brown-Forman News