No problems bringing you the latest update tonight after all. It didn't take long for me to decide that tequila wasn't for me. I'll stick to my rum, saki, red wine, port and beer. I was a disappointment to the tour guide and he tried but wasn't able to convince me to keep sampling, but others took my place willingly.
Beautiful day, clear blue skies and a temperature high of around 28 degrees C. The town of Tequila is considered the home of tequila, like Guadalajara is with Mariachi music. We headed off in the direction of Tequila, first stopping at the Tres Mujeres, Three Women, tequileria. While the harvest and processing processes were not in operation, we were given a demonstration of the harvesting process. All done by hand with the claim that a machine can't do it as not all plants mature at the same time so cutting is a selective process with someone having to mark the plants to be harvested and can involve a few returns to the same field. Around seven years from planting to harvesting.
A tour of the processing process equipment and the cellars where the tequila is matured was quite impressive. A new batch of product had recently been set down in new barrels for a maturation process of seven years. Classical music will be played to the barrels 24 hours a day for the period. I'd think the product could end up highly stressed after seven years of Mozart. The tasting in the cellar was an enjoyable experience, if you liked tequila.
The next tequileria, Tequilo Selecto de Amatitan, was a large operation with many barrels of tequila stored for maturation and bottling. This was a good opportunity for the tasting of a larger range of products with a number of different tequilas mixed in a manner similar to liqueurs. This place has a lerge courtyard featuring a huge tree and a fountain in the shape of a tequila bottle. Often used for weddings and also in advertising
Lunch at a great Mexican restaurant in the town of Tequila followed by an opportunity to explore the business centre of town and seek out the "bargains" in the stalls and shops. Then, back on the bus for a short trip through the town's narrow streets to a little tequileria, Destileria la Alborada, in a back street. This one has a very good reputation and only produces a small, by comparison, annual quantity of tequila and most of that goes to one retailer in Beverly Hills.
Back on the bus and out on the highway only to be held up by a traffic accident. No major problems though, back only a few minutes later than planned but a great day was had by all.
Enjoy the photos, it's not as easy to get them while on a bus. (I think I've already had that discussion)
The Agave as it grows
Harvesting is a manual process: Remove from ground
Harvesting is a manual process: Strip the leaves from the base of the plant
Harvesting is a manual process: Remove the top and cut in half
Harvesting is a manual process: Ready for cooking
These barrels have been set down for seven years; Classic music played 24 hours a day
The tour group
This giant tree is about 200 years old
Mural sets the scene in the courtyard
Some of the bottles used over the years
Tasting the wares
The fountain at Selecto Tequila
Agave growing in the field
Market stalls in the Tequila town square
Mural in the Tequila town square, impressed that the Australian flag was featured
Sculpture highlighting the importance of Tequila to the town
We had a bit of a chat to this lady, she didn't say much
This top prize winning tequileria is not much more than a backyard business
