1. Harvesting

The process begins by harvesting the blue agave plant using a specialised knife called a coa. This involves cutting away the leaves to reveal the underground piña bulb.

2. Baking (Piña)

The piña bulb, or agave core, is then baked to extract its fermentable sugars. Traditionally done in pits or modern ovens, this step is crucial for the flavour development.

3. Juicing

After baking, the piñas are shredded and crushed to extract the sweet agave juice, known as mosto. This step can be done mechanically or traditionally using a tahona, a large stone wheel.

4. Fermentation (Mosto)

The extracted mosto is combined with yeast and water in fermentation tanks, where it transforms into ethyl alcohol. This step occurs in either large stainless steel tanks or wooden barrels.

5. Distillation

The fermented agave juices undergo distillation, a purification process that concentrates the alcohol. Typically distilled twice, the first round produces ordinario, while the second yields clear silver tequila ready for ageing.

6. Aging

Tequila is aged for a minimum of 14 to 21 days. Silver or blanco tequila ages for the minimum time, while reposado (aged for two months to one year), añejo (aged for one to three years), and extra añejo (aged for over three years) undergo longer maturation in oak barrels.