Cavalo Tequila - Real Blanco

Agave

Plant with long spiny leaves of the lily family. There are more than 400 species, all native to North America and mostly to Mexico. Cavalo Tequila is made exclusively from the agave azul that grows in semiarid soils and takes from 8 to 12 years to mature.

Agave Azul (Blue Agave)

Plant with long spiny leaves of the lily family. There are more than 400 species, all native to North America and mostly to Mexico. Cavalo Tequila is made exclusively from the agave azul that grows in semiarid soils and takes from 8 to 12 years to mature.

Blanco

Clear, fresh from the still tequila is called Blanco (white or silver). It has the true bouquet and flavor of the Blue Agave.

Caballito

A two to three ounce glass 3 to 4 inches tall used in Mexico for tequila. The glass is slightly tapered making the mouth wider than the bottom. Basically a shot glass as we may understand.

Corazon

The “heart” of distillation containing the best flavors and aromas for tequila.

CRT

Tequila Regulatory Council (Consejo Regulador del Tequila), a private non-profit organization responsible for the regulation, verification, and quality certification of tequila.

Gran Reposado

100% Blue Agave tequila made in small batches and rested in wood barrels for twice as long as most Resposado.

Hijuelos

Offsprings of the agave plant, which are replanted and develop into mature agave plants. It is the preferred form of propagation for most agave plants.

Jimador

The laborer who harvests agave. The jimador's task is a crucial one, since he decides when the plant is ready, usually 8 to 12 years after it is planted. He has to cut off all the spiny leaves to obtain an almost perfect core or piña.

Horno

The traditional oven used to cook agave piñas.

Joven abocado

Joven or young is Tequila Blanco mellowed by the addition of colorings and flavorings, caramel being the most common. It is also known as Extra or Gold. Mostly used for Margaritas.

Los Altos

One of the major growing regions for Blue Agave, a mountainous area with rich red volcanic soil east of Guadalajara.

Madre

A mature or “Mother” agave plant from which hijuelos have been harvested.

Maguey

A Carib word encompassing agaves that are mostly used for pulque. It has become a hallmark of the Mexican countryside.

Mezcal (or mescal)

All liquors distilled from any agave plant are mezcal, but only those made from the blue agave are branded as Blanco Tequila.

NOM. Norma Official Mexicana

The official Mexican standard or NOM defines tequila as the product of fermentation and distillation of the blue agave juices (mostos) obtained at the distillery from agave cores or piñas grown in the Tequila Region. It is assigned by the government to each tequila distillery, identifying which company made and bottled each brand of tequila.

Madre

A mature or “Mother” agave plant from which hijuelos have been harvested.

Piña

The pineapple-shaped heart of the agave plant. The average weight is 40 to 70 pounds, and can reach up to 200 pounds.

Roughly speaking, seven kilos (15 lb.) of raw agave piñas are needed to produce one liter (one quart U.S.) of tequila. Piloncillo. Unrefined sugar made from dried sugarcane juice, used in production of tequila joven or abocado.

Pipon

Tank, usually made of oak, used for storing tequila. Pulque. Fermented Mexican drink, made from the maguey or Century plant. The maguey is milked daily by a tlachiquero to obtain the aguamiel sap using a gourd or acocote.

Pulque is slightly foamy and mildly alcoholic.

Resposado

Reposado or rested is Tequila Blanco that has been kept in white oak casks or vats called pipones for more than two months and up to one year. The oak barrels give Reposado a mellowed taste, pleasing bouquet, and its pale color.

Tahona

The ancient traditional stone wheel used to crush and extract juice from cooked agave. It is still used to produce traditional tequila.

Tequila Region

The “Denomination of Origin” law has defined the area in which the blue agave is grown. It includes the state of Jalisco.