Ember & Grain · Field Notes · Wood · Nº 13
Tequila Barrel Wood
the agave’s oak
Tequila, Jalisco. Blue agave, a sleeping volcano, and American oak on its second life.
The town of Tequila lies at the foot of a volcano, among fields of blue agave. Franciscan friars founded it in 1530. In the century that followed, people here began to distill the roasted heart of the agave, and by the 1600s there were distilleries and plantations. In 2006 UNESCO named the agave landscape and old distilleries of Tequila a World Heritage Site.
Blue agave, and oak that once held bourbon.
On the salt
In the Atlas, Tequila Barrel Wood is paired with Sal de Colima.
Field notes
| Also known as | Ex-bourbon American oak |
| Agave | Agave tequilana Weber, blue |
| Rules | NOM-006-SCFI-2012 |
| Home | Tequila · 20°53′ N |
| UNESCO | Agave landscape, 2006 |
| Smoke | Bright, oaky, peppery · 3 of 5 |
| On the salt | Sal de Colima · Vol. I, Nº 03 |
Continue in The Origins Atlas
The rest of this chapter lives in the book: the full story of the place, how the wood burns, the people who keep the tradition, and the hand-drawn map.
- The Place · the blue fields
- The Barrel · from bourbon to tequila
- The Jima
- The Taste · bright and peppery
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre; NOM-006-SCFI-2012; Profeco; Whisky Advocate; Wikipedia, “Tequila, Jalisco.” Imagery is illustrative and AI-generated.