“Every sip immerses you in a bath of authenticity and respect for the craft.” ^[1]

Ahhh, tequila. The reason for nights you can’t remember and days you wish you could forget. But we Americans love our tequila and in more recent years, we’re falling in love with agave spirits, too! In fact, we have a love so deep for tequila that we are responsible for approximately 90% of Mexico’s tequila export. Just like bourbon consumption began growing in popularity back in the late ’80’s and early’90’s, tequila is gaining in popularity now.

And it’s not just tequila. There is now an entire category for American agave spirits and some craft distillers have decided to join the ranks of these tequila distilleries and make agave spirits north of the border. While we understand that tequila is the most recognized type of agave spirit, it isn’t the only product made from agave. Other than tequila, there are agave spirits, mezcal, sotol, bacanora, raicilla and more.

Blue weber agave is used to produce tequila and agave spirits but good things come to those who wait. A blue weber takes 5-9 years to fully mature, which might seem like a long time to some but it  is considered a “short maturation” in comparison to other agaves. The agave needs to have at least a 24% sugar content, or higher, which is why premium tequilas and agave spirits made using only 100% blue weber agave are sweeter than others. Today, approximately 500 million agave plants are cultivated on about 100,000 hectares of land in Mexico and 1,125,000 tons of agave are harvested annually.

Which is the better product? Tequila or agave spirit? They’re the same product but produced in different countries. For Western Reserve Distillers, they distill their agave spirits like the premium tequila brands using 100% blue weber agave from Jalisco, Mexico. However, they go one step further. Theirs is organic, too. They work with an organic farming coop in Jalisco who grow and harvest the blue weber agave and then continue the process. They cook the agave, shred, wash and finally do the pressing to extract the juice and prepare it to be shelf stable for its travels to Western Reserve Distillers in Lakewood, OH where they turn it into award winning Organic Blanco and Organic Reposado Agave Spirits. 

If you're in the Cleveland area and would like to sample some of the best organic agave spirits around, visit Western Reserves Distillers. This family-owned and -operated craft distillery has a pleasant atmosphere and a full line of distilled spirits that can be purchased in their on-premise gift shop. Along with being an organic distillery their location also includes a full service restaurant with delicious appetizers, entrees and one-of-a-kind cocktails. To learn more about their products, call (216) 333-9291 or visit them online today.

^[1] Tequila & Mezcal: The Complete Guide, Kobe Desmet and Isabel Boons