Tequila is the national drink of Mexico.  It comes in three grades, joven, reposado, and añejo.  Joven is young, or raw, and is used  basically in cocktails.  Reposado is aged, and is the most popular tequila among sippers, usually with a slice of lemon or lime and salt.  Sippers also like "sangrita", a mixture of tomato juice, orange jucie and condiments, one sip of tequila and then a sip of sangrita.

Añejo is well aged, or old, and is the smoothest and most expensive on the market.  All tequila is made from the blue agave plant and distilled in the town of Tequila, or nearby in the state of Jalisco.  If the bottle does not state 100% agave (or blue agave) on the label, the tequila has been cut with cane alcohol.  Do not look for a worm in a bottle of tequila.

    Mezcal is another libation made from the agave cactus.  Most of it comes from the state of Oaxaca in Southern Mexico, and has a taste quite different from tequila.  Some is cured in clay pots and has an earthy taste.  Look for the worm in the bottle.

   Destilado de Agave is a drink very similar to tequila, but is brewed outside the state of Jalisco.  As with tequila, it may or may not be made with 100% agave.  The label will tell.  Generally, destilado de agave is much less expensive than tequila.