back to...
Where did Tequila come from?
Legend has it that tequila's origin is due a lightning bolt sent down by the Gods! The
bolt struck a spiny like cactus plant that resembles a giant pineapple, and split the
heart of the plant open cooking the sap. The Aztecs, believing this a message from the
Gods, drank the sap, and discovered a sweet, milky drink, now known as pulque. Pulque is
still found in the small cantinas throughout Mexico. Ancient murals at the site of the
Great Pyramid of Cholula near Mexico City, show the Aztecs having a great time drinking
what is believed to be pulque as far back as 200 AD.
It was the Spanish conquistadors, who managed to distill the sap into alcohol. With their
supply of wine and brandy exhausted, they turned to the tequila plant. The conquistadors
frequently used hollowed cattle horns as drinking vessels, and this could be the reason
why mescal and tequila, when served straight, are traditionally poured into tall, narrow
glasses today.