In previous columns I have reported the results of my search for the birthplace of tequila, which happily brought me into contact with numerous brands of Mexico’s national drink that I had not previously heard of. This line of pursuit naturally led to a new question, “Which tequila is the very best?” Well, having been born in Milwaukee might qualify me for voicing an opinion on what makes a good beer, but I naturally turned to my Mexican relatives for opinions on what is the best tequila—and who among them could possibly know more than my father-in-law, Francisco Ibarra, who recently celebrated his 102nd birthday?
“The best tequila,” he told me, “is the one my son Julio brings me from Arandas.” Well, that tequila comes in an unmarked bottle and isn’t available to the public … but I found it interesting that Papá Ibarra’s favorite came from a town far away from the Amatitán-Tequila area where most distilleries are located.
Now it just happens that Arandas is over 2,000 meters above sea level, while the Valley of Tecuane—where the blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber) is said to have originated—has an elevation of about 1,000 meters. Could altitude have anything to do with the production of the best tequila?
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