Natural form

A blue agave plant in full growth, the source of all tequila.

Shows readers the raw botanical origin — the spiky, blue-grey rosette that defines tequila's identity.

Beverages

Tequila

Bright agave spirit for margaritas, palomas, and shots

Crisp and earthy with an agave bite, tequila powers the margarita and paloma and sips slow when it's good. Blanco is bright; reposado is mellower. Keep it at room temperature.

Tequila is a Mexican spirit distilled from the cooked heart (piña) of the blue agave, grown legally only in designated regions around Jalisco. Good tequila tastes of roasted agave, citrus peel, white pepper, and a clean mineral earthiness — bright in blanco form, mellowing toward caramel and vanilla as it ages in oak. In cooking it brings a distinctive vegetal warmth to marinades, salsas, and pan sauces, and its acidity-friendly profile makes it a natural partner for lime and chile. Always look for '100% agave' on the label; mixto tequilas cut with other sugars taste harsher.

Measured in: ml
Storage: Room Temperature

Find it in

Beverages

Types & varieties

Blanco/silver

Unaged, crisp, peppery — fresh cooking and margaritas

Reposado

2–12 months oak, mellow vanilla edge

Añejo

1–3 years oak, caramel and spice — sipping and rich sauces

How to use in cooking

Blanco tequila shines in fresh applications — splashed into ceviche, whisked into a lime-chile marinade for shrimp or chicken, or simmered into a tomatillo salsa. A flambé of tequila over grilled shrimp or in a flaming queso adds drama and a touch of caramelized agave. Reposado, with its light oak, suits pan sauces and glazes for pork.

How to choose

Buy '100% de agave' — anything labeled simply 'tequila' (mixto) is up to 49% other sugars and tastes rough. Blanco/silver is unaged and crisp; reposado rests 2–12 months in oak; añejo ages over a year for deeper caramel. For cooking, a mid-range blanco or reposado is ideal.

Common uses

Marinate shrimp, chicken, or steakBrighten ceviche and aguachileFlambé grilled seafoodSpike salsas and guacamoleMake a tequila-lime glaze for porkDeglaze fajita pansAdd lift to margarita sorbet

Tips & pitfalls

Use 100% agave only — mixto's harshness shows in food.
Pair with lime and a pinch of salt to round the edges.
Flame it briefly rather than boiling away all the flavor.
A splash in guacamole or salsa wakes the whole bowl up.

Nutrition

No USDA FoodData Central match for Tequila yet. We surface a per-100 g profile once a generic whole-food entry is matched and verified.

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Tequila Reposado
Olmeca · 0.7 L · Mercadona
€12.50
Jose Cuervo Tequila Reposado
JOSE CUERVO · l · Bonpreu
€16.89
Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila
JOSE CUERVO · l · Bonpreu
€16.39
Castreño Tequila Gold
CASTREÑO · l · Bonpreu
€10.49

Good to know

Flavor: Roasted agave, citrus, pepper, earthy
Use in cooking: Marinades, salsas, glazes, flambé, ceviche
Alcohol?: Yes — ~38–40% ABV
Substitute base: Mezcal, blanco rum, or lime + agave
How to store: Upright, room temperature, out of light

Substitutes

Mezcal — Smokier cousin, same agave backbone
Blanco rum — Cleaner, less earthy but workable
Lime juice + agave syrup — Non-alcoholic: the citrus-sweet core without the spirit

Pairs with

LimeChileCilantro Orange Tomatillo Salt Grapefruit Pineapple

Also called

tequila · blanco tequila · silver tequila · reposado tequila · tequila blanco · tequila reposado