• From the Golden Age of Mexican cinema to Hollywood films, tequila has been a part of the lives of many generations, both in Mexico and the US.

      • Interestingly, tequila didn’t become a Mexican icon until the Mexican Revolution, well into the 20th century.  

      • Tequila remains a relevant spirit in today’s day and age thanks to its versatility and creativity. At Casa Natima, we are dedicated to crafting the tequilas of contemporary Mexico, blending tradition and technology.

The four fundamental elements of the national essence for Jalisco natives, are the charro, the mariachi, tequila, and their soccer team, according to José María Muriá, one of the most respected Mexican historians, and also a great connoisseur of tequila history. In his book “El famoso tequila”, he argues that the word ‘tequila’ actually means “place of herbs among the stones”, and tells us how the drink went from being a prohibited distilled spirit during the colonial era (banned to prevent competition with foreign spirits) to an unmistakable symbol of Mexican identity, and an unfaltering staple of cultural events, national celebrations, family gatherings, and even soccer matches that families watch on television on Sundays.

Tequila has been recognized, since colonial times, as a “stimulant of joy and ingenuity.” Muriá also argues that it was this quality that helped it gradually win the hearts of Mexicans, despite the great obstacles it had to endure. Due to its growing popularity, the government finally opted to authorize its commercialization in the mid-16th century, and this decision yielded extremely favorable results: the taxes collected from tequila sales financed the introduction of drinking water to the city of Guadalajara as well as the construction of the current Government Palace of Jalisco.

It would still take a few hundred years for tequila to become an icon of Mexican identity. Even in the 19th century, it was considered a drink for ‘lower-class people,’ as the ‘upper class’ of that time aspired to a French lifestyle, preferring to drink cognac. Another famous adversary was the railroad, which efficiently distributed European beverages from coast to coast. However, the 20th century arrived, and so did the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920). The movement gave birth to a national identity that rejected the Frenchified customs of Porfirio Díaz and the privileged classes, finding in tequila a symbol that resonated, particularly among the working-class groups that made up the armed movement. It’s said that, in addition to drinking pulque, the revolutionary troops drank tequila to keep their courage up during battles.


Tequila: The Tenth Muse is Mexican

Tequila also captivated and inspired the hearts of artists and poets. Álvaro Mutis, one of the greatest Latin American authors, describes tequila as “a pale flame that pierces through walls and flies over rooftops to ease despair.” Octavio Paz, the Mexican Nobel Prize in Literature, wrote the poem “Blue Agave,” which explores the intimacy of the act of sharing tequila. Chavela Vargas, one of the most notable singers of the ranchero (ranger) genre, estimated that she had drunk about 45,000 liters of tequila in her lifetime. It was said that she would wet her throat with this drink before singing, and when she decided to give the spirit up, prompted by her partner, the mayor of her town declared: “We have suffered an irreparable loss. Mrs. Vargas no longer drinks.”

Tequila has also inspired great songs by Mexican composers. José Alfredo Jiménez—who, by the way, was a great tequila aficionado—composed the classic “Ella”, perhaps one of the best heartbreak songs in the ranchero genre. The translated lyrics read like this:

I felt that my life  

Sank into an abyss  

Deep and dark  

Like my fate  

I wanted to find oblivion  

Jalisco style  

But that mariachi, and that tequila  

Made me cry  

Martín Urieta, another giant of the genre, composed “Acá entre nos”, a song that became immortalized by another legend: Vicente Fernández.

To show off, I told my friends  

That in terms of love, no sorrow can crush me

To prove it, I forgot about your kisses  

And a few shots of tequila were enough for me

Having cemented its status as a Mexican icon of the 20th century, tequila didn’t stop there: it also crossed cultural borders and languages. Its influence in the United States, perhaps unexpected to some, was also remarkable.

Tequila: A Century of Flirting with the US

The first major opportunity for tequila’s grand entrance into the United States came with the Prohibition. Between 1920 and 1933, the U.S. government banned the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Thanks to bootleggers and the proximity of Tijuana and its many bars, Americans got to know and love tequila. Later, the onset of World War II halted the import of whiskey, so the tequila industry stepped in to meet the demand, growing to unprecedented levels.

In 1958, the song “Tequila” by The Champs became the number one hit on the pop and R&B charts. Five years later, a photographer captured Marilyn Monroe drinking tequila in Coyoacán, further boosting the drink’s image. In the seventies, the popularity of the Margarita and the Tequila Sunrise skyrocketed even more, thanks to songs like “Margaritaville” (1977) by Jimmy Buffett and “Tequila Sunrise” (1973) by The Eagles. But even before that, in 1972, fate brought the Rolling Stones to try the famous Tequila Sunrise cocktail in a San Francisco bar. The Stones liked it so much that “Mick Jagger had the Stones’ tour manager copy the cocktail recipe and add a requirement to the band’s official rider: two bottles of tequila, a gallon of orange juice, and a bottle of grenadine, all delivered backstage before each show,” reports The Daily Beast. This marked the start of tequila cocktails’ fame in American pop culture, which is still on the rise today.

Tequila and Its Mysteries: The Margarita

The Margarita is considered the most famous tequila cocktail in the United States, but its origin remains a mystery. Pancho Morales, a man who was a bartender in Juárez for 21 years before emigrating to the United States in 1945, claims to be the creator of the cocktail… but so does John Durlesser, the bartender at Tail o’ the Cock, who says that, in 1936, he was asked to replicate a cocktail that a customer had tried in Mexico. The name of that customer was Margaret, so John named the drink in her honor. On the other hand, there’s Sara Morales, an expert in American folklore, who argues that the Margarita was born in a bar in Taxco and credits a lady named Doña Bertha for its creation. The cocktail was also claimed by socialité Margaret Sames, who declared in 1948 that she created the Margarita while hosting a party at her vacation home in Acapulco. She mixed tequila, Cointreau (an orange liqueur), and lime juice, and named the drink after herself. These stories are joined by many others, most with convincing or at least plausible arguments.

Tequila and the Afterlife: A Treat for the Departed

Yes, tequila is also famous in the Afterlife, as the defunct return to their homes on November 2nd to enjoy their favorite meals once again. Every Day of the Dead, Mexican families set up altars to honor their loved ones, including the favorite foods and drinks of their deceased relatives to encourage them to visit them. Naturally, tequila is one of the most popular offerings. Tradition has it that the souls of the dead feed on the essence of the altar offerings, so the next day, if someone tries any food or drink, they will find that the meals have lost their flavor.

Nowadays, tequila is one of the most exported and globally recognized Mexican products due to its quality and versatility. It can be enjoyed neat or as part of a cocktail; offers a range of traditional and modern profiles, and pairs well with everything, from meats and cheeses to seafood and chocolates. Tequila is more than just a spirit, it is a living symbol of Mexican identity and, as such, continues to evolve, true to its resilient character that has distinguished it since its inception, enchanting generation after generation in America and around the world.

At Casa Natima, we contribute to the evolution of tequila by creating tequila profiles that embody the contemporary Mexico, where the wisdom of tradition converges with the creativity of innovation, always guaranteeing traceability and the quality of our Blue Agave plants. If you wish to learn more about the world of tequila and how we craft tequila profiles at Casa Natima, continue reading the following content:

Learn more

Discover more about the premium tequilas that are gaining popularity in the United States:  

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How many tequila cocktails do you know? Explore the versatility of tequila as a key ingredient in mixology:  

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Learn about how we craft the tequilas of contemporary Mexico, blending technology and tradition at Casa Natima, a tequila distillery with heritage:  

https://casanatima.com/our-distillery