Agave field at sunset
Regulatory Intelligence · Sensory Science · Production Standards

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Agave Spirits

Grounded in regulation. Verified by source.

Ask anything about tequila — production standards, NOM regulations, additive-free verification, regional terroir, aging categories, or brand certification.

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Search by brand name or NOM number to find distillery ownership, registered brands, and CRT verification status.

Select a category and region, then pick what you are tasting.

Answer six questions. The Hub matches you to tequilas ranked by production integrity, not brand reputation.

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What aging category do you prefer?
Question 2 of 6
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Question 3 of 6
Which production method matters to you?
Question 4 of 6
How important is additive-free status?
Question 5 of 6
What flavor profile appeals to you? Select all that apply.
Question 6 of 6
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Rankings are determined by production method, additive-free status, region, aging, flavor profile, and price — in that order. No brand reputation or marketing influences this output.

Every answer the Hub provides traces back to one of these regulatory, certification, or verification bodies. No opinion without a source.

Mexico · Primary Regulator
Consejo Regulador del Tequila
CRT
The governing body for tequila certification, NOM registration, and denomination of origin enforcement.
Visit CRT ›
Mexico · National Standard
NOM-006-SCFI-2012
NOM-006
The official Mexican standard governing tequila production — categories, aging, agave thresholds, geography, and labeling.
View Standard ›
Community · NOM Database
Agave Matchmaker
AMM
Comprehensive NOM-to-brand mapping with additive disclosure tracking and distillery profiles.
Search Database ›
United States · Import Regulation
Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
TTB
U.S. federal authority on import standards, COLA labeling approval, and geographic indication recognition.
Visit TTB ›
Mexico · Consumer Protection
PROFECO
PROFECO
Mexico's Federal Consumer Protection Agency. Enforces labeling accuracy and publishes tequila authenticity studies.
Visit PROFECO ›
Mexico · Agave Certification
COMERCAM
COMERCAM
Certifies Blue Weber agave cultivation and tracks field-to-distillery supply chains.
Visit COMERCAM ›
Industry · Additive Disclosure
Tequila Aficionado / Additive-Free
AF Community
Community-driven additive-free verification and brand transparency tracking.
Explore ›
International · Industry Standards
International Alliance for Responsible Drinking
IARD
Global standards body providing geographic indication data and international regulatory comparisons.
Visit IARD ›

The foundational topics every serious agave spirits professional and enthusiast should understand.

🥃
Tequila Categories
Blanco through Extra Añejo — aging requirements, legal definitions, and the contested cristalino classification under NOM-006-SCFI-2012.
NOM-006CRTAging
Read Reference ›
🗺️
Denomination of Origin
The geographic protection covering five Mexican states — enforcement, highlands vs lowlands, and international recognition.
CRTGeographyDO
Read Reference ›
🌿
Additive-Free Verification
The 1% additive rule, permitted substances under CRT, and how to verify additive-free claims.
CRTAdditivesAMM
Read Reference ›
🔢
Reading a NOM Number
How NOM numbers are structured and how to trace a brand back to its distillery of origin.
NOMCRTDistilleries
Read Reference ›
🏔️
Highland vs Lowland Terroir
How altitude, soil, climate, and agave maturation shape fundamentally different sensory profiles.
TerroirSensoryJalisco
Read Reference ›
⚗️
Production Methods
From autoclave to brick oven, tahona to diffuser — how every production decision shapes the final spirit.
ProductionDistillationNOM-006
Read Reference ›

Core terminology from CRT regulations and NOM-006.

Abocado
Mellowing, softening, making it smoother...
Agave Tequilana Weber
The only agave species permitted in tequila production...
Agavero
Agave farmer — cultivates blue agave from planting to harvest...
Añejo
Aged minimum one year in oak up to 600L...
Bagazo
Leftover agave fibers after juice extraction...
Barrica
Oak barrel used for aging tequila...
Blanco / Silver / Plata
Unaged or rested up to 60 days — purest agave expression...
Cabeza
Head — first cut of the distillation run, typically discarded...
Capón
Agave with its flowering stalk removed to maximize sugar content...
Corazón
Heart — the desirable middle cut of distillation...
Cosecha
Harvest — agave is harvested year-round as individual plants mature...
Cristalino
Filtered aged tequila — not a legal NOM-006 category...
Denominación de Origen
Geographic protection — tequila can only be produced in 5 Mexican states...
Extra Añejo
Aged minimum three years — introduced 2006...
Horno
Traditional brick oven — slow-cooks agave at ~95°C for 24-72 hours...
Jima / Jimador
Harvest / harvester — skilled worker using a coa tool to extract the piña...
Joven / Gold / Oro
Young — unaged or blanco with mellowing additives...
Los Altos (Highlands)
Eastern Jalisco highlands — red clay soils, slow-maturing agave...
Mellowing (Abocado)
Up to 1% approved softening agents — not permitted for blanco...
Mixto
51% minimum agave sugars — absence of 100% agave = mixto...
NOM
Norma Oficial Mexicana — 4-digit distillery ID on every certified bottle...
Piña
Harvested agave heart — pineapple-shaped, 40-90kg...
Reposado
Rested 2 months to 1 year in oak — agave and wood in balance...
Tahona
Traditional stone crushing wheel — associated with artisanal production...
Tequila Valley (Lowlands)
Western Jalisco valley — volcanic soils, faster maturation, earthier profiles...
Vinazas
Distillation waste liquid — environmental concern, some recycle as fertilizer...