Tequila is often viewed as a rough shot, accompanied by a lick of salt and a suck on a lemon wedge, however it is largely misunderstood and offers a wide array of styles and quality.

At its simplest level, Tequila can be divided into two key categories; Mixtos Tequila and 100% Agave Tequila. Below is an overview of these two categories and the various styles within.

Mixtos Tequila

Usually of the lower price bracket, and the cause of most of Tequila's image issues, Mixtos are 51% or greater agave with the remaining portion made up of alternative sugar sources, most commonly Sugar Beet. Within this category there is two main styles; Silver or Gold. Usually the difference between the two is simply the colour of the Tequila, which is often derived from Caramel colours in place of any form of barrel maturation.

100% Agave Tequila

As the name would suggest, this form of Tequila must be produced using 100% Blue Webber Agave. It is from this category of Tequila that the Premium and Super Premium offerings can be found, with sub-categories outlining the length of maturation. Plata (also known as Silver or Platinum) is often unaged, but may be matured for up to 2 months and may be filtered to remove any colouration. Reposado, translating to Rested, is a Tequila aged between 2 - 11 months, giving the Tequila a golden hue. Anejo, translating to 'Aged', is a tequila aged for a minimum of 12 months leading to an amber colour.