Mexico’s Tequila Day: A Global Toast to Mexican Heritage

Published on July 24, 2025

It is a day that will mark international celebrations and when, tequila, one of the most popular and iconic ambassadors of Mexican creativity and ingenuity, will be celebrated the world over. On July 24, 2025, the people of the world join Mexico in raising a glass to honor the spirit. This colorful spirit, born in the state of Jalisco, worldwide has been put on the list of the most popular beverages owing to the fertile land of Mexico and the hard work of agave farmers and tequila artesans that, for centuries, have dedicated themselves to this drink. With iconic cocktails, such as the Margarita, to tequila served straight or on the rocks, the world will raise a glass to celebrate the popular Mexican drink.

While the world prepares to celebrate World Tequila Day, the residents in Mexico’s pueblo communities are still reaping the benefits of the tourism and international acclaim provided by a surge in the popularity of its singular spirit. In Jalisco, hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world come to the tequila trail every year — visiting distilleries, learning about the arduous process of making tequila, and fueling the local economy.

A Sip into History: Origins of Tequila

The history of tequila dates as far back as pre-Columbian times, when the Aztecs first happened upon the agave plant. They considered agave to be sacred, and its fermented sap — pulque — was part of their religious rituals. This plant was so revered that the Aztec fertility goddess Mayahuel was believed to take the form of an agave plant.

Distillation methods were brought to the region after the Spanish conquest of Mexico. The Spanish used these practices on pulque, eventually creating mezcal. Over time, the town of Tequila, in Jalisco, turned into the epicenter for that change, decades after which the spirit inherited its new name from that town: tequila.

In the 18th century, the Cuervo family was critical to the start of tequila being commercially produced. They grew tequila production — a business in his blood, learned from a boy — to serve a steadily internationalizing market. Its 20th-century surge in popularity received an extra push from a set of strict regulations governing the use of the agave-derived spirit’s name and overseeing the areas inside Mexico where tequila can be made (namely, Jalisco). This allowed the authenticity of the spirit to be preserved, making it a symbol of Mexican pride and craftsmanship.

The Manufacturing Magic of Tequila

Tequila is produced according to a refined 7-step process that has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Every step is of great importance in shaping the lush and complex taste. that has gained fanatics across the globe.

Harvesting: Blue agave plants are harvested by expert farmers called jimadors. The prickly leaves of the agave plant are pinched off to expose the piña, or heart of the plant.

Cooking: The piñas are cooked in traditional ovens (hornos) or modern autoclaves, crucial in softening the plant and transforming its starches into sugars.

Crushing: Once cooked, the piñas are crushed to release a sugary liquid called mosto, or aguamiel.

Fermentation: The juice is diluted with water, and then yeast is added, and it’s allowed to ferment. The yeast then consumes the sugars, transforming them into alcohol in what is called mosto fermentado.

Distillation: The fermented liquor is then distilled in copper pot stills to raise the proof and eliminate impurities.

Aging: Tequila is frequently aged in wooden barrels, which adds notes and color, more closely resembling the smooth and complex spirit many of us love to drink straight up.

Bottling: Once Gineta has aged, it is filtered and bottled for connoisseurs of tequila everywhere.

It is this painstaking way of producing tequila that allows successive generations of families to lay claim to each bottle of tequila as a story of tradition, craft, and true dedication.

Celebrating World Tequila Day

World Tequila Day is now about way more than just getting a good afternoon buzz. It’s become a worldwide celebration of Mexican heritage and a spirit that encapsulates much of the country’s rich culture, as fans of tequila (and everyday tipplers) the world over pay homage to it. As tequila has permeated bars and homes globally, from oldies but goodies such as the Margarita through to modernist favourites such as the Paloma and the Tequila Sunrise, it’s obvious the word has well and truly got out about the drink’s ability to play so many roles.

But World Tequila Day is about so much more than just drinking. For those who really want to get a sense of tequila land, a visit to Jalisco’s tequila trail is a must. Visits to distilleries to learn how tequila is made can help you understand the place at the head of sporting events that tequila holds, and sampling different types of the spirit gives a solid look into what the fuss is all about. It’s also a love letter to the natural beauty of Jalisco, a state revered for its stunning scenery and freedom in history, “no somos del otro mundo” big.

The Global Impact of Tequila

World Tequila Day 2025: World Tequila Day is evidence of how far tequila has spread across the world. The tequila industry has proved to be an important economic generator in Mexico, contributing to tourism, commerce, and employment in the production areas as popularity for tequila continues to rise. The increased enthusiasm for tequila isn’t just good for business, but also for protecting the traditional craft of artisanal tequila production, and the generations that will be able to continue the work of those who came before them.

And the cultural value of tequila is as much to do with it. It is an iconic symbol of authentic Mexican culture, for which production is closely tied with the history and heritage of the nation and the people who have been harvesting it for centuries. They celebrate, not just the drink but the story behind it — a story that represents Mexico’s ingenuity, resilience, and pride.

A Toast to the Future

As we all toast to Tequila Day 2025, we raise our glasses not just to the liquid in our hands, but to the Mexican farmers, distillers, and artisans who have been instrumental in creating the Tequila that we know now. Tequila is, after all, more than just a drink — it’s a soul in a bottle for Mexico.

Savored in a cocktail, enjoyed neat, or discovered through a distillery tour, tequila is what Mexico is and will be. We are proud to raise a glass in celebration of the traditions that have made this iconic drink the global success that it is today.

(Source: Mexico Government, Tequila Regulatory Council, Jalisco Tourism)