Agave: The noble plant at the heart of Mexican culture

Agave, a spiky succulent closely related to asparagus, is a cornerstone of Mexico's cultural and natural heritage. The country is home to 159 of the world's 210 agave species, with 129 of those species being endemic to Mexico, making it the planet's richest source of agave biodiversity. Named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, the plant's name reflects its significance in native cultures, with various terms in Mexico's 68 Indigenous languages.

The term "mezcal" derives from the Nahuatl word "metl." Agave species vary greatly in size and shape, with some growing as tall as 14 feet and as wide as 20 feet. The flower stalk, or quiote, can reach up to 33 feet.

Agave has been utilized by Mesoamerican and Aridoamerican people since pre-Hispanic times for food, fiber, building materials, and spines for needles. It is used to produce a variety of spirits and beverages, including tequila, mezcal, aguamiel, pulque, bacanora, comiteco, raicilla, tutsi, and tepe. In 1915, the governor of Sonora banned all alcohol, including the regional agave distillate bacanora, to prevent moral perversion, though prohibition was lifted in 1919 and bacanora was regulated in 1992.

Mezcal, known for its diversity, can be distilled from up to 50 different agaves, with 12 states carrying the Denomination of Origin. Oaxaca is the primary producer of mezcal, responsible for 90% of all liters produced. Tequila, on the other hand, can be distilled from only one variety of agave, Agave tequilana, with five states producing tequila. From 2014 to 2023, tequila production increased by 167%, with Jalisco growing the most. However, in 2025, mezcal production dropped by 40% compared to the previous year.

Despite this decline, Mexico's tequila industry remains robust, with exports surpassing those of the previous three years in 2025, totaling 407.98 million liters. The U.S. is the main consumer of tequila, consuming over two-thirds of global tequila volume, and more than four-fifths of Mexican tequila exports are sent to the U.S. The agave plant, built to withstand extreme heat and drought, is vital to Mexico's rural tourism, with Jalisco's Los Altos Tequila Route opening new paths for rural tourism ahead of the 2026 World Cup.