Tequila · Explainer
What does one hundred per cent agave mean on a tequila bottle?
One hundred percent agave means that all the sugars in the bottle come from blue agave, the species Agave tequilana Weber variedad azul. If that statement is missing, up to 49 percent of the total sugars may come from other sources. Tequila labelled one hundred percent agave must be bottled within the area of the designation of origin in Mexico.
In brief
The key figures
| Standard | NOM-006-SCFI-2012 |
|---|---|
| Categories | 100% de agave and Tequila |
| Agave species | Agave tequilana Weber variedad azul |
| Other sugars | In the Tequila category at most 49 percent of the total reducing sugars |
| Bottling | 100% agave, only within the area of the designation of origin |
| Alcohol content | 35 to 55 percent according to the standard |
| Classes | Blanco, joven, reposado, añejo and extra añejo |
| On the front | Category, class, alcohol content and brand name |
Where does it say one hundred percent agave on the bottle?
The front of the label must show the category, the class, the alcohol content and the brand name.
The category is where the distinction falls. If it says 100% de agave, all sugars come from blue agave. If it says only Tequila, it concerns the other category. Furthermore the label carries the official contraseña with the registration number of the recognised producer, the NOM number.
What may go into the Tequila category?
In the Tequila category the must may be supplemented with other sugars, up to at most 49 percent of the total reducing sugars.
The rest comes from blue agave. In informal usage that category is called mixto, but that word does not appear in the standard. This tequila may also be bottled outside the area of the designation of origin, in a plant approved for that purpose.
Does one hundred percent agave say anything about the taste?
One hundred percent agave is about the raw material, not about the maturation and not about additions.
The class determines the time in wood: a blanco goes into the bottle almost immediately, a reposado spends at least two months in wood and an añejo at least a year. In addition, the standard permits four abocantes, together up to no more than 1 percent of the weight: caramel colouring, natural oak or encino extract, glycerine and sugar syrup. That rule also applies to one hundred percent agave.
Why must one hundred percent agave be bottled in Mexico?
The standard requires that tequila 100% agave be bottled in a factory of the recognised producer, within the area of the designation of origin.
That way the whole chain from field to bottle stays under the supervision of the Consejo Regulador del Tequila. With the other category the drink may leave the country in tanks and be bottled elsewhere. Of the exports, 278.62 million litres is one hundred percent agave and 129.37 million litres is ordinary tequila.
Which classes of tequila exist?
The standard knows five classes: blanco, joven, reposado, añejo and extra añejo.
A blanco goes into the bottle almost immediately. Joven is a blend of blanco with aged tequila. Reposado rests at least two months in wood, añejo at least a year in casks of at most 600 litres and extra añejo at least three years. The class is separate from the category: one hundred percent agave exists in every class.
How much alcohol may tequila have?
The standard permits 35 to 55 percent alcohol, for every class of tequila.
What a particular bottle has is stated on the label itself. The alcohol content must be on the front, expressed in percent by volume at 20 degrees Celsius. If you cannot work it out, we will gladly read the label with you in the shop.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which tequilas and mezcals are there in Bathmen?
The shop in Bathmen stocks 75 tequilas and mezcals from 31 different brands. Prices range from € 4.99 to € 209.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 18% to 55%.
- Casa Don Ramon Mezcal Joven Salmiana 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Casa Don Ramon Tequila Punta Diamante Reposado 38% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Casa Don Ramon Tequila Punta Diamante Silver 38% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Casamigos Mezcal Joven 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Casamigos Tequila Añejo 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Casamigos Tequila Blanco 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Casamigos Tequila Reposado 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Cazadores Tequila Blanco 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Cazadores Tequila Reposado 40% · 70 cl · Mexico
- Cazcabel Tequila Blanco 38% · 70 cl · Mexico
Related questions
What is agave?What is cristalino tequila?What is the difference between blanco, reposado and añejo tequila?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Is one hundred percent agave the same as organic?
- No. The mention concerns the sugar source, not the way of growing.
- Does one hundred percent agave mean nothing has been added?
- No. The standard allows four abocantes up to together at most 1 percent of the weight, even at one hundred percent agave.
- What is the NOM number on the label?
- The registration number of the approved producer, which appears on the bottle together with the official contraseña.
- May tequila be made from another species of agave?
- No. The standard prescribes Agave tequilana Weber variedad azul.
The reasoning
Sources
- NOM-006-SCFI-2012, Bebidas alcohólicas, Tequila, Especificaciones, Consejo Regulador del Tequila (accessed 2026-09-06)
- Estadísticas van de tequilasector, Consejo Regulador del Tequila (accessed 2026-09-06)
- Tequila producers face a glut as Mexico's output outruns demand, Vinetur (accessed 6 September 2026)
- A Disruptive Transparency Initiative Is Shining Light on Tequila Additives, VinePair (accessed 6 September 2026)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine and spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 7 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.