Reference this agave spirits glossary whenever the tequila production guide, mezcal process map, or sotol checklist introduces compliance jargon, and compare category frameworks in the agave spirits comparison.
Below you will find the words that often appear in distilling and compliance discussions. Each entry explains the idea in everyday language and points to where you are most likely to encounter it in agave spirits production.
| Term | Plain-language meaning | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| 100 percent agave | Category requirement stating that all fermentable sugars originate from blue agave (tequila) or authorized agaves (mezcal); must be bottled within the DO. | Label classifications and compliance audits. |
| Abocado | Finishing a spirit with small, approved flavor additions (like caramel or natural extracts) to round out taste and color. | Finishing steps in tequila (limited additives) and mezcal/sotol variants that use natural ingredients. |
| Abocado con | A mezcal classification for spirits finished with natural ingredients such as fruits or herbs after distillation. | Mezcal labeling and finishing compliance (NOM-070). |
| Additive cap | The legal limit on how much smoothing ingredient you can add. For tequila it is a combined 1 percent by volume. | Compliance planning before bottling. |
| Añejo | An aged agave spirit matured at least 12 months in oak vessels of 600 L or less. | Tequila, mezcal, and sotol class definitions. |
| Añejamiento | The overall process of aging agave spirits in oak, glass, or other legal containers to build complexity. | Maturation planning and inventory management across agave portfolios. |
| Aguamiel | The sweet sap collected from live agaves before it ferments into pulque; the term translates directly to “honey water.” | Pulque, comiteco, and traditional aguamiel beverages. |
| Agave tequilana | The specific blue agave plant required to make tequila inside the Denomination of Origin. | Field sourcing for tequila-only operations. |
| Angel’s share | The portion of spirit that naturally evaporates from barrels while it ages. | Maturation budgeting for reposado, añejo, and extra añejo lots. |
| Autoclave | A pressure cooker style vessel that steams agave hearts quickly to turn starches into fermentable sugars. | Cooking stage for tequila plants and some industrial mezcal or sotol. |
| Alembic & batch distillation | An alembic is a traditional pot still used for batch distillation—each run charges the still with fermented must, collects heads, hearts, and tails, then resets for the next batch. | Tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and sotol production logs describing still setups and cuts. |
| Bagasse / Bagazo | The fibrous pulp left after crushing cooked agave or dasylirion plants; called bagazo in mezcal communities. | Fermentation nutrient source, composting, and biomass reuse strategies. |
| Bat-friendly certification | A sustainability program that leaves some plants to flower so nectar-feeding bats can pollinate and maintain genetic diversity. | Long-term agave field management plans for tequila and mezcal. |
| Backset | A portion of leftover liquid from a previous distillation run that is added back into the next fermentation for acidity and flavor. | Traditional mezcal and sotol fermentations, some tequila recipes. |
| Caballito | A slender shot-style glass traditionally used for serving tequila and other agave spirits, sized for mindful sipping (typically 30-60 mL). | Tasting rooms, hospitality rituals, and consumer education events. |
| Blanco | Unaged or minimally rested agave spirit bottled soon after distillation (under 60 days depending on category). | Tequila, mezcal, and sotol class statements. |
| Brix | A sugar reading that tells you how much potential alcohol the juice contains. | Field maturity checks, extraction monitoring, and fermentation setup. |
| Cogollo | The tender central shoot of the agave plant; removing it (despunte) concentrates sugars in the piña and influences bitterness. | Field management decisions before cooking. |
| Carrizo | A hollow reed used as a condenser tube in ancestral mezcal clay stills. | Ancestral mezcal distillation equipment descriptions. |
| Congeners | The flavor, aroma, and texture compounds that ride along with ethanol in spirits. | Compliance analytics for tequila, mezcal, and sotol quality control. |
| CRT / CRM / CMS | The certification councils that enforce standards for tequila (CRT, Consejo Regulador del Tequila), mezcal (CRM, Consejo Regulador del Mezcal), and sotol (CMS, Consejo Mexicano del Sotol). | Audit scheduling, lot folios, seal applications, and export paperwork. |
| Cristalino | A filtered aged tequila that looks clear again after carbon polishing. It is a marketing term, not a legal class. | Finishing decisions for aged tequila portfolios. |
| Denomination of Origin (DO) | The official geographic zone where a spirit must be produced to use the protected name. | All legal compliance discussions, sourcing, and labeling. |
| Diffuser | A large machine that sprays water over shredded raw agave to wash out sugars, boosting yield but lightening flavor. | Tequila extraction debates; prohibited in mezcal. |
| Heads (Cabezas) | In distillation, the first fraction rich in methanol and light volatiles removed before collecting hearts; in agave harvesting, “cabezas” also refers to the agave crowns (piñas) once pencas are trimmed. | Still cut tracking and field terminology in tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and sotol. |
| Hearts (Corazones) | The central cut collected during distillation for bottling; the term is also used for harvested agave piñas, the “hearts” roasted before fermentation. | Distillation logs and harvest discussions across agave spirits. |
| Tails (Colas) | The last distillation fraction rich in heavier alcohols and oils that is typically recycled; “colas” can also refer to lower agave leaves left on the piña that may need trimming. | Distillation cut management and harvest trimming in tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and sotol. |
| Sexual vs asexual reproduction (agave) | Sexual reproduction occurs when an agave flowers, producing seeds after bat or insect pollination; asexual reproduction refers to vegetative clones such as hijuelos (pups) or bulbils, used to propagate fields rapidly. | Field sustainability planning and genetic diversity management. |
| Ensamble | A mezcal produced by co-fermenting or blending multiple agave species to showcase layered terroir. | Artisanal mezcal flavor development and portfolio design. |
| Espadín | The most widely cultivated mezcal agave (Agave angustifolia), valued for high sugar yields and adaptable flavors. | Mezcal supply planning, particularly in Oaxaca and Durango. |
| Extra añejo | An agave spirit aged at least 36 months in oak vessels of 600 L or less. | Premium tequila, mezcal, and sotol class statements. |
| Dasylirion | The desert succulent (also called desert spoon) whose hearts are used to make sotol. | Sotol field sourcing and maturation planning. |
| Destilado con | A mezcal classification for spirits re-distilled with ingredients such as fruits, spices, or meats suspended in the still. | Specialty mezcal bottlings (e.g., pechuga). |
| Fermenter | The tank, vat, or pit where yeast converts sugars into alcohol. | Fermentation stage planning across all categories. |
| Faldeo | Mountain slope terroir that can impart mineral and herbal notes to sotol. | Sotol sourcing and terroir storytelling. |
| Furfural | A wood-derived aldehyde formed during roasting and aging; monitored because high levels can signal over-roasting. | Analytical panels for mezcal and other roasted-agave spirits. |
| Heads, hearts, and tails | The three fractions collected during distillation: early volatile compounds, the desired spirit cut, and heavier oily notes. | Cut strategy during pot or column distillation. |
| Horno | A brick or stone oven that slow-bakes agave hearts using steam or hot stones. | Traditional tequila and mezcal cooking steps. |
| Jimador | The skilled harvester who trims agave leaves and extracts piñas with a coa or machete. | Field operations across tequila, mezcal, bacanora, and sotol regions. |
| Joven | An agave spirit that is unaged or lightly blended with aged components while remaining mostly clear. | Class descriptions for mezcal and sotol. |
| Joven or Oro | A tequila that blends blanco with aged tequila or permitted abocado additives to achieve a golden hue. | Tequila portfolio planning and labeling. |
| Inulin | A natural sugar chain stored inside agave that must be cooked or hydrolyzed into fermentable sugars. | Field maturity testing and cooking stage controls. |
| Lot code | A unique ID that links each finished batch back to its raw material and processing records. | Labeling, traceability, and CRT/CRM/CMS audits. |
| Madurado en vidrio | A mezcal aged or rested in sealed glass containers for at least 12 months. | Mezcal maturation planning outside of oak barrels. |
| Maestro mezcalero | The master producer who oversees roasting, fermentation, distillation, and blending in a palenque. | Decision-making authority in artisanal mezcal and regional agave spirits. |
| Mayahuel | The Mesoamerican goddess linked to agave, fertility, and pulque. | Cultural storytelling, marketing, and heritage education around agave beverages. |
| Mixto | A tequila that may use up to 49 percent fermentable sugars from non-agave sources, with the balance from blue agave. | Tequila formulation and labeling decisions. |
| Methanol limit | The safety ceiling for methanol, a natural by-product that must be kept within NOM standards. | Analytical testing prior to bottling. |
| NOM | Short for “Norma Oficial Mexicana,” the official Mexican standard that sets the legal rules for each spirit. | Every legal requirement, from field sourcing through labeling. |
| Ordinario | The low-strength spirit from the first distillation pass, which is redistilled to make the final product. | Distillation logs for mezcal, sotol, and many tequila operations. |
| Pechuga | A mezcal that is distilled again with fruits, spices, and sometimes meat suspended in the still for flavor. | Specialty mezcal releases labeled “destilado con.” |
| Pit oven | An earthen pit lined with stone where agave or dasylirion hearts roast over hot rocks and wood. | Traditional mezcal, bacanora, raicilla, and sotol production. |
| Palenque | A traditional mezcal distillery site, often family-run and equipped with pit ovens, fermentation tinas, and stills. | Mezcal production planning and tourism. |
| Penca | An individual agave leaf removed during harvest or trimming. | Jimado practices, roasting prep, and sensory evaluation. |
| Quiote | The flowering stalk of an agave; removing it redirects energy into the piña. | Field management and maturation timing. |
| Pipón | A large oak vat that can hold thousands of liters for reposado mezcal aging. | Mezcal maturation notes, particularly for large batch aging. |
| Reposado | An agave spirit aged at least two months in oak (size limits vary by category) to soften and add spice. | Class statements for tequila, mezcal, and sotol. |
| Saccharification | The process of converting agave starches and inulin into fermentable sugars. | Cooking stage monitoring for all agave spirits. |
| Tahona | A heavy stone wheel that crushes cooked agave to release juice while leaving some fiber intact. | Traditional tequila and artisan mezcal extraction. |
| Tinas | Large wooden or masonry fermentation tanks typical in mezcal palenques. | Wild ferment management and cleaning protocols. |
| Vinasse | The acidic, nutrient-rich liquid left after distilling fermented agave juice. | Sustainability programs and waste treatment engineering. |
| Vinatero | The distiller responsible for sotol or regional agave spirits, similar to a maestro mezcalero. | Production leadership in northern Mexican vinatas. |
| Vinata | The production site where sotol is cooked, fermented, and distilled. | Sotol facility mapping and visitor education. |
| Wild harvest | Selecting mature agaves or dasylirion from uncultivated stands, often under community permits. | Sustainability planning and CRM/CMS documentation. |
| Yields (L AA) | Liters of absolute alcohol produced per ton of raw material, a key efficiency metric. | Production benchmarking across agave spirit categories. |
| Zona árida | The arid zone designation informing water management and conservation requirements for sotol operations. | Environmental compliance in Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango. |
| Yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) | The portion of nitrogen in the must that yeast can actually use to stay healthy and finish fermentation. | Fermentation nutrient plans for tequila, mezcal, and sotol. |