<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:ES-MX;} span.shorttext {mso-style-name:short_text;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -->

While the exact dates and details of Wendy’s adventures are hard to verify, we can tell you a little bit about her. Wendy’s full name was Gwendolin Anna Garcia. Born in Hungary in 1789 to parents from Switzerland and Hungary who were missionaries. It was because of the parents line of work that caused them to travel to the Caribbean. When reaching 16 she dressed as a man and took work on one of the many merchant vessels travelling around the Caribbean at the time. At some point one of the ships she was working on was taken over by a Mexican pirate named Juan Diego Poot Garcia. Soon Juan discovered that Wendy (travelling under the name of Andy Garcia) was in fact a woman (with very generous bosoms) and was intrigued with her. They had a marriage at sea and she was respected by their crew for her bravery and ability to consume more liquor than any man on the ship. The details are fuzzy but Juan died in battle during a Spanish raid and she assumed command of the ship. The details of her adventures captaining the SS Szomjazó Puma (the thirsty cougar), are fuzzy but we do know of at least one run in with her nemesis Bloody Mary, who also operated along the central American coast and Western Caribbean. While taking on provisions near Belize, the two met on shore and instantly hated each other. Mary was taller than she, but not as pretty and the two had a drinking contest that is still talked about in Ambergris Cay. The prize was to be a slave Mary had been holding, a Scandinavian lute player named Erik. Wendy won, but Mary reneged on the deal and had her crew escort she and Erik back to her ship. Later that week Wendy, in disguise, boarded Mary’s ship, wreaked havoc on her steerage and had her way with Erik vowing to return someday and free him from his captor. Mary found out and started after Wendy’s boat, but it was no use, her rudder was fouled and all she could do was watch Wendy leave. The two never met again, but Wendy never loved another man.

Out of many of the questions that come up at the bar, we have found many people that have generally bad info when it comes to where Tequila is made, how and what the various types consist of.  So...I hope you'll find the following illuminating.  Enjoy!  At least, it'll make you look smart at your next Tequila drinking outing...

Tequila is the product of distilling the ancient fermented agave drink of the Aztecs know to them as Octi (later, and more popularly called Pulque).  Later, in a town close to the larger town of Tequila was established the first ever production distillery in the 16th century, but can't really be called Tequila until 1656 when they seemed to have gotten things under control.  Also, when the Spanish Conquistadors ran out of their favored Brandy, they turned to the geniuses in Tequila and started getting sloshed on it.  This first version (1.0) was the nearest ancestor to the same Tequila we drink today.  The first commercial distillery of Tequila was established in the city of Guadalajara in the early 1800's.  A man by the name of Don Cenobio Sauza (ring a bell?) was the first to export his fire-water to America.  It was his grandson that insisted and won the right for no Tequila to be produced in places where there is no Agave (essentially cutting out foreign distilleries from buying the plant and making it themselves).

In Mexico, over 300million agave plants are harvested each year to make it today.  Also, it is Mexican law that Tequila can only be produced in the state Jalisco and certain regions of Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.  Ok, here's the interesting thing...all the hype surrounding "blue" agave as compared to any other type of agave is just that...hype.  All tequila is made from the same type of agave - Tequilana Weber Blue Agave.  So there.  If you insist on only tequila made with "blue" agave be careful because someone who read this article might be snickering behind you.

As for the types here it is...

• Blanco ("white") or plata ("silver") – white spirit, un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels;
• Joven ("young") or oro ("gold") – is the result of blending Silver Tequila with Reposado and/or Añejo and/or extra Añejo Tequila;
• Reposado ("rested") – aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels;
• Añejo ("aged" or "vintage") – aged a minimum of one year, but less than 3 years in oak barrels;
• Extra Añejo ("extra aged" or "ultra aged") – aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels. This category was established in March 2006.

So, next time you're in an argument about the difference between Blanco or Silver with some greenback...let em have it.

Next time....how is this stuff made??

Thanks for drinking and reading!

Chad