Tequila is obtained from the distillate of the blue agave plant, which is cultivated in the region around the village Tequila in the northern part of the state of Jaliso. Just as Champagne is only allowed to carry its name if produced in the Champagne, France, so as a characteristic of quality, Tequila is only allowed to carry its name if it is produced in the region with the same name.
There are many histories about the origin of the Mexican national beverage. Perhaps the most beautiful is that according to an old Aztec legend, a lightning struck into a blue agave, and the juices of the plant were transformed into a palatable alcoholic beverage. Henceforth, the Aztecs extracted a light alcoholic "Pulque" of milky character from the plant. The remaining components were used many ways, for example in the manufacture of ropes.
The present-day form of manufacture originated when the Spaniards began distilling the beverage. Despite many technical advances the process remains in its origin to great extend.