Desert Speaks

Tequila: Exploring The Legend

Host David Yetman, Mexican ecologist Alberto Burquez and premiere agave expert Ana Valenzuela travel to the state of Jalisco, Mexico, to inspect the history, production process - and even taste - of one of Mexico's most famous exports - tequila. The trip begins in Tequila, the city named after the famous beverage. The city has profited economically and developed a strong sense of cultural identity around the production of this distilled liquor. The climate, soil and landscape combine for the perfect place to grow the agave plants used to produce the distinct Tequila taste. Join the crew as they encounter jimadores harvesting agave using a "coa," a long, machete-like, round-ended knife. From there, it's on to see how the agave is steamed, fermented and distilled. Finally, Yetman and guests sample a portion of the finished product.