Guide · Agave spirits
Agave spirits: what tequila, mezcal, bacanora, raicilla and sotol mean
Information only, not legal advice. Rules change; check the source. Last checked Oct 30, 2026.
The short version
Tequila, mezcal, bacanora and sotol each have an official Mexican standard (a NOM), and for raicilla we found only a draft of one.
The standards say which plant may be used: blue Weber agave for tequila, Agave angustifolia for bacanora, any species of agave for mezcal, and a different plant, Dasylirion, for sotol.
They also give meaning to the age words on the label, such as reposado and añejo, with minimum times in wood, and they set an alcohol range: 35% to 55% for tequila, mezcal and sotol, and 38% to 55% for bacanora.
The names of the agave plants on a label, such as espadín or cuishe, are common usage and not legal terms, and some names point to more than one plant.
This guide covers five Mexican spirits. Sotol is made from a different plant (Dasylirion), but it is grouped here with the agave spirits. It does not cover agave spirits made outside Mexico.
- LEGAL Written in a law, a regulation or an official standard.
- INDUSTRY STANDARD Written by an industry body. It is voluntary and is not a law.
- COMMON USAGE How a name is used in the sources we read. It is not a rule.
The rules
Each rule is written in our own words from the source linked under it. Open a section to read its rules.
Tequila
- LEGAL
Tequila can only be made from the blue Weber variety of agave (Agave tequilana Weber variedad azul).
- LEGAL
A tequila sold as "100% de agave" has not had sugars added other than the ones that come from the agave itself.
- LEGAL
A tequila sold simply as "Tequila" may get up to 49% of its total reducing sugars from sources other than agave.
- LEGAL
Only a short list of phrases may name the 100% agave category: "100% de agave", "100% puro de agave", "100% agave" or "100% puro agave", optionally followed by "azul".
- LEGAL
Blanco (or plata) tequila is bottled with only dilution water (plus what the norm's additive clause allows) added to set its strength; it may have rested in oak or encino for less than two months.
- LEGAL
Joven (or oro) tequila is a blend of blanco tequila with reposado, añejo or extra añejo tequila, or blanco blended with the abocante ingredients the norm allows.
- LEGAL
Reposado tequila has been aged for at least two months in direct contact with oak or encino wood.
- LEGAL
Añejo tequila has been aged for at least one year in oak or encino containers of 600 litres or less.
- LEGAL
Extra añejo tequila has been aged for at least three years in oak or encino containers of 600 litres or less.
- LEGAL
Every class of tequila is between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume, measured at 20 °C.
- LEGAL
The norm limits "abocante" ingredients to 1% of the tequila's total weight before bottling.
- LEGAL
The label has to carry the word "Tequila" and say which category (100% agave or not) and which class the tequila belongs to.
- LEGAL
The norm names the Consejo Regulador del Tequila, or another body that is accredited and approved, as the body that checks a tequila conforms.
- LEGAL
The label shows the name and address of the authorised producer, or of the factory where the tequila was made, and of the approved bottler where there is one.
- LEGAL
The label carries the official mark (contraseña oficial), together with the registration number of the authorised producer.
Mezcal
- LEGAL
For mezcal the norm counts any species of the genus Agave as "maguey o agave".
- LEGAL
The label carries "Mezcal", "Mezcal Artesanal" or "Mezcal Ancestral", according to the category.
- LEGAL
The norm's list of label statements includes the wording "100 % Maguey" or "100% Agave".
- LEGAL
Blanco (or joven) mezcal is colourless and translucent and has not been through any later process.
- LEGAL
Madurado en vidrio mezcal has been stabilised in glass for more than 12 months.
- LEGAL
Reposado mezcal stays between 2 and 12 months in wooden containers.
- LEGAL
Añejo mezcal stays more than 12 months in wooden containers of less than 1000 litres.
- LEGAL
"Abocado con" mezcal has flavouring ingredients added directly, as long as they are authorised.
- LEGAL
"Destilado con" mezcal is distilled together with flavouring ingredients.
- LEGAL
Mezcal is between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume, measured at 20 °C.
- LEGAL
The additives the norm names are sweeteners, colourings and flavourings that the Mexican health ministry's agreement permits.
- LEGAL
The label states the scientific name or the traditional (common) name of the maguey or agave used.
- LEGAL
Certified mezcal carries a hologram from the certifying body with a unique code for each bottle; the norm does not name the bodies.
Bacanora
- LEGAL
The only agave species the bacanora norm admits is Agave angustifolia Haw.
- LEGAL
Bacanora is named "Bacanora 100% de Agave".
- LEGAL
Blanco bacanora has only dilution water added, where needed, to set its commercial strength.
- LEGAL
A blend of blanco bacanora with reposado and/or añejo bacanora is considered joven or oro.
- LEGAL
Reposado bacanora has been left for at least two months in oak or encino wood containers.
- LEGAL
Añejo bacanora has matured for at least one year in oak or encino containers of 200 litres or less.
- LEGAL
Bacanora is between 38% and 55% alcohol by volume, measured at 20 °C.
- LEGAL
The label carries the word "Bacanora" and the legend 100% de Agave.
- LEGAL
The 2000 protection declaration says the protected zone includes municipios in these regions: Sierra Centro, Río Sonora and San Miguel; Centro; Sierra Alta; and Sierra Sur.
Raicilla
- LEGAL
The only raicilla standard we found is a draft (PROY-NOM-257-SE-2021), and a draft is not law, so we do not show its rules as law.
- LEGAL
The raicilla declaration names Agave maximiliana, inaequidens, valenciana, angustifolia and rhodacantha, "among others", and excludes Agave tequilana Weber azul.
- LEGAL
Joven, blanco or plata raicilla is colourless and translucent and has not been through any later process.
- LEGAL
Envejecida or madurada en vidrio raicilla has been stabilised in glass for more than 12 months.
- LEGAL
Reposada (or oro) raicilla stays between 2 and 12 months in wooden containers.
- LEGAL
Añejada raicilla stays more than 12 months in wooden containers.
- LEGAL
"Abocado con" raicilla has flavouring ingredients added directly.
- LEGAL
"Destilado con" raicilla goes through an additional distillation with flavouring ingredients, and the declaration allows it only for artesanal or tradicional raicilla.
- LEGAL
The declaration's summary gives 35% to 55% alcohol by volume at 20 °C for raicilla.
- LEGAL
The declaration names municipios of Jalisco (including Puerto Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes) and, in Nayarit, Bahía de Banderas.
Sotol
- LEGAL
Sotol is made from plants of the genus Dasylirion (except species under protection), not from agave.
- LEGAL
"Sotol 100% Puro" has to be bottled at a bottling plant inside the protected zone.
- LEGAL
Plain "Sotol" may have up to 49% of its sugars come from sources other than Dasylirion.
- LEGAL
Blanco sotol has only dilution water added, where needed, to set its commercial strength.
- LEGAL
Reposado sotol has been left for at least two months in wooden containers.
- LEGAL
Añejo sotol has matured for at least one year in wooden containers of 210 litres or less (or in other technological alternatives the norm allows).
- LEGAL
Sotol is between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume, measured at 20 °C.
- LEGAL
The label carries the word "Sotol", the brand, and the category and type.
- LEGAL
The sotol declaration names all the municipios of Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango as the zone.
What the label tells you
Words you may see on a bottle, and what they mean under the rules above.
- LEGAL Tequila
The word itself, with the category and class, must be on the label.
- LEGAL 100% de agave
Only for tequila with no sugars added from outside the agave. A tequila without the phrase may be a mix of agave and other sugars.
- LEGAL Blanco / plata
Tequila that is straight from the still, with only water added for strength. It may have rested briefly in oak.
- LEGAL Joven / oro
A blend that includes blanco with older tequila (or blanco with permitted additions).
- LEGAL Reposado
Aged at least two months in oak or encino.
- LEGAL Añejo
Aged at least one year in oak or encino containers of 600 litres or less.
- LEGAL Extra añejo
Aged at least three years in oak or encino containers of 600 litres or less.
- LEGAL Official mark and producer number (tequila)
Look for the contraseña oficial next to the producer's registration number.
- LEGAL Mezcal, Mezcal Artesanal, Mezcal Ancestral
These are the category words the norm puts on the label. This guide does not yet say what separates the three.
- LEGAL Agave named on a mezcal label
A mezcal label states the scientific or traditional name of the agave. See the glossary for label names, and note that some are ambiguous.
- LEGAL Madurado en vidrio
Mezcal stabilised in glass for more than 12 months.
- LEGAL Abocado con
Mezcal with flavouring ingredients added directly.
- LEGAL Destilado con
Mezcal distilled together with flavouring ingredients.
- LEGAL Bacanora 100% de Agave
The word Bacanora and the legend 100% de Agave are required on the label.
- LEGAL Sotol 100% Puro
Must be bottled inside the protected zone.
- LEGAL Sotol (without "100% Puro")
May include sugars from other sources, up to 49%.
Glossary and term finder
- Abocado con LEGAL
- Flavouring ingredients added directly to the mezcal.
- Agave azul (Weber variedad azul) LEGAL
- The only agave variety tequila can be made from.
- Añejo LEGAL
- In tequila, aged at least one year in oak or encino containers of 600 litres or less. Other spirits here have their own rule; see The rules.
- Arroqueño COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Oaxaca for Agave americana var. oaxacensis. One source we read files it under Agave americana without the variety.
- Castilla COMMON USAGE
- Not one plant. The sources we read use "castilla" (or "maguey de Castilla") for at least these species: Agave americana and Agave applanata. A label that gives only this name does not say which.
- Cenizo COMMON USAGE
- Not one plant. The sources we read use "cenizo" for at least these species: Agave durangensis and Agave americana. A label that gives only this name does not say which.
- Cirial COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Oaxaca for Agave karwinskii.
- Contraseña oficial LEGAL
- The official mark the tequila norm requires on the label, next to the producer's registration number.
- Coyote COMMON USAGE
- Not one plant. The sources we read use "coyote" for at least these species: Agave americana and Agave lyobaa. A label that gives only this name does not say which.
- Cuishe COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Oaxaca for Agave karwinskii.
- Dasylirion LEGAL
- The plant genus sotol is made from. It is not agave.
- Destilado con LEGAL
- Mezcal distilled together with flavouring ingredients.
- Espadín COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Oaxaca for Agave angustifolia. One source we read also uses "maguey espadín" for a different plant, Agave striata, which it lists with no spirit use.
- Jabalí COMMON USAGE
- Not one plant. The sources we read use "jabalí" for at least these species: Agave convallis and Agave kerchovei. A label that gives only this name does not say which.
- Lechuguilla COMMON USAGE
- Not one plant, and not simply Agave lechuguilla. The sources we read use "lechuguilla" for at least these species: Agave maximiliana (the raicilla agave in Jalisco), Agave shrevei, Agave inaequidens and Agave palmeri. The one source that lists Agave lechuguilla under this name gives fibre as its use, not a spirit.
- Madrecuixe COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in the Miahuatlán area of Oaxaca for Agave karwinskii. It is a local form of that species, not a separate species.
- Madurado en vidrio LEGAL
- Stabilised in glass for more than 12 months (mezcal).
- Maguey LEGAL
- The mezcal norm uses "maguey o agave" for any species of the genus Agave.
- NOM LEGAL
- Short for Norma Oficial Mexicana, an official Mexican standard. The standards used in this guide are named in each rule's source.
- Papalote COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Guerrero for Agave cupreata.
- Reposado LEGAL
- In tequila, aged at least two months in oak or encino. Mezcal, bacanora, raicilla and sotol each have their own rule; see The rules.
- Sotol 100% Puro LEGAL
- The sotol category that must be bottled inside the protected zone.
- Tepeztate COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Oaxaca for Agave marmorata.
- Tobasiche COMMON USAGE
- A label name used in Oaxaca for Agave karwinskii. The spellings "tobaziche" and "tobaxiche" did not appear in the sources we read.
- Verde COMMON USAGE
- Not one plant. The sources we read use "verde" for at least these species: Agave karwinskii, Agave salmiana, Agave weberi and Agave wocomahi. A label that gives only this name does not say which.
What we do not know yet
These are things we have not read or have not checked. Where a rule is not listed above, treat it as unknown to us, not as absent.
We have not confirmed the full list of municipios in the tequila zone, or the changes made to it after the original declaration, so we do not list the zone.
We have not checked whether NOM-006-SCFI-2012 has been amended since 2012.
We did not read a source that defines "cristalino" tequila, so this guide does not define it.
We have not read how to check a particular bottle with the Consejo Regulador del Tequila.
We have not read the original 1994 mezcal declaration or its later changes, so we do not list the mezcal zone.
We have not listed the certifying bodies for mezcal or any public lookup for them.
We have not checked whether NOM-070-SCFI-2016 has been modified since it was published.
We have not checked whether the bacanora zone has been enlarged since the 2000 declaration.
We have not checked whether NOM-168-SCFI-2004 is still the current text.
We have not listed the bodies that certify bacanora, or the rule for added flavouring (abocado).
We did not find a final raicilla standard, only the draft PROY-NOM-257-SE-2021, and we do not show the draft's categories (clásica, artesanal, ancestral) as law.
We have not read the raicilla certifier, the label wording, or any bottle lookup, and we have not read the Cocula amendment.
We have not checked whether NOM-159-SCFI-2004 is still current.
We have not listed the body that certifies sotol, or the rule for added flavouring (abocado), and we have not confirmed the date of the declaration.
We did not find "lumbre" as a label name in the sources we read, so this guide does not say which plant it refers to.
The glossary lists only the label names we could confirm in at least two sources. Many other names are in use, and some, such as tobalá, are used for more than one plant and are not listed here.
Looking for a bottle?
Information only, not legal advice. Rules change; check the source.