“What are the best Tequila books?” We looked at 7 sources and came away with 62 of the best books about tequila, so we could answer that very question.

Part 4 in our 7 part series of Alcohol Articles.

Today we aggregated the best books about Tequila. The top 21 books that appeared on multiple lists are ranked below with pictures, links, and summaries. The remaining 41 books and the sources we used are also listed at the bottom of the article.

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The Top 21 Tequila Books

21 .) Agaves of Continental North America by Howard Scott Gentry

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Alcademics

This is an indispensable guide to agaves. The uses of agaves are as many as the arts of man have found it convenient to devise. At least two races of man have invaded Agaveland during the last ten to fifteen thousand years, where, with the help of agaves, they contrived several successive civilizations. The region of greatest use development is Mesoamerica. Here the great genetic diversity in a genus rich in use potential came into the hands of several peoples who developed the main agricultural center of the Americas. Perhaps, as the Aztec legends suggest, it was the animals that first showed man the edibility of agave. Evolution in use ranges all the way from the coincidental and spurious, through tool and food-drink subsistence with mystical overlay, to the practical specialties of modem industry and art. The historic period of agave will be outlined here as briefly as that complicated development will allow.

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20 .) Alcohol in Ancient Mexico by Henry J. Bruman

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Alcademics

“Alcohol in Ancient Mexico reconstructs the variety and extent of distillation traditions in the ancient cultures of Mexico, describing in detail the various plants and processes used to make such beverages, their prevalence, and their significance for local culture.

The art of distillation arrived in Mexico with the Spaniards in the sixteenth century. However, well before that time, native skills and available resources had contributed to a well-developed tradition of intoxicating beverages, many of which are still produced and consumed.

In the 1930’s Henry Bruman visited various Mexican and Central American Indian tribes to reconstruct the variety and extent of these ancient traditions. He discerned five distinct areas defined by the culturally most significant beverages, all superimposed over the great mescal wine region. Within these five areas he noted wine made from cactus, cactus fruit, cornstalks, and mesquite pods; beer from sprouted maize; and fermented sap from pulque agaves.

Outside the mescal region he observed widespread consumption in the Yucatan of a wine made from fermented honey and balché bark, plus lesser-known beverages in other regions. He also observed the frequent inclusion in the fermentation process of alkaloid-bearing ingredients such as peyote and tobacco, plants whose roots or bark contain saponins—which act as cardiac poisons—and even poisons from certain toads.”

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19 .) Artes de Mexico – El Tequila – Arte Traditional de Mexico by Artes de Mexico

Lists It Appears On:

• Los Cabos Guide
• Tequila Source (again)

Como la nacion mexicana, el tequila nacio mestizo: del agave americano y los alambiques llegados de Europa. Y con el paso del tiempo, se convirtio en un simbolo nacional. Como fue que los atributos de Mexico y los del tequila se fundieron en una sola imagen? Estas paginas nos invitan a explorar la historia y la presencia cultural de esta bebida emblematica. ENGLISH: Like the country that gave rise to it, tequila was the product of two cultures: the American agave and European stills. Over time, it became a national symbol. How did the attributes of Mexico and tequila wind up being fused into a single image? This issue explores the history and cultural references of this emblematic spirit.

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18 .) Artes de Mexico – Maguey by Artes de Mexico

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source
• Los Cabos Guide

The magueysilent witness to Mexicos transformationsholds the key to its own cultivation, the use of each of its parts, the symbolism hidden in its shape and properties, and how and where it is consumed. These pages reveal the secrets of this paradigmatic plant, its distillation and its presence in the arts.

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17 .) Hola Tequila! – Ninety Creative Cocktails and Inspired Shooters by Colleen Graham

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source
• Los Cabos Guide

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16 .) Jalisco, tierra del Tequila by Margarita de Arellana

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Tequila Source (again)

An unusual Mexican landscape is revealed as we embark on a journey through images and words from Jalisco.

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15 .) Oaxaca Tierra de Maguey y Mezcal by Alberto Sanchez Lopez

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Alcademics

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14 .) Tequila: The Book by Ann & Larry Walker

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Alcademics

With its smoky base and smooth intensity, tequila has for decades been an icon of wild times and life in the fast lane. Yet no other spirit is as adaptable to the flavors of food, and none matches so well the rich complexity of the Mexican culinary repertoire. Illustrated with Mexican-style linoleum cuts, this funky little celebration of tequila offers 35 authentic recipes for tequila drinks, dishes using tequila as an ingredient, and meals to serve with tequila. Including a wealth of anecdotes and information on the liquor’s history and origins, this lively, thorough cookbook provides all you need to become an instant aficionado of tequila in its many moods.

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13 .) The People’s Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz, Havens, Steve Rogers

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Los Cabos Guide

Over the past 35 years, hundreds of thousands of readers have agreed: This is the classic guide to “living, traveling, and taking things as they come” in Mexico. Now in its updated 14th edition, The People’s Guide to Mexico still offers the ideal combination of basic travel information, entertaining stories, and friendly guidance about everything from driving in Mexico City to hanging a hammock to bartering at the local mercado.

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12 .) Viva Tequila! Cooking with the Spirit of Mexico by Lacinda Hutson

Lists It Appears On:

• Alcademics
• Margarita Texas

¡Viva Tequila! begins with a lively tour of the history and culture of spirits made from the miraculous maguey—pulque, mezcal, and tequila. Lucinda follows her chosen elixir from fields of blue agave, to distilleries both family-owned and internationally operated, to the bewildering array of brands now available in the market. She offers advice on how to host a tequila tasting, discover your favorites, and stock your home cantina. With imaginative garnishes and presentations, and inspiration drawn from her travels throughout Mexico, Lucinda presents recipes for dozens of drinks featuring favorite Mexican libations, while also highlighting mezcal and tequila in new and bright ways that go far beyond the ubiquitous margarita. And because no fiesta is complete without festive food, Lucinda shows you how to use agave spirits in delightful dishes that feature fresh produce, fragrant herbs, and chiles picantes, prepared with techniques from Mexico’s kitchen. For occasions ranging from lavish buffets to morning meriendas, leisurely afternoon tardeadas, last-minute happy hours, or dessert socials, you’ll find original recipes and traditional ones, some of which Lucinda has altered with contemporary touches, that are sure to please every palate.

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11 .) Classic Tequila by Ian Wisniewski

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source
• Ian Chadwick
• Los Cabos Guide

The Aztecs are thought to have made a fermented drink similar to tequila as early as the 3rd century BC, and barrel-aged and blended golden tequilas can have a quality to rival that of cognac and scotch. Good tequila has a herby/spicy aroma and flavour with an oily texture. Tequila is distilled from the heart of the blue-leaved “agave”, a large cactus-like plant that takes some 12 years to mature in the the Mexican province of Jalisco ( a “Denominacion de Origen”). There are hundreds of brands of tequila, from classics like Jose Cuervo – who have been distilling since the 18th century – to aged (“anejo”) and reserve (“reposado”) specialities and little-known small batch brands. This title covers: the culture and history of tequila; how tequila is made; an A-Z of all the classic brands with tasting notes; classic cocktails from the Margarita to the Tequila Sunrise; what to eat with and how to cook with tequila; and a gazetteer of tequila bars, shrines and destinations in Mexico and around the world.

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10 .) El Agave Tequilero – Cultivo E Industria de Mexico by Ana G. Valenzuela Zapata

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source (again)
• Alcademics
• Ian Chadwick

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9 .) Heaven, Earth, Tequila: Un Viaje Al Corazón de México by Douglas Menuez

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Tequila Source
• Los Cabos Guide

HEAVEN, EARTH, TEQUILA: Un Viaje al Corazón de México features the work of award-winning photographer Douglas Menuez, who over the past four years has created a stunning body of images that explore the cultural side of tequila and of México itself. This photographic journey of discovery began when Menuez and his Mexican-born friend Andrés Zamudio traveled to the little-known town of Tequila to document the ancient techniques for making tequila. They thought they knew México, but came to reach a much deeper understanding of the extremely complex history and mestizo culture of the Mexican people. The book reveals the ongoing Aztec traditions from which tequila was born, from the history of the agave plant to how its most famous product became a symbol of Mexico, and in doing so, offers the reader a unique glimpse into the soul of this fascinating country.

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8 .) La Historia del Tequila de sus Regiones y sus Hombres by Rogelio Luna Zamora

Lists It Appears On:

• Alcademics
• Tequila Source
• Los Cabos Guide

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7 .) Tequila Mezcal y Pulque: Lo Autenico Mexicano by Lennart Blomberg

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source
• Los Cabos Guide
• Ian Chadwick

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6 .) Tequila: The Spirit of Mexico by Carlos Monsivais, Michael Calderwood (Photographer), Enrique Martinez Limon

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source
• Los Cabos Guide
• Alcademics

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5 .) Tequila! – A Natural and Cultural History by Ana Guadalup Guadalupe Valenzuela Zapata and Gary Paul Nabhan

Lists It Appears On:

• Los Cabos Guide
• Tequila Source (again)
• Ian Chadwick

The array of bottles is impressive, their contents finely tuned to varied tastes. But they all share the same roots in Mesoamerica’s natural bounty and human culture. The drink is tequila—more properly, mescal de tequila, the first mescal to be codified and recognized by its geographic origin and the only one known internationally by that name. In ¡Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History, Ana G. Valenzuela-Zapata, the leading agronomist in Mexico’s tequila industry, and Gary Paul Nabhan, one of America’s most respected ethnobotanists, plumb the myth of tequila as they introduce the natural history, economics, and cultural significance of the plants cultivated for its production. Valenzuela-Zapata and Nabhan take you into the agave fields of Mexico to convey their passion for the century plant and its popular by-product. In the labor-intensive business of producing quality mescal, the cultivation of tequila azul is maintained through traditional techniques passed down over generations. They tell how jimadores seek out the mature agaves, strip the leaves, and remove the heavy heads from the field; then they reveal how the roasting and fermentation process brings out the flavors that cosmopolitan palates crave. Today in Oaxaca it’s not unusual to find small-scale mescal-makers vending their wares in the market plaza, while in Jalisco the scale of distillation facilities found near the town of Tequila would be unrecognizable to old José Cuervo. Valenzuela-Zapata and Nabhan trace tequila’s progress from its modest beginnings to one of the world’s favored spirits, tell how innovations from cross-cultural exchanges made fortunes for Cuervo and other distillers, and explain how the meteoric rise in tequila prices is due to an epidemic—one they predicted would occur—linked to the industry’s cultivation of just one type of agave. The tequila industry today markets more than four hundred distinct products through a variety of strategies that heighten the liquor’s mystique, and this book will educate readers about the grades of tequila, from blanco to añejo, and marks of distinction for connoisseurs who pay up to two thousand dollars for a bottle. ¡Tequila! A Natural and Cultural History will feed anyone’s passion for the gift of the blue agave as it heightens their appreciation for its rich heritage.

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4 .) Tequila by Alberto Ruy-Sanchez & Margarita de Orellana

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Margarita Texas
• Alcademics
• Los Cabos Guide

Tequila is a national drink of great variety and complexity, inextricably entwined with the history and culture of Mexico. Tequila is the first book in English to explore fully what has been called “that burning river in a small glass.” The book is a wonderful guide to everything you need to know about tequila, from 21 background questions and answers, to an A-Z illustrated description of all the tequila brands from the most common to the rarest, to a collection of recipes, not only for cocktails but also for tequila shrimp. Accompanying this practical information are thought-provoking and entertaining articles on the history of tequila making, from the Aztecs through colonial times to the present

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3 .) The Book of Tequila : A Complete Guide by Bob Emmons

Lists It Appears On:

• Alcademics
• Vivatequila
• Ian Chadwick
• Los Cabos Guide

Hailed by industry experts as the most accurate, detailed, and entertaining book on tequila ever written, The Book of Tequila gives us a tour through the mysterious world of this historic and subtle distilled beverage. It constitutes a comprehensive sourcebook on every aspect of Tequila, including all the basic facts on the world’s most popular cocktail, the margarita. This 2002 edition provides an update on the tumultuous developments in the tequila industry over the last five years, and evaluates the new labels that have come on the market in that time. The author offers a charming account of the amazing blue agave plant, the essential ingredient in Tequila, outlines the growing, harvesting and manufacturing process, makes comparisons with other agave-derived drinks such as mescal, relates the agave and tequila to the social history of Mexico, and dispels many myths about tequila (it’s not made from cactus and it never contains a worm). Bob Emmons identifies the two basic kinds and seven broad varieties of tequila, and explains precisely why 90 percent of the tequila drunk by Americans is of extremely inferior quality, scarcely meriting the name.

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2 .) Mesa Grill Guide to Tequila by Laurence Kretchmer and Zeva Oelbaum

Lists It Appears On:

• Tequila Source
• Ian Chadwick
• Los Cabos Guide
• Vivatequila
• Alcademics

The ultimate guide that covers the history, production, appreciation and use of tequila with every major variety, covering over fifty brands with seventy-five cocktail recipes, tequila-based appetizers, main courses and desserts.

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1 .) The Tequila Lover’s Guide to Mexico by Lance Cutler, Brian Ward

Lists It Appears On:

• Ian Chadwick
• Vivatequila
• Alcademics
• Los Cabos Guide
• Tequila Source (again)

The first part of the book explains how agave is grown, harvested, fermented, and distilled to become tequila. The second part comprises the most extensive tasting of tequila ever attempted by a professional tasting panel with actual descriptions of more than 85 tequilas. Finally, for those adventurers looking for a tequila based vacation. There are maps. hotel and restaurant recommendations, and specific information to create your own Mexican tequila holiday.

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41 Additional Top Books About Tequila

Best Tequila Recipe Book Sources