National Tequila Day: Here’s a crash course on the distilled liquor

July 24 is National Tequila Day.

Kristopher DeSoto, founder of Hiatus Tequila, joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday morning to celebrate the distilled spirit, made from fermented agave juice.

Here are some interesting facts about tequila – for today and every day.

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Check out these facts here.

1. Tequila originated in Mexico and is named after the town of Tequila, located in the western Mexican state of Jalisco.

2. Only five states are allowed to produce tequila, according to DeSoto.

Those states are Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.

Jalisco is one of Mexico’s largest producers, DeSoto said on “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

3. The raw material for making tequila is Mexican green agave, a succulent plant with fleshy leaves.

According to DeSoto, trees can take up to eight years to mature. When the agave finally reaches maturity, it is harvested and cooked to make tequila.

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4. Tequila can vary in color – and that color corresponds to how long it has been aged.

There are three grades of aged tequila: blanco (left), reposado (center) and añejo (right). The aging process leads to a different color.
(Fox News Channel)

Below is a summary of the variations.

Blanco tequila is clear and is usually aged for 0 to 5 months.

Reposado tequila is amber-yellow in color and is usually aged for six months.

Añejo tequila is golden brown in color and is usually aged for a year.

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DeSoto said: “Blanco has always been the most popular because that’s who we’ve always been used to doing the shoots with and all that.

“And there are three expressions.”

Kristopher DeSoto mixes a Hiatus Highball cocktail with tequila, tonic and lemon on “Fox and Friends Weekend.”
(Fox News Channel)

5. The “cleaner” and “smooth” tequila, the less sugar it needs, says DeSoto.

“A margarita in even Mexico isn’t the same thing on this side of the border,” he told “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

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“A Mexican margarita is almost soda, lime and tequila. It’s clean and you won’t feel bad the next day.”

What drink combo does Kristopher DeSoto recommend?

If an easy cocktail is what you need, DeSoto recommends the Hiatus Highball.

It is made with three ingredients: tequila, tonic water, and lime juice.