A Field Guide to Tequila: What It Is, Where It’s From, and How to Taste It

As the popularity of Mexico's treasured drink has grown, the tequila world has filled with so-called "experts" offering often ill-informed opinions and advice. That is not the case with A Field Guide to Tequila, concisely written by one of the most revered aficionados in the tequila world. Clayton Szczech has spent the better part of two decades living in Mexico, especially the tequila-central state of Jalisco, to understand the elixir that brings so many of us joy. In this book he explains why those cheap shots you consumed in college swore you off tequila forever, and why ultra premium sipping tequilas are now driving the US market (and how to taste the difference). The growing demand for tequila and the rising prices for agave (which he also explains) are prompting many commercially common distillers to cut corners with chemical additives-- and he explains all of that too. He also highlights a handful of distillers who, like boutique winemakers, still honor the time-old (but costlier) traditions of using only perfectly ripened agave to create additive-free tequila. You'll learn how to taste the nuances of a great sipping tequila, and perhaps turn into an aficionado yourself. This book is well-written and accessible. You can tell throughout that the author cares deeply about Mexico's national spirit and its culture. People new to tequila will come away enlightened, and aficionados will learn a thing or two as well. I highly recommend this book both as an informative reader and as a reference book to guide your spirit choices moving forward. Salud!

Well written and organized. Easy read, great for anyone interested in learning more about tequila. Highly recommended.

It's written in the style of the best travel books of the 20th century, when you just had a single invaluable guide book that conveys everything you needed to know about a subject in a clear tone.The book itself is gorgeous, with interesting pictures and is broken up in a logical format that made me want to keep reading. Clayton Szczech's knowledge of tequila is clear, and the writing is conversational and there is no fluff or padding in the text. It's literally packed with information and insight I haven't found in print anywhere else.I think this has to be the best English language resource for someone interested in Tequila, the spirit.

Like most of us, as a young man I quickly had a very bad experience with what I thought was the only tequila around….Jóse……. I quickly wrote off ever drinking tequila again. Fast forward a decade and trip to Mexico, where I was finally introduced to high quality, and well made tequila. Once I’d discovered that tequila could be delicious, lively, and exciting, I began learning what I could about it. In 2018 I found the author of this book’s company called “Experience Tequila” I quickly booked a trip. I was absolutely enthralled with the details and stories that Clayton and his tour guide Kami taught us, and showed us. It was a whirlwind trip through 4 tequila distilleries, where we experienced first hand how tequila is made from start to finish. I left that trip with a much better understanding and appreciation for my favorite spirit and all of its inclinations. I wanted to know more about tequila, and there really weren’t any great resources for me to read up on it.Once I saw that Clayton had written a book about tequila it was a no-brainer that I would preorder it.I got the book about a month ago, and quickly devoured it. Like he describes in the first few pages, a book like this, written in English has been missing for English speaking people who want to dive deeper into tequila from the planting of the Agave plants all the way through to the mixing, and bottling of the finished product. You will find that it’s well written, and a good read, you really won’t be able to put the book down.I loved it so much that I ordered 2 copies for gifts after about page 40. I would 100% recommend this book for any tequila lover oor as a gift to your tequila loving friends and family.

Very informative, very educational, it really helped me to sell tequila at my last job working at a liquor store.

Szczech's book is easy to read, easy to use, and easy to enjoy. He answers truly almost any question you might have about tequila -- from the most basic (what defines it, how it's produced, the effect aging has on the drink) to more specific concerns (how to best taste tequila and to host a tasting, how and when to visit tequila country, and what the hot debates are within the tequila-knowledgeable community). There is a clear, informative guide to the brands of tequila as well as a deep dive into exactly how tequila is made at each step. I was excited to see that sustainability concerns are addressed and that classic recipes are included. This book is absolutely on my what-to-give list when the holidays arrive.