TMA (tristeza y muerte de agave – “deepening of agaves and death”) is a rot that has reduced the production of agave grown for the manufacture of tequila. This led to a drop in production and a rise in prices in the early 21st century and, due to the long maturation of the facility, will likely impact prices for years to come. [38] For tequila too, there are four categories depending on the period of aging:[11] Differences in taste between tequila from low-lying and highland plants may be noticeable. Plants grown in the highlands often provide sweeter, fruity tequila, while lowland herbs give tequila a more earthy flavor. [28] A one-liter bottle of limited edition premium tequila was sold in July 2006 in Tequila, Jalisco, by tequila Ley .925 for $225,000. The bottle containing the tequila was a two-kilo platinum and gold screen. The manufacturer has obtained a certificate from The Guinness World Records for the most expensive bottle of tequila spirit ever sold. [17] While several articles compiled by Expeditors, an online database on trade issues, source 9, indicate that tequila is the driving force behind the impasse, Free Republic cites additional points of contention between China and Mexico, grouped together as “toys, textiles and tequila.” With this argument, Mexico is concerned not only that China could flood foreign markets with knock-off tequila brands, but also low-cost toys and textiles. These labour-intensive industries are critical to the Mexican economy, particularly in the export market to the United States. NAFTA would prevent the U.S. from importing Chinese spirits called tequila, but intellectual property provisions have no dominance over toys and textiles that China can produce and sell at a lower cost than Mexico.
China`s accession to the WTO could create a major competitive disadvantage for Mexico in these sectors, although Mexican trade agent Raul Urteaga insists that the heart of the dispute is the protection of the intellectual property of its domestic beverage. Source 10 Unlike wine containing tannins that can change over time, even in a bottle, if proper storage conditions are not met, spirits like tequila do not change much after bottling. [43] As tequila is a distilled liqueur, it does not require strict storage conditions like wine, and the same is true for most other distilled spirits such as whiskey, rum or vodka. [43] In addition, since the specific properties and quality (taste, aroma, colour, etc.) of tequila are determined in wooden barrels during the ageing process, the quality of tequilas must remain relatively constant after bottling. [43] To preserve the quality of tequila, at least three conditions must be met: constant and moderate temperature (60 to 65 °F), direct absence of sunlight and maintenance of the correct waterproofing of the vial. . . .