It?s no secret that the best way to pump up a party is to offer tequila slammers or margaritas to your guests ? and that?s because the juice of the blue agave is the quintessential ?talky-talky? spirit, guaranteed to let down barriers and overcome inhibitions.

South African tequila lovers have been disadvantaged for some time now, as the worldwide shortage of tequila has hit hard. But the good news, according to Guinness UDV, who import Jose Cuervo for the SA market, is that the shortage is officially over. They say there?s enough tequila in the country to satisfy demand until well into next year, and should demand increase, they?ll simply increase their import order. In the meantime, Guinness UDV have slashed the wholesale price of tequila by almost R200 a case to retailers, and they?re hoping this saving will be passed on to the consumer.

When tequila sales unexpectedly boomed a few years ago, tequila producers found that demand outstripped supply, as consumers found they really, really liked tequila. Accurate forecasting is essential to the tequila business, as the blue agave plant can only be harvested once, and takes around a decade to mature.

However, Jose Cuervo has caught up production and say their improved forecasting methods will eliminate future shortages.

So what?s with the worm?

We?ve all heard about the worm at the bottom of the tequila bottle? but if you really do find a worm, you?ve got the wrong drink. According to tequila expert Anamaria Cesena, of Jose Cuervo International, the worm is found in mezcal, which is a cousin of tequila.

But why on earth would anyone want to add a worm to their drink in the first place?

One story about the worm?s origin argues the worm?s purpose was to draw the ?demon? of drunkenness into the worm, thus saving the drinker from evil.

The tequila production process:
Tequila ? like champagne ? is produced only in a very specific geographical region, in this case the Jalisco and Guadalajara regions of Mexico. The spirit is produced from the blue agave plant (in Spanish, ?agave azul?), which takes between 8 and 10 years to reach maturity, before being harvested. Unlike vineyards, where the same vine can produce wine year after year, the agave plant can only produce tequila once. Only five Mexican states are licensed to produce tequila, so there?s a limit as to how much can be produced. To be called tequila, the final product must contain a minimum of 51 percent agave.
A more likely reason, however, is that it was one way to test whether the mezcal was safe to drink. In the days before the accurate measurement of alcohol content, alcohol poisoning was a real possibility. But if the worm stayed intact, and did not dissolve into the liquid, you could be sure you were safe.

Nowadays, of course, it?s just a marketing gimmick.

Ways to drink tequila:

While the most popular way of drinking tequila in South Africa is to ?slam? it, with the aid of lemon and salt, that?s by no means the only way of enjoying this popular alcohol. In fact, Mexicans prefer sipping, and treat tequila as a fine liqueur, much like whisky.

If you?re bored with margaritas, Anamaria suggests trying tequila with orange juice, lemon cordial or dry lemon, or even Coke. You could also try a mojito or tequila sunrise.

Tequila Mojito:
4 parts tequila
4 parts soda water
2 parts freshly squeezed lime
2 tablespoons sugar
mint leaves

Prepare directly in tall old-fashioned tumbler. Start with the sugar, then the mint leaves. Crush gently until some juice is extracted from mint leaves. Add ice and follow with remaining ingredients.

Tequila Sunrise:
3 parts tequila
6 parts fresh orange juice
1 part grenadine syrup

Mix tequila and orange juice directly in tall old-fashioned tumbler. Add shot of grenadine to create sunrise effect. Garnish with twist of orange rind and cherry.

Or, for the ultimate tequila cocktail, try a Grand Margarita:
5 parts tequila
3 parts Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
2 parts lime / lemon juice
salt

Prepare in shaker with ice, and serve in martini glass with salted rim using lime juice.

Recipes courtesy of Jose Cuervo.