Tequila is an alcoholic distillate obtained from the distillation of a fermented agave plant, Agave tequilana, mainly in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Mexico (25,26). The place of production of agave is illustrated in figure 1. Historically, the Aztec people learned that cooked agave, when immersed in water, fermented to produce a pleasant drink (5). It was only with the arrival of the Spanish, who brought with them knowledge of distillation techniques, that the fermented agave juice of the Aztec people took the form of today's tequila (7). Today, the tequila industry is growing tremendously, producing 300 million liters of tequila per year and earning revenue of 21 billion pesos ($1.6 billion) in 2012 (9). content and abundance of chemical compounds that contribute to the final taste and flavor of tequila. This species of agave grows best in the areas surrounding the city of Tequila because the climatic and soil conditions are ideal: 3-47 Co (optimal temperature of 26 Co), annual rainfall of 800-900 mm per year and shallow fertile soil ( 30 to 40 centimeters) (2.3). Additionally, agaves grown in the highland region have a sweeter aroma and flavor than in the lowland regions, which have a herbaceous flavor and odor (4). Agave: AgricultureAgaves are sown in holes 15 cm deep in straight lines about two to four meters apart. . Agave plants can be intercropped with nitrogen-fixing crops such as peanuts, beans, chickpeas, soybeans, or nitrogen-containing compounds such as urea, phosphorus, potassium, or manure can be added (17). The agave plant generally takes eight to twelve years to fully mature, allowing flavor precursors to build up in... the center of the paper... ef?). In the 1950s, modern systems were developed in which cooked agave was passed through a cutting system to be shredded while the sugary juice was collected. Once ground, the resulting juice is mixed with the syrup extracted in the cooking phase (the cooking honey) and, if the tequila is not 100% agave, possibly mixed with a sugar cane solution or other sugar solution not at agave base. Additionally, the agave product from the grinding mill is washed away to improve sugar extraction (27). Milling generates a by-product called bagasse, which represents approximately 40% of the total weight. Bagasse is considered a waste product, however it can be used in numerous applications when mixed with clay to make bricks, animal feed or particleboard, or bagasse can be added back to fermentation tanks for a stronger agave flavor in the product final (17).