What type of still is traditionally used to distill tequila?

A copper pot still is traditionally used to distill tequila.

In pot distillation, fermented agave liquid is heated in a still and the alcoholic vapors are condensed into liquid. Copper is useful because it conducts heat well and can help remove some sulfur compounds during distillation. Producers may distill tequila more than once to refine the spirit.

Modern tequila production can also use column stills, which operate continuously and are efficient at large scale. Even so, the copper pot still remains the classic image and a widely used method in tequila making.

An alambique is the Spanish term commonly used for a still, while “tahona” refers to a crushing wheel. These pieces of equipment perform different jobs and should not be treated as interchangeable.