The Mexican city of Tequila gives its name to the distilled spirit tequila.
Tequila is located in Jalisco, one of the principal regions covered by Mexico’s tequila denomination of origin. The city and nearby countryside became closely identified with blue agave cultivation and the industrial production of the spirit.
The word refers both to the place and to the legally protected beverage category. This is similar to other geographically named foods and drinks whose names connect a product to a particular region and tradition.
Tequila is not a generic name for every distilled agave drink. Mezcal is a broader Mexican category made from permitted agave species, while tequila must follow its own rules concerning the plant, production area, processing, and labeling. The city’s name therefore carries geographic and legal significance.