U.S. tequila consumption 2022, by state
Tequila industry
Tequila, an agave-based distilled spirit from Mexico, is one of the most widely consumed alcoholic beverages in the United States. The term tequila, which originated from the Nahuatl (Aztec) language, roughly translates to "the place where plants are harvested." In 1974, the government of Mexico declared the term as its intellectual property. Hence, this spirit is exclusively produced in the state of Jalisco and in a few municipalities in Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. Agave-based distilled spirits produced in other regions are called mezcal. Mexico shares a border with California and Texas, which accounts for these federal states' sizeable tequila consumption.
Patrón, Don Julio and Casamigos were the leading global tequila brands in 2022. In the United States, Jose Cuervo proved to be the country's most popular tequila brand, selling 5.07 million 9-liter cases, accounting for approximately 17.5 percent of the total volume sales of tequila in the U.S. in 2022. Nationwide, retail sales of tequila exceeded 12 billion U.S. dollars, while suppliers sales totaled approximately six billion U.S. dollars.