Jose Cuervo

Jose Cuervo, one of the best-selling Tequila in the world. In 1758, José Antonio de Cuervo y Valdés was given a issued a grant of land ownership by King Fernand VI to plant agave on his lands for producing Tequila. In 1795 he was granted the first license by King Carlos IV of Spain to produce and distribute Tequila, and by 1880 his Tequila was being commercially bottled and distributed at La Rojeña distillery, founded in 1812, the oldest active distillery in Latin America. It was first exported to the United States in 1852. Tequila was known as "mezcal de tequila" until 1893, after this time Tequila makers and the Mexican government dropped "mezcal" from the name. So officially, Cuervo's first bottled ‘Tequila’ was sold in 1906! Oddly enough, Cuervo was the first major brand to sponsor beach volleyball, and is widely credited with popularizing the sport. The brand is still family owned and run by descendants of Jose Antonio, and all Jose Cuervo Tequila is still made in the town of Tequila in the state of Jalisco in Mexico.