Tequila is named after the Mexican city of the same name and is a spirit distilled from blue agave. The agave plant contains a sugary juice which is fermented and then distilled. It was the first distilled spirit produced in Latin America. The agave plant becomes mature after about 7-8 years at which stage the part containing the sugary juice is removed, crushed and heated in order to obtain a honey-like syrup (aguamiel) which is then fermented to produce Pulque, a typical Mexican beverage. The distillation of this beverage produces Tequila, which can be either white, when young, or dark after ageing in wood. Compared to Tequila, Mezcal is a distillate obtained from the heart of the agave alone, and is only produced in the state of Oaxaca.