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墨西哥於我是個激情國度，愛與死等同力道。
其烈性血性就像有國酒之稱的 Tequila （龍舌蘭酒），充滿著龍舌蘭植物的土地精神，一種即使生命已然荒旱也要活下去的性情充溢著古都往來的容顏裡，我總是凝視著那些被土地與古國文明深度刻畫的臉，想要從中讀出這個烈性民族所經歷的風霜與歷史無常。
也許從龍舌蘭酒的文化可以聞到那帶著高濃度酒精的烈火性情。連墨西哥女人都嗜喝烈酒，血性女子和烈性漢子在這塊土地上彼此以酒魂酒靈相見，怪不得推開入夜的墨西哥傳統酒吧，男男女女都喝著 Tequila ，幾乎少有人喝葡萄酒（除了在墨西哥市的一些西式洋化酒吧例外）。喝 Tequila 時，他們會抽些菸草，有時流浪藝人進來酒吧彈吉他唱唱歌，有時是穿著長裙的豔麗長髮女郎推開酒吧的門張著長長睫毛的大眼睛逡尋著潛在的客人，想要為他們算算命，卜卜塔羅牌。至於街頭賣各式糖果和豆子的小孩通常都被擋在酒館外頭了。
在墨西哥當地人才去的老派酒吧待久些後，會有一種魔幻的情調升起，以為自己也流著美洲的革命熱血，頓時所有的拘謹鬆開，也試著將酒一口飲盡。
在我年輕的時候，和男性友人混酒吧時，當年很喜歡坐在吧台上喝 Tequila ， Boom ！ |
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擎起杯口抹著鹽巴的 Tequila ，往木頭檯面敲一下，自以為如此是一種豪爽流露，且以為「迸」一下是喝 Tequila 的一種必要方式。或是坐在吧台前，聽著拉丁音樂，啜飲 Tequila 混合著細細白白的鹽粒與幾滴檸檬汁的調酒，感覺又烈性又甜美，矛盾的口感，像是雙重性格的人（當年感覺喝這樣的酒和自己頗像。）
然則去了墨西哥才知道喝的方法百種，加白蘭地、威士忌或是加礦泉水對成混合酒。墨西哥人有各式各樣獨特的 Tequila 酒杯，這 Tequila 酒杯都是一組對杯，小巧可愛，對杯有小乘盤，杯盤附有一迷你鹽罐。他們有時把鹽抹在手背，用唇舌舔手背，真是性感豪邁。至於對杯，是一杯乘龍舌蘭酒，一杯乘礦泉水或特製的一種蕃茄汁（或其他特殊口味）。
瑪格麗特，以 Tequila 調的酒，口感柔和，很好喝，很容易就喝多了。 Tequila 調酒是危險天蠍情人，愛你時激烈，分手時也可以讓你難過和難忘。
也許在墨西哥首都墨西哥市喝 Tequila 不夠過癮，因為真正要喝這款酒的過癮處是應該到塔奇拉小鎮喝（這有點像是在法國香檳亞丁區喝香檳酒般）。
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在塔奇拉飲 Tequila
墨西哥的 Tequila 龍舌蘭酒是以塔奇拉鎮為酒命名，因為它名符其實，塔奇拉是墨西哥產塔奇拉的最佳最大酒區。
在塔奇拉飲 Tequila ，成了墨西哥最知名的觀光活動。
首先必須先從墨西哥市搭巴士抵瓜達拉哈拉（ Guadalajara ），可以租車也可以搭巴士，墨西哥的巴士公共系統比台灣更有秩序且更組織化，在各企業競爭下，巴士可以選擇的類別與公司不少，巴士等級一般分有三等，一等巴士最高級，位子寬且舒服，大型巴士載滿也不到三十人，很寬鬆，廁所乾淨，上車還有飲料點心。搭巴士從墨西哥市抵瓜達拉哈拉約費時七小時，墨西哥高速公路因採高額收費，所以等於以價制量（一般小市民為省錢者多走不收費的省道或山路），除了進入墨西哥市的路段會塞車外，其餘高速公路路段好走外，一路沿途荒漠山色與孤樹仙人掌龍舌蘭交替行過瞳孔，美洲古老土地的獨特荒涼美感與壯闊風景是最佳犒賞。（當然亦可選擇航空，約一小時，從洛杉磯亦有許多班機直飛此城，這座城市至少可以待上一週，鄰近有許多景點可遊。）
瓜達拉哈拉是僅次於首都的墨西哥第二大城，人口雖多，但卻沒有墨西哥市的首都犯罪等問題，這裡的市民和善多了，最多就是經過市集時會遇見不斷企圖想要賣東西給你的小販罷了。
瓜達拉哈拉距塔奇拉約五十公里，飯店多有安排龍舌蘭酒莊之旅，也可在瓜達拉哈拉火車站搭龍舌蘭快車（ Tequila Express ），整個車程的視野風光即是連綿一片的龍舌蘭，一種無盡的生命力感，就像 Tequila 般之濃烈又爽口。
在塔奇拉小鎮有賞酒路線，也可以住宿此鎮，隔天再緩緩遊賞。塔奇拉博物館（ Museo del Teuila ）與幾家特色塔奇拉酒莊的賞製酒過程與品酒是必備行程。 |
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著名的塔奇拉酒大廠的優質酒款在亞洲也可購買到 (Photo: Jose Cuervo)
The famous Mexico tequila maker Jose Cuervo's high quality products can be found in Asia |
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塔奇拉博物館的橘紅顏色佔盡視覺，直逼目光而來，是小鎮醒眼座標。
塔奇拉博物館是瞭解Tequila之歷史的最佳之地。塔奇拉的歷史可追溯到西班牙殖民前的阿茲特克帝國（ Aztecs ）與提奧迪華崗（ Teotihuacan ）時期即有此釀酒傳統。而塔奇拉小鎮開始遍植龍舌蘭與開始釀酒則從十七世紀開始，塔奇拉小鎮約有十七家蒸餾場，小小的鎮集結這麼多蒸餾場，所以打從走進小鎮即聞到濃濃的酒味，空氣帶點甜，在陽光下，與飽滿的色彩牆面陰影裡，我尚未飲酒卻已有點醺醺然。
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整個小鎮的建築多保有西班牙時代的殖民風情，大教堂廣場前的男人裝扮還保有墨西哥男人的典型樣貌，戴著大草帽，穿著率性的牛仔褲，連老男人都如此，使得這個小鎮時光似乎是凝結不移了。
我參觀的蒸餾場是著名的塔奇拉酒大廠 Jose Cuervo （也可到創始 Tequila 的老酒廠 Javier Sauza 參觀），從收割龍舌蘭（至少要七年之久才可採收）到蒸餾過程與試飲各年份 Tequila 和品嘗各種口味的 Tequila 調酒是完整參觀過程。
龍舌蘭有許多種，但唯一可以釀造成酒的品種是 Agave Tequilana ，葉脈厚實，生長繁密，帶點灰藍和鐵藍顏色是 Agave 的植物特色，所以在龍舌蘭酒的包裝都會印著 100%Agave 。
是誰最先發現這種適合釀造酒的龍舌蘭植物呢？
博物館史料寫著是 18 世紀有個德國植物學家發現的，他還將這仙人掌科植物取了個具有希臘文血統的名字 Tequila，龍舌蘭這個字據說意思是「極好的，令人讚嘆有佳的」。
按規定蔗糖的成分最多不能高於49%，剩下的 百分比則必須是藍龍舌蘭汁。也有較高級的，使用 100% 的藍龍舌蘭汁釀的酒。此外，也有一種稱為 MEZCAL ，麥司卡爾酒則是用其他種類的龍舌蘭製成。其中陳釀時間不同又可細分四品類： Blanco(白龍舌蘭酒－透明純淨顏色，不經窖藏及直接蒸餾後灌瓶）、Joven Abocado( 鮮龍舌蘭酒－白龍舌蘭酒在灌瓶前有經特殊提味和提色過程，通常是添加焦糖），Reposado(陳年龍舌蘭酒－釀後至少窖藏兩個月到十二個月）， Anejo( 特級陳年龍舌蘭酒－在特製且不超過 600 公升容量的橡木桶裡至少得儲放一年以上）。
我的墨西哥當地友人偏好特級陳年 Anejo Tequila ，這款酒的酒精度數高，味道十分濃烈，喝起來卻不咬舌，反而入口後呈現一種烈爽回甘的特質。這款酒由於品質好，喝起來也不會有頭痛問題，因此也深受愛喝烈酒的女性喜歡。在酒莊品酒過程裡，我發現女性都還是偏好調酒，尤其是高腳杯的瑪格麗特調酒多被仕女一飲而盡，冰冰涼涼，綿綿爽爽（不過小心後勁極強）。
Jose Cuervo 的酒莊主人深愛古董汽車與美術工藝品，因此除了建築本身具特色外，遊逛該酒莊也恍如浸淫在工藝美術館裡，酒莊所販售的手工藝品品質直逼美術館，織布、圍巾、玻璃器皿、陶器、銀飾、金器、小櫃子 …. 我最喜歡的是墨西哥傳統獨有的編織娃娃和動物小飾品工藝、漆器彩繪工藝品和銀飾物。
離開塔奇拉小鎮，回程裡，感覺滿身細胞都像是浸淫在Tequila 的酒精裡，恍然可以打個盹，夢裡直通諸神的黃昏，在酒神宮殿裡的天使翅膀都長得像是龍舌蘭植物般，紛紛張開雙手，醉眼迷濛地對我微笑著。
此時我突然感到自己蛻變成多年前自己所寫的短篇小說男主角，一個名叫（高原）的人，他覺得靈魂最美的狀態是微醺，而微醺的感覺像是站上了一片空曠無際無邊的高原，那小說篇名（微醺的高原）多年後竟在異地和自己相逢。
像個老友般相逢自己筆下的主角，魔幻之感，只因為 Tequila 的微醺！
讓人難忘的龍舌蘭，一種長得像是會微笑的植物，又像是觀世音菩薩千手千眼的植物，確實是很獨特的造型啊，因之獨特而釀造了獨特的酒。也因此給予了我獨特的一趟墨西哥難忘的小鎮微醺旅程。
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龍舌蘭釀酒的地下酒窖 (上圖)
The underground cellar of tequila distillery |
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龍舌蘭釀酒過程的設備之一 (下圖)
The facility of making tequila |
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mexico is a country of passion; love and death weight equally.
Staring at faces wrinkled by the age of ancient civilization and determining to survive in deserted wilderness, people living in this land of agave has been through all and has seem it all.
In tequila you can feel the high spirit of Mexico culture, especially after sunset men and women release themselves and indulge in this drink at local pubs. Wine drinkers are rarely seen in those places (except some Western bars in Mexico City ). Tobaccos are good company and so as the music from traveling artists. If you are lucky you might find women with long eyelashes circling around the bar looking for people to tell their fortunes with Tarot cards. Kids selling candies and beans are not allowed in here.
Sitting at the bar for a bit you might feel enchanted and heroic that you just want to gulp down a shot of tequila at once.
In my youth I used to go to pubs with my male friends and drank tequila boom! We would sit around the bar, holding a shot of tequila with salt around the top in my hand, hit the bar table and make Boom sound, then slurp it down the throat at once, such act made me feel powerful. But in some occasions I would rather sit on the bar listening to Latin music and sipped salty and crispy tequila with few lemon drops. I felt like a person with split personalities. |
After my trip to Mexico I discovered that there are many ways to enjoy tequila. Mixing it with brandy, whisky or mineral water are just few ways of enjoying tequilas. Mexicans have designed many styles of tequila glasses, but those glasses often come in pair and serve on a tray with a small salt pot. You can drink tequila like locals, they put a splash of salt on back of their hand, lick it and then take down the tequila. In that pair glasses one is tequila and the other one is either mineral water or some kind of tomato juice (or other flavors of juice) .
Margarita is well-known tequila cocktail, it is smooth and delicious, and it is easy to forget how many glasses you have drunk already. Like dangerous Scorpion lovers, they can love you unreservedly but they can also give you excruciating heartache after they leave.
Drinking tequilas in Mexico City is not enough, you must go to the town Tequila to find out what tequila really is (like drinking Champagne in Champagne !). As you might have already guessed tequila was named after the town Tequila and Tequila is the biggest tequila producing place in Mexico .
Drinking Tequila In Tequila
“In Tequila drinking tequila” is a tourist activity every tourists should embark when visiting Mexico .
In order to get to Tequila you can either take bus or rent a car to get to Guadalajara . The bus transportation system in Mexico is quite organized and there are many bus companies offering different levels of service. Buses are classified into three different categories. The first class bus has 30 big comfortable seats in it and has clean toilet, and they serve drinks onboard. It takes 7 hours to complete the journey from Mexico City to Guadalajara . Because of the high toll fees on highways, most people prefer to
travel via mountain passes or provincial roads, so except in Mexico City downtown the ride was actually quite smooth. On the journey you will see the scenery of barren lands with cactus everywhere, it is a good way of enjoying the landscape of Mexico . You can also fly to Guadalajara from Mexico City (it takes about 1 hour) or directly from LA. It is worth staying here up to a week because there are plenty of tourist places worth visiting.
Guadalajara is the second biggest city in Mexico ; although it is populous the crime rate is low. People living here are very friendly and the disruption you might get is vendors trying to sell something to you at the market. Tequila is about 50km from Guadalajara . Most hotels at Guadalajara offer tequila tours. You can also board Tequila express at the train station and travel through the land planted with nothing but blue agave.
There is the route of tequila, the program you can follow when visiting Tequila. You can either stay in town overnight and visit tequila distilleries the next day or embark on the program immediately. The museum of Tequila （ Museo del Teuila ） and some well-known distilleries are must for tourists to visit. The bright orangey building in town is the Museum of Tequila |
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酒莊附設的工藝品店，走高檔精緻路線
The high quality souvenir shop |
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Jose Grervo 的酒廠紅牆外觀，很墨西哥的顏色
The Mexican style of Jose Guervo fences |
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Museum of Tequila is the best place to learn about tequilas. The making of tequila can be traced back to pre-Spanish colonial era of Aztecs and Teotihuacan but the actual planting of agave and the distilling of tequila only took place in 17 th century. There are 17 tequila distilleries in Tequila. In such small place with many distilleries, everywhere you go there is the aroma of blue agave spirit. With alcohol floating in the air and bright sunshine, I felt intoxicated already. |
Buildings here have kept the old Spanish colonial style, and men with Sombrero and jean strolled pass the Cathedral square made you feel like time has stopped here. I visited the well-known tequila distiller Jose Cuervo (you can also visit the first distillery ever known Javier Sauza), the whole tour took you from harvesting agave, visiting the distillation facilities and tasting different vintage of tequila, and of course drinking different tequila mix.
There are different types of agave in agave family, but the only one that can be made into tequila is Agave Tequilana. They have thick leaves and grow densely and they also have grayish-blue or steeling blue color, so sometimes you might find words such as “100% Agave” on the label. |
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象徵墨西哥採收龍舌蘭工人的雕塑，是墨西哥力與美的豪爽象徵
The sculpture of worker harvesting agave, symbolize the power and beauty of Mexico |
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塔奇拉小鎮的生活中心：教堂廣場前的教堂
The centre of Tequila, the church square |
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According to the information provided by the museum in 18 th century a German botanist discovered out that the plant Tequila (the name tequila originated from Greek, means very good, excellent) is suitable for making spirit.
In making mixto tequila no more than 49% cane sugar can be added to the agave juice, but there are 100% blue agave tequila. There is another type of fermented agave juice spirit called mezcal which is made from other type of agave. There are four different types of tequila, Blanco, Joven Abocado, Reposado and Anejo. Blanco (clear colorless when bottled direct after distillation), Joven Abacado (Blanco with added caramel to adjust both the color and flavor), Reposado ( aged for 2-12 months in oak barrels), Anejo (aged in oak barrels of 600 liter or smaller for at least one year, usually not more than five years).
My Mexican friend preferred Anejos; it had high alcohol and very aromatic but smooth on the entry, after you swallowed it there was lingering aftertaste. Because this type of tquila is very well made, there is no problem with headache afterward; therefore it is also well received amongst women. While tasting tequilas at the distillery, I found that most women preferred tequila cocktails, especially Margarita.
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The owner of Jose Cuervo loved vintage cars and ornaments, so besides distillery's distinguished architecture design, you would find plenty of ornaments on display too. Souvenirs were very artistic, the cloths, scarves, glass wares, potteries, silverwares and gold wares etc... I liked the knitting dolls 、 small animal ornaments, colorful potteries and silverwares.
Leaving Tequila I felt my whole body has been immersed with tequila, I felt if I took a nap I would dream of Gods in the temple of wine and angels with agave leaves waving at me. |
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在墨西哥仍使用驢子作採收運輸工具 (Photo: Jose Cuervo)
In Mexico , people still use donkey cart as a way of transporting the agave harvest |
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Suddenly I felt I have become the male character in the novel I wrote a few years ago, the man name “plateau”. He said that the most beautiful state of a soul is when it is slightly intoxicated, and it actually felt like stepping onto a boundless plateau. The title of the novel “The plateau that slightly intoxicated” was how I felt then.
Encountering the character of my novel happened because of tequila. Agave which looks smiling or thousand hands and thousands eyes Bodhisattva, is very special and hard to forget, so as the spirit made from it.
I will never forget this tour!
Text ˙ Photo by Wen-Yin CHUNG |
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