Heaven, Earth, Tequila

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Since long before the Spanish arrived, native Mexican peoples understood the magic of the blue agave plant. They extracted its juice and fermented it into an alcoholic drink, known as mescal. With the arrival of the Spanish, mescal was distilled into one of today's most famous Mexican exports — tequila.

Over the course of four years, award-winning photographer Douglas Menuez traveled through the state of Jalisco, Mexico, taking in the fields of blue agave and searching for the roots of this centuries-old practice. What he found was a tradition that has become almost synonymous with the country. In lyrical black-and-white and color photography, Heaven, Earth, Tequila offers a visual tribute to one of Mexico's most beautiful and enduring cultural riches.

Published: November 15th, 2005