Statistical Differentiation of Tequila Spirits Using SPME-GCxGC-TOFMS and ChromaTOF Tile Software

Tequila is a Mexican distilled spirit produced from sugars derived from Agave tequilana Weber var. azul. Regulations allow a minimum of 51% agave sugars, while "100% agave" tequila must be made exclusively from agave. Its designation of origin restricts production to specific Mexican regions, including Jalisco, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, and Guanajuato. Tequila can be classified by its maturation stage as white, joven, or gold; less aged (2 months in oak barrels), aged (1 year in oak barrels), and extra-añejo (more than 3 years in oak barrels); each contributing distinct sensory characteristics1,2. Variations in production methods as well as geographic origin strongly influence tequila’s flavor and aroma profiles. This study presents an analytical workflow for the evaluation of ten commercial tequila samples using HS-SPME coupled with GCxGC–TOFMS and ChromaTOF Tile data processing, enabling the identification of trends, patterns, and significant compositional differences among the samples.