Why is there a worm at the bottom of a tequilla bottle?

Answer 1

Tequila is usually bottled in one of five categories:[6]

oro ("gold") – unaged tequila which is "joven y abogado" (young and adulterated) which means that caramel, fructose, glycerin and wood flavoring can be added to resemble aged tequila
blanco ("white") or plata ("silver") – not aged white spirit
reposado ("rested") – aged a minimum of 2 months but less than a year in oak barrels
añejo ("aged" or "vintage") – aged minimum 1 year but less than 3 years in oak barrels
extra añejo ("extra aged") – aged minimum 3 year in oak barrels This is a new category which was established in March 2006.
The aging process changes the color of tequila, but the liquid can sometimes be colored with caramel to show a darker color, indicative of a longer aging process; añejos tend to be darker, the reposados slightly less dark, while the platas are not colored at all.[citation needed]

It is a common misconception that some tequilas contain a 'worm' in the bottle. Only certain mezcals, usually from the state of Oaxaca, are ever sold con gusano, and that only began as a marketing gimmick in the 1940s. The worm is actually the larval form of the moth Hypopta agavis that lives on the agave plant. Finding one in the plant during processing indicates an infestation and, correspondingly, a lower quality product. (Note: for more information on how tequila is made, see mezcal.) However this misconception continues, and even with all the effort and marking to represent Tequila as a premium -- similar to the way Cognac is viewed in relation to brandy -- there are some opportunist producers for the shooters and fun market who blur these boundaries.[citation needed]

In the 2000s, a distributor known for their Tequilas, launched Villa Lobos, a vodka which had the unique selling point that it too featured the "agave worm". The marketing of this product highlighted the drink's links with Tequilas and said that it was developed in reaction to the Tequila crisis of the previous years.

Answer 2

It is supposed to be a form of hallucinogenic. I have had the worm in the bottle many times ...but sadly by the time you get to the worm you are too drunk to know if you are even the one who got the worm.