Bottle Of Tequila Sells For $225000

teMEXICO CITY (AP) - Forget the salt and lime, you'll need a mint to enjoy this tequila. Producer Tequila Ley .925 announced Saturday that it has sold a bottle of Mexico's best-known beverage in a gold and platinum casing for a whopping US$225,000 (euro177,000), in what it claims is the most expensive spirit sale on record.

"This is a really unique bottle of tequila and our client, a U.S.-based collector of fine wines and spirits, will treasure this prize to add to an already impressive collection,'' said company CEO Fernando Altamirano in a news release.

Altamirano said he is applying to the Guinness Book of Records claiming he has sold the most expensive bottle of liquor ever, but the book has to ratify the claim. The buyer's name was not revealed in the statement.

Tequila, made from agave, a blue cactus-like plant native to Western Mexico, sells for as little $10 (euro8) a bottle and was traditionally the drink of farmers and laborers.

However, in recent years its profile has risen dramatically and it has gained fans on all corners of the globe. Earlier this month, UNESCO added the blue agave-growing region to the World Heritage list.

The record-breaking bottle was part of a new range of luxury tequilas unveiled by Tequila Ley last week. Named "Aztec Passion Limited Edition,'' it was cased in 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of gold and platinum.

Altamirano says he wants to sell a bottle for a much higher price still.

In March 2007, Tequila Ley plans to auction an Aztec Passion bottle decorated with diamonds and hopes to fetch more than US$1 million (euro800,000).

Associated Press

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