Struggling to decide between blanco, reposado, and añejo tequilas? How about extra añejo? Unsure which tequila brands are best for cocktails and which are considered sipping tequilas? Those new to tequila and seasoned tequila fans alike are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of good tequila brands and their different type.
While only spirits made in Mexico from 100% blue agave can legally be defined as tequila, there are still a wide range of options and a few different types to try. Check out our roundup to learn about the different main types and the best brands for different occasions.
Key Takeaways
- The best tequilas are not necessarily the most expensive tequilas.
- Try the different styles of tequilas to find your favorite, and then keep experimenting.
- Try a few different brands of the same style too.
- Go high-end for sipping tequilas, but a cheaper mixto or gold is fine for shots and shooters.
- As a distilled spirit, tequila comes in at 40% ABV (or higher), so remember to drink tequila responsibly!
The Main Tequila Types
You may have heard different terms being used when people talk about tequila, such as blanco reposado and añejo. Those three, together with extra añejo, make up the main four types on the market:
Blanco Tequila
Blanco tequila may be aged for up to two months but is typically bottled immediately after distillation. The result is a clear, agave-forward spirit with notes of bright citrus, grass, and black pepper, which blends effortlessly into citrusy cocktails. It is also known as silver tequila, plata tequila, or white tequila.
Reposado Tequila
The term ‘reposado’ means ‘rested’ in Spanish, and a reposado tequila is one that has been allowed to rest between the distillation and bottling processes. Reposado tequilas typically spend between two months and one year resting, often in American oak barrels that once held bourbon. The oak imparts a light straw color and notes such as vanilla and caramel.
Añejo Tequilas
The word ‘añejo’ simply means aged or matured, and añejo tequilas have been left to age in oak barrels for between one and three years. The aging process imparts oak-forward notes of vanilla, caramel, baking spices, and dried fruit, and the resulting agave spirit is usually a darker amber color than a reposado.
Extra Añejo
Often the tipple of choice for those that like to sip tequila slowly, extra añejo tequilas are aged for an extended period beyond three years and are characterized by a smooth taste.
As they age, more liquid is lost to evaporation than during shorter aging periods, meaning extra añejo tequilas are more expensive for distilleries to produce, and bottles are often the most expensive on the shelves.
Cristalino Tequila
As añejo and extra añejo tequilas sit in oak barrels, they take on a golden hue from the wood. Cristalino is also aged, but it is still a clear spirit. That’s because cristalino goes through a charcoal-filtering process that removes the color and some of the oakier notes acquired during the aging process.
Joven Tequila
‘Joven’ means young, and a joven tequila, also sometimes called gold or oro tequila, is usually a blend of blanco and slightly aged tequilas. However, by Mexican law, it must contain a minimum of just 51% blue agave, and some joven tequilas can be made with a mixture of the agave plant and artificial sweeteners such as cane sugar rather than with 100% blue agave.
The Best Tequila Brands For Every Occasion
Best Blanco Tequila
Cazadores Tequila Blanco
Citrus fruits, fragrant herbs, and a smooth finish make Cazadores Blanco an excellent choice for mixing cocktails or sipping neat. Blanco or silver tequila is considered by many to be the purest form as the true flavors of the cooked agave are not altered by the aging process, allowing the agave character to shine through unhindered.
This bottle by Cazadores has subtle citrus and herbal notes and a nice, smooth finish, making it a great choice for cocktails or for sipping neat.
Best Reposado Tequila
Siete Leguas Tequila Reposado
If you’re a fan of reposado tequilas, Siete Leguas Tequila Reposado has a reputation for being among the smoothest on the market.
As it ages for eight months inside in white oak barrels, the 100% blue agave flavors are enhanced by notes of orange blossom and cherry whilst acquiring its golden, straw-like hue.
Best Tequila Añejo
Casa Del Sol Anejo
Notes of dark cacao, dried fruit, toasted oak, and vanilla with each sip make this smooth, aged tequila great for solo sipping at the end of the day. Not only great for sipping, but Casa del Sol’s añejo also works in simple cocktails that rely on citrus flavors, such as lime, orange, and grapefruit.
This tequila’s unique aging process – inside French oak barrels that were formerly used to mature Martell’s cognacs – gives it a smooth cognac-like sweetness, and the brand is a partnership between Jaliscan tequila makers Alejandra Pelayo and Mariana Padilla, and the Mexican-born actress Eva Longoria.
Best Tequila Extra Añejo
Don Julio Última Reserva Extra Añejo Tequila
Don Julio Tequila is named after its founder and master distiller, Don Julio González-Frausto Estrada, who began his business back in 1942, and this premium extra-aged tequila honors the final agave harvest to be planted by the man himself.
Aged for three years in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Madeira wine-seasoned casks, Don Julio Última Reserva Extra Añejo leads with a nose of toasted oak and caramel, followed by tasting notes of apricot and orange peel and is a delightfully smooth option, perfect for serving neat or on the rocks.
Best Cristalino Tequila
Volcan De Mi Tierra Cristalino Anejo Tequila
A clean taste, wonderful aroma, and smooth texture combine to make this a great choice for charcoal-filtered cristalino tequila. It’s a blend of anejo & extra-anejo that has been aged in Old World casks for at least a year before being filtered through charcoal to remove the color.
The charcoal-filtering process also removes some of the woody-tasting notes to leave a delicious and smooth spirit that’s great for sipping neat.
Best Budget Tequila
Espolòn Tequila Blanco
If you’re keeping an eye on the budget, Espolon Tequila Blanco combines notes of sweet agave with tropical fruits, zesty lemon aromas, and a subtle hint of black pepper and comes in at around the $30-dollar mark.
The award-winning tequila blanco can be enjoyed on the rocks and is equally at home being shaken into one of your favorite Mexican cocktails when barbecue season kicks in.
Best Tequila to Splurge On
Maestro Dobel 50 Cristalino Extra Anejo
Sometimes it’s good to treat yourself, and if you enjoy sipping on a smooth tequila at the end of the day, you can do a whole lot worse than to treat yourself to a bottle of Maestro Dobel 50 Cristalino.
The price tag may encourage you to keep this one tucked away for solo sipping, and its freshness and lightness will do little to change your mind.
The smooth and silky mouthfeel is augmented by notes of caramel, honey, and chocolate, with spicy undertones of hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and cloves. As a Cristalino, it also goes through a final charcoal-filtration process which leaves a perfectly clear, rule-defying tequila.
Best Sipping Tequila
Tequila Ocho Plata
After harvesting, agave piñas are slow-roasted in traditional brick ovens before the roasted agave juice is fermented and distilled in the Highlands of Jalisco. Tequila Ocho Plata delivers maximum agave essence and brings with it the authentic terroir of the original tequila-producing region.
Extra-ripe agave is chosen, which adds an extra fruitiness to the crisp, clean citrus pepper notes, with the resulting elixir being smooth enough to drink neat.
Best Tequila for Shots
Jose Cuervo Especial Gold
If you’re planning a party that will be leaning more towards the decadent than the demure, you don’t need premium tequila or a $100 bottle of expensive sipping tequila. For shots and slammers, a decent gold tequila is perfectly adequate.
Gold tequila – also known as oro or joven – is traditionally a blend of blanco and aged tequilas, but it can also be a mixto tequila that has not rested in wood but has had a caramel color added.
Jose Cuervo Especial Gold is a mix of reposado (aged) and younger, unaged tequila, and as one of the world’s best-selling spirits, it should be easy to find in your local liquor store.
While, as a mixto, it’s not 100% blue agave, it’s still a fine drink and is great for shooters and slammers. Don’t forget to stock up on lime juice and ice too.
Best Tequila for Margaritas
Cimarron Blanco Tequila
Rather than stocking up on canned cocktails ahead of your next summer barbecue, mixing up a big batch of margaritas in advance will impress your guests more. This fine highland agave tequila blanco imparts a smoky flavor, which can bring your cocktail recipes to life, especially if those recipes also involve triple sec and lime juice.
Best Tequila Brand for Palomas
Tapatio Blanco Tequila 110
While the ubiquitous margarita seems to grab all the attention when it comes to tequila cocktails, the Paloma – a simple and refreshing mix of tequila, lime, and a grapefruit-flavored soda – often gets overlooked.
The “110” in the name indicates the proof, meaning that it is 55% alcohol by volume, which means its kick won’t get lost among the other ingredients in a cocktail.
Best Tequila Brand for Mixed Cocktails
El Tesoro Blanco Tequila
This one has a slight sweetness to it, making it perfect for both sipping or making great cocktails. El Tesoro honors Don Felipe Camarena, the man who established La Alteña Distillery in 1937, through his grandson and current master distiller, Carlos Camarena.
The traditional tequila-making processes are still adhered to, and the result is a clean-flavored spirit with subtle grassy notes and hints of white peppercorns. It’s delicious enough to sip but also subtle enough not to overpower other flavors in a cocktail.
Best Organic Tequila Brand
Tres Agaves Organic Tequila Blanco
This award-winning tequila from the 117-year-old El Lano distillery in Jalisco is made with estate-grown, organic agave that has been roasted to perfection. Tres Agaves Blanco Organic earned 92 Points in the Ultimate Spirits Competition and is fermented in shallow steel tanks to allow the agave flavor to present itself without the influence of woody tones.
Best Flavored Tequila
21 Seeds Grapefruit Hibiscus Tequila
21 Seeds produce their award-winning tequilas by slow-cooking Jaliscan agaves before a double-distillation process and cold filtering for added smoothness. The Grapefruit Hibiscus Blanco is infused with natural fruit flavors for a delicious taste without being overly sugary.
It can add to citrusy cocktails, or you can simply mix this infused tequila with club soda for an easy yet refreshing cocktail.
Honorable Mentions
Fortaleza Tequila Blanco Still Strength
Fortaleza is considered among the best tequila brands, and their still-strength offering is definitely worth a sip or two. For many a year, the only way to sample this stronger tequila was to visit their distillery in Tequila, but now they’ve bottled it, and it’s more readily available.
Cincoro Tequila Blanco
If you’re looking for the sweet taste of a fine blanco that’s smooth on the palate, Cincoro Blanco is made with 100% Weber blue agave from both the highlands and lowlands of Jalisco and distilled with volcanic water.
Its balanced tasting notes include essences of grapefruit, mint, peach, and pear, with a subtle and pleasant peppery finish.
Cenote Añejo Tequila
Cenote Añejo Tequila was awarded gold medals by both the prestigious “The Spirits Business Blind Tasting” and “The Drinks and Spirits Business” magazine, which validates the work of master distiller Arturo Fuentes.
The agave spirits are aged for one year in lighter-toasted American oak barrels, and the notes of vanilla, spice, and dark chocolate are subtle and pleasing.
What You Should Look For in Tequilas
- Look for 100% blue agave tequilas.
- Decide how you wish to enjoy your drink – neat for sipping, shots, and shooters, or mixed into a cocktail recipe.
- Select a style: blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo, cristalino, or joven.
- Check the labels for tasting notes that will suit your style.
FAQs
What’s a good quality tequila?
It will depend a little on which style you prefer, but check the label and ensure you are selecting a 100% agave tequila rather than a blended mixto tequila.
What type of tequila is the smoothest?
Aged tequilas tend to be the smoothest. Look for the añejo or extra añejo designation, and opt for one that has been barrel-aged in American white oak barrels or French cognac barrels for extra flavor enhancements.
What is America’s favorite tequila?
The top-selling tequila brand in the US is Jose Cuervo. This isn’t very surprising, given that Jose Cuervo is the first brand most people hear of and is an affordable and versatile drink.
What is the best class of tequila?
While it will depend largely on personal tastes, a decent reposado is a good starting point. Its flavors are between the pure agave of a blanco and barrel-aged tequilas, and a good quality reposado is versatile enough to sip or mix.
