These Are the 13 Best Sipping Tequilas for Any Budget
- Teremana Reposado. So let's get something out of the way: Yes, this is The Rock's tequila brand. ...
- Tequila Ocho Plata. ...
- Camarena Reposado. ...
- Calle 23 Añejo. ...
- Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend. ...
- Siete Leguas Reposado. ...
- Patrón Extra Añejo. ...
- Fortaleza Blanco. ...
- Los Arango Reposado. ...
- Siembra Valles Ancestral. ...
Full Answer
Is expensive tequila really worth it?
The undeniable mark of a value here is in the production label. But, for the sake of surrendering a definitive answer: yes, pricier tequila is worth it. Note the use of “pricier” in place of “expensive”, and maybe place a casual “generally” there somewhere. Related: The difference between cheap & expensive whisk (e)y .
What brand Tequila is best?
Most tequilas are aged in whiskey barrels but to give it that beautiful blush hue and specific fruity taste, pink tequila is aged in red wine barrels. Calirosa is made in Jalisco, Mexico by the Real family, producers of tequila since 1942, and then aged in California red wine barrels, hence the name.
What is the most expensive brand of tequila?
What is the top 5 tequila?
- Cenote Blanco Tequila. …
- El Tesoro Añejo Tequila. …
- Teremana Small Batch Tequila. …
- Mijenta Tequila Blanco. …
- Dano’s Dangerous Tequila Añejo. Reserve Bar. …
- Espolòn Blanco Tequila. Drizly. …
- Clase Azul Reposado Tequila. Drizly. …
- Siempre Tequila Plata. Drizly.
What is the best tequila to purchase for value?
Under $50
- Corralejo Reposado. A wonderful pink-gold hue makes this reposado inviting from the get-go. ...
- Gran Centenario Plata. Notes of olives, jalapeño, and salty brine define this complex tequila. ...
- Cabo Wabo Blanco. ...
- Elvelo Reposado. ...
- Gran Centenario Añejo. ...
- Casa Noble Crystal Blanco. ...
- Partida Blanco. ...
- Tanteo Blanco. ...
- Santera Blanco. ...
- Corralejo Añejo. ...
What is the smoothest tequila ever?
The 20 Best Sipping TequilasClase Azul Reposado. $169 AT RESERVE BAR. ... Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila. $272 AT RESERVE BAR. ... Casa Dragones Joven. $285 AT RESERVE BAR. ... Patrón Estate Release. $100 AT DRIZLY. ... Casamigos Añejo. Casamigos. ... Cazadores Añejo Cristalino. $50 AT RESERVE BAR. ... El Tesoro Extra Añejo. ... Riazul Tequila Añejo.More items...•
What is the top 5 tequila?
Our Top PicksBest Overall Tequila: Herradura Silver Tequila.Best Budget Tequila: Sauza Silver Tequila.Best Value Tequila: Cabo Wabo Blanco.Best Gift: Clase Azul Reposado Tequila.Best Splurge: Don Julio 1942.Best Tequila for Beginners: Casamigos Blanco.Best Tequila for Cocktails: Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Reposado.More items...•
What is a good top shelf tequila?
What Tequila Is Considered Top Shelf? In general, Casamigos Blanco Tequila is the best in the market. Milagro Select Barrel Reserve A*ejo Tequila is the best top shelf. Sauza Silver Tequila is the best deal.
What is the number 1 tequila?
1. Don Julio. Founded by Don Julio Gonzalez-Frausto Estrada in 1942, the company touts itself as the world's first premium luxury tequila. The label has become one of the most popular brands worldwide, topping the best-seller list for the sixth consecutive year.
What brand of tequila is 100% blue agave?
This 100% agave reposado is made from reposado agave. It is tequila made from coconuts. The Silver Cazul 100. There is a new brand of tequila called Le Gado Blanco....What Tequila Has Blue Agave?Blue agaveGenus:AgaveSpecies:A. tequilanaBinomial nameAgave tequilana F.A.C.Weber
Is Jose Cuervo considered good tequila?
Jose Cuervo is the best-known and biggest-selling tequila brand in the world, with a history dating back to 1795, but its reputation is somewhat checkered. It makes some excellent tequilas that are well-regarded by aficionados, notably its high-end Reserva de la Familia lines.
Is Don Julio better than Patron?
Which Tequila is better: Don Julio Blanco or Patron Silver? Don Julio makes a better sipper than Patron Patron as it is smoother and sweeter, with less pepper and warmth making a better “everyday tequila”.
What is considered a premium tequila?
Premium Tequilas are Au Naturale 100% agave refers to the absence of additional flavours and additives incorporated in the making of tequila, whether it is Silver tequila or Añejo tequila.
What is Oprah's favorite tequila?
Tequila Casa Dragones BlancoTequila Casa Dragones Blanco featured on Oprah's Favorite Things 2014. Not only is Casa Dragones Oprah's favorite tequila, but for the third time it has been named as one of Oprah's Favorite Things in O Magazine, the ultimate luxury gift guide for the holidays.
What is the best selling tequila in America?
These Are the Most Popular Tequilas in AmericaDon Julio Tequila. Cases: 357,000. ... El Jimador Tequila. Cases: 516,000. ... Juarez Tequila. Cases: 695,000. ... Familia Camarena Tequila. Cases: 785,000. ... 1800 Tequila. Cases: 1,090,000. ... Sauza Tequila. Cases: 2,247,000. ... Patron Tequila. Cases: 2,475,000. ... Jose Cuervo Tequila. Cases: 3,515,000.More items...•
What are the 3 types of tequila?
Types of Tequila Reposado – Tequila aged between 2-12 months in oak barrels. Joven – A mixture of Blanco and Reposado tequilas. Añejo – Tequilas aged between 1-3 years in oak barrels. Extra Añejo is aged 3 years or more.
Is reposado better than Blanco?
Blanco is generally used in Margaritas and other light, citrusy drinks. Reposado adds the oak and vanilla from the time it has spent in barrels, so it is better used in heavier cocktails, although it will perform very well in a Margarita as well.
Take a sip of this iconic Mexican spirit
Betsy Andrews is a freelance journalist specializing in wine, spirits, food, travel, and the environment.
Best Overall: Fuenteseca Cosecha 2018
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 45.7% | Tasting Notes: Cinnamon, Olive, Brine
Most Versatile: Corralejo Reposado
Region: Guanajuato, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Honey, Peppercorn, Oak
Best Value: Pueblo Viejo Blanco
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: White pepper, Agave, Mint
Best Blanco: ArteNOM Selección 1579
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Cherry, Mint, Pepper
Best Reposado: Partida
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Caramel, Spice, Butter
Best Añejo: Don Julio 1942
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Floral, Caramel, Spice
Budget bottles for shots and sips
Kate Dingwall is a freelance writer whose work focuses on food, drinks, and travel. She is based in Toronto and holds a Wine & Spirits Education Trust Level III qualification.
Bets Overall: El Jimador Silver Tequila
Made in Jalisco, this 100 percent agave tequila rests for 40 days before it's bottled and sent to thirsty drinkers. This results in a crisp tequila that works particularly well in cocktails, and the fact that it’s one of the best-selling brands in Mexico confirms that.
Best for Margaritas: Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila
This highland tequila is super solid, particularly mixed into cocktails. Though the price is approachable, Olmeca Altos makes sure to use eco-conscious production methods, which is pretty rare for tequilas at this price point. The flavor has sweet caramelized agave and pepper notes with a creamy finish, resulting in a serious bang for your buck.
Best for Shots: Agavales Blanco Tequila
Hope Ray, a bartender at The Holler in Bentonville, Arkansas, reaches for Agavales Blanco because it often “runs under $20, so you can’t go wrong with this in your home bar.” The budget bottle clocks in at a spicy 110 proof, so it'll add a little heat in each sip.
Best for Sipping: Bribon Reposado Tequila
The crystal-clear Bribon is unaged with vegetal earthy notes that work well in a margarita, paloma, or old-fashioned, though Jessica Fallon, general Manager of Ladybirds in Houston, Texas, says she prefers drinking it on the rocks.
Best Anejo: Lunazul Anejo Tequila
It’s tough to find an anejo tequila on a budget. To be labeled anejo, a tequila has to be aged between one and three years in barrels, so expect a lot of time and investment to go into each bottle. This gives the liquid a more refined flavor similar to a sipping whiskey or Cognac.
What to Look for When Buying Cheap Tequila
How will you be using the tequila? Are you going to be mixing it in a margarita or another tequila-based cocktail? Enjoying it in a shot or sipping it? Budget-priced tequila fits well for all of these, though quite naturally, some are better than others.
For your sipping and mixing pleasure
Christine is freelance food writer, certified cheese expert, and podcast host. Her work has appeared in AllRecipes, Bon Appetit, and VinePair.
Best for Margaritas: Cazadores Tequila Blanco
Technically, a margarita is just a sour—a cocktail family comprised of a base spirit, a sweetener, and some citrus. Sours stand the test of time and trend because they’re refreshing and easy to execute. But a cocktail with so few ingredients requires each ingredient to hold its own. You don’t need to spend a lot of money, but you do want quality.
Best Sipping Tequila: Casa Dragones Tequila Joven
If you’re more of a “sometimes take shots of tequila on the weekends” person, a $300 bottle of tequila may sound nuts. But, for those who like their Japanese whisky neat and dream about that one time they want to Islay, this is the tequila that will convince the terroir-loving spirits drinker of tequila’s elegance and craftsmanship.
Best for Shots: Espolòn Blanco
For those who want a quality tequila that’s easy on the wallet, Espolòn Blanco is a great go-to. The label features the rooster Ramón, a reference to Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada and his role in the fight for Mexican independence.
Best Cheap Tequila: Arette Blanco Tequila
Eduardo Orendain used to be the mayor of Tequila (not a figure of speech; he was the actual mayor of the town). But in 1976, he started making tequila with his brother Jamie from estate-grown blue agave and never looked back.
Best Añejo Tequila: Casa Noble Añejo Tequila
Añejo means “old” in Spanish. In order to qualify as Añejo tequila, the spirit must be aged for a minimum of a year in oak barrels. Usually, those oak barrels are new French oak or used bourbon barrels for roundness. You can distinguish Añejo by its color, which will be the darkest of the types of tequila.
Best Reposado Tequila: Camarena Reposado
Reposado means “rested” in Spanish, and these “rested” tequilas will have been aged anywhere from 60 days to a year. That hint of age softens and rounds it out, meaning a good reposado will be wonderful to sip on but should mix well in your favorite tequila cocktails, too (especially something like tequila cocoa ).
Espolon Blanco Tequila
Mexico - Start each tequila cocktail with Espolon Tequila Blanco, the purest expression of Espolon tequila. Created in the highlands of Jalisco as a tequila for the people, Espolon Tequila Blanco is inspired by and a tribute to Mexican culture. Handcrafted with 100% Blue Weber Agave.
3 Amigos Anejo Tequila
Mexico- A golden brown medium bodied Tequila that contains a wonderful nose full of woody agave, vanilla and spice. Initial tastes of agave and wood, with vanilla and light caramel body. Double Gold Medal- San Francisco Spirits Competition.
1800 Silver Tequila
Mexico - Clean, delicate, balanced, smooth. Soft, sweet, floral, fruit, agave. Medium finish. Rested in mostly American oak, with a small portion of French oak for up to 15 days.
Jose Cuervo Gold
Mexico- The world's leading brand of tequila. Smooth tasting, with a hint of sweetness and a rich, well-balanced character of oak, spice and vanilla tones. The classic margarita ingredient.
El Jimador Blanco
Mexico- Clear with a round softness, yet peppery heat. Light bodied with herbal and agave flavors followed by a fairly long finish. This is a versatile spirit is great to try in a handcrafted cocktail.
Legado Blanco Tequila
Mexico- This 100% agave Tequila represents heritage and value. With aromas of green apple followed by a burst of cooked agave and bright high tones of citrus fruits. Accompanied by a nice long finish. Great for any tequila cocktail. Silver Medal- San Francisco Spirits Competition.
Don Sergio Blanco Tequila
Mexico- Made from 100% agave. Distinctive blue agave aromas with soft floral hints. Citrus, fresh herbs and tropical fruit blend with the agave flavor that lingers on the palate for a clean, fresh mouthfeel. This high quality Tequila is perfect sipped or in top notch cocktails.
Top quality blanco, reposado and añejo tequilas on a budget
Jonah Flicker is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn whose work focuses on spirits, food and travel.
Best Overall: Pueblo Viejo Blanco
So hang on...our top choice is a brand that most people have never heard of? Well, this is our "cheap tequila" roundup, after all—and it's hard to think of an inexpensive tequila that over-delivers on quality quite like Pueblo Viejo.
Best Blanco: Corazón Blanco
Region: Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Tangerine, Mineral, Black Pepper
Best Reposado: Cazadores Reposado
Reposado tequila is aged for two months to a year in oak barrels, a process which softens the brightest of the spirit's assertive agave notes, and one of the most quaffable tequilas in this category is the reposado from Cazadores.
Best Añejo: Gran Centenario Añejo
Region: Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Orange peel, Cinnamon, Vanilla
Best Budget: Camarena Reposado
Region: Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Agave, Vanilla, Brown sugar
Best for Old Fashioned: Mi Campo Reposado
Mi Campo is a rarity in that it's a relatively inexpensive tequila that's nonetheless crafted using very classical methods. For example, a giant stone wheel called a tahona is used to press the agave after cooking—a traditional method that many believe extracts more flavor.