This sophisticated spirit tastes twice as expensive as it costs. Big and round on the palate, with notes of cinnamon, black pepper, clove and vanilla, its time in the barrel doesn’t diminish its fresh agave flavors. Try it with bittersweet grapefruit in a Paloma or Siesta, and in stirred cocktails.
Silky smooth, this unaged tequila from the Lowlands of Jalisco is produced by Hacienda Herradura. Subtly herbal, with an ultra-refined, vodka-eque cleanliness, it’s great for shooting or in classic tequila cocktails.
Produced by Enrique Fonseca, fourth generation jimador and tequilero, this deliciously underpriced spirit has an agave funk with underlying flavors of cinnamon and white pepper, and a creamy, rounded finish. It’s a must-have for anyone who even occasionally indulges in agave-based pleasures.
Polished and elegant, this tequila is made at the famed El Llano distillery by the Orendain brothers, third generation tequilero royalty (their great grandfather founded the distillery in 1926). Featuring an exotic complexity typically find only in top shelf tequilas, there’s flavors of banana, clove, key lime and pulque funk with a lasting zing of acidity and pepper in the finish. Sip this spirit straight or on the rocks with a zest of lime.
The brainchild of French-born expat Sophie Decobecq, this tequila uses different varieties of yeast and a combination of archaic and cutting-edge fermentation methods to create an entirely unique agave expression. Herbaceous and bright with flavors of fresh pear, it also has an unusual malic acid sourness and dried chili pepper heat on the finish.
From maestro tequilero Jesús Hernández and bartending duo Henry Besant and Dre Masso, this tequila hails from the Highlands of Jalisco. Pineapple’s sweet-tart tropical flavors start first, then blossom into flavors of fresh agave and cool, aloe water. It is a phenomenal spirit for the price.
Perfect for mixing in cocktails, this agave spirit spends a brief 28 days in oak barrels before bottling. Quick aging adds just a touch of caramel corn and vanilla sweetness, while retaining blanco tequila’s signature raw agave vegetal notes. Save the bottle once you’re finished with the spirit, its beautiful art deco design makes it a great vase for flowers.
Distilled in copper pot stills, this unaged tequila tastes like Mexican moonshine (in a good way). On the palate the tequila has flavors of anise, with a funky, permeating sweetness. A cool, menthol finish tames the spirit’s raw heat.
Made from 100 percent blue agave, this tequila is state grown, distilled and bottled. On the palate, Lunazul blanco is light and citrusy, with notes of tropical fruit and a creamy mouthfeel. On the finish, it’s dry and peppery, with a touch of vegetal herbaceousness from the agave. This tequila is perfect for cocktails and pairs well with tropical fruit juices like pineapple and passion fruit.
There’s a reason this Highlands tequila is ubiquitous behind bars: It makes delicious cocktails. Bright and floral with a touch of minerality and white pepper heat, this blanco tequila is a steal at the price. Whether you drink it neat, with a cube of ice or in a traditional Margarita, you will find plenty of different uses for this tequila in your home bar.