THE SPIRITS industry has hit a rough patch. Sales are down across all categories as people – especially younger people, sorry to point fingers – are drinking less. An uncertain economic environment means people are saving their money instead of spending it on things like booze. Still, tequila has become incredibly popular over the past few years. There are a ridiculous amount of brands out there to choose from. Yes, some of them have celebrity names attached. No, that doesn’t mean they’re any good. But there are some tequila brands that are certainly worth paying attention to – not to mention drinking – provided you haven’t gone California sober.

A little background about tequila: It must be made from Blue Weber agave and can only be produced in five Mexican states, of which Jalisco is the best known. The traditional method of making tequila involves harvesting the agave; cooking the piñas, the heart of the plant, in an oven; shredding and crushing them with a large stone wheel called a tahona; and then fermenting and distilling the juice, or mosto. Some distilleries use more modern methods, such as replacing the tahona with a roller mill, cooking the piñas using steam in a pressurized autoclave, and using a diffuser to “cook” the agave. The latter results in what some unflatteringly call “agavodka,” which is often infused with additives.

For this list, we tried to focus on brands that are made using mostly traditional methods and, to the best of our knowledge, eschew additives. That’s a bit hard to verify these days, as the Consejo Regulador del Tequila, Mexico’s legal authority that controls tequila, has cracked down on brands labeling themselves “additive-free.” Sorry, George Clooney and Kendall Jenner. Casamigos and 818 didn’t make the cut. Instead, choose one of our favorite tequila brands below. Drink it neat or make a margarita. Just make sure to relax and enjoy.

El Tesoro

From blanco to añejo, El Tesoro produces excellent sipping tequilas, with vegetal notes that complement the sweet agave undercurrent that anchors the spirit. If you want to splurge, try El Tesoro Paradiso, a complex extra añejo tequila aged for five years in ex-cognac French oak barrels. It pops on the palate with bursts of vanilla and fruit. Not only does El Tesoro claim to be the first tequila brand to age its spirit in cognac casks, but it also claims it created the first extra añejo in the ’80s. The brand’s stellar Mundial Collection started out with the Laphroaig Edition, a single-barrel reposado finished in Scotch casks from the so-named distillery, which has a subtle smoky layer on the palate. Definitely check out the latest edition, which was hands down one of the best tequilas released last year. The spirit aged for a year in Yamazaki 12-year single malt casks from Japan, imparting notes of ginger, milk chocolate, raisin, and black pepper. It’s tequila that you will want to save for neat sipping.

Tapatío

Here’s another excellent tequila produced at the La Alteña distillery, where El Tesoro is also made, by the Camarena family. Tapatío has remained a dependable option since its founding in 1940, although it wasn’t available in the U.S. until 2012. There are various expressions, including a blanco, an extra añejo, and a stronger 110 proof blanco. The un-aged tequila is spicy, earthy, and full of agave and citrus notes—good enough to sip, fantastic in any cocktail. The reposado and añejo expressions, meanwhile, are aged in ex-bourbon barrels. You might have to search for Excelencia Extra Añejo, as it’s released in batches that usually sell out. According to the brand, it’s aged for five years in barrels and then rests in glass jugs for an additional decade. So, unfortunately, it might be a while before the next drop.

El Tequileño

El Tequileño is a well-regarded brand that has been around for more than 65 years. Its blanco is known for being the tequila of choice for legendary bartender and cantina owner Don Javier of the La Capilla Cantina. He used the spirit in his La Batanga cocktail, which consists of tequila, lime, and Mexican cola. As far as aged tequilas, try the Reposado Rare, which is aged for six years and four months in large American oak pipóns. The brand’s excellent Añejo Gran Reserva launched in 2021. The spirit is aged for two years in American and French oak barrels then blended with extra añejo tequila that spent six years in American oak. El Tequileño’s best and priciest bottle is its extra añejo, which spends three to four years in American oak, new French oak, and used French oak before being bottled in a fancy decanter.

Lalo

Lalo is one of the best new arrivals to the tequila world in the past few years. Its founder, Eduardo “Lalo” Gonzalez, happens to be the grandson of Don Julio Gonzalez, founder of Don Julio Tequila. The brand is committed to only releasing blanco tequila at this point, but it’s equally enjoyable sipped neat pour as it is in a cocktail. The palate is crisp, earthy, and complex. More recently, a limited-edition high-proof version came out, upping the ABV from 40 percent to 54 percent, but it’s made using the same traditional methods as the original. However, Lalo was acquired by Texas-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka in the fall of 2025, so hopefully the brand continues down the path it was on.

Don Fulano

Don Fulano is at the La Tequileña Distillery and was first released in 2002. Check out the very detailed website to find out specifics about each expression, including everything from distillation methods to extraction process to yeast strains to water source. All of the brand’s tequilas are of high quality, from the blanco and 100 proof Fuerte to the aged expressions that spend their time maturing in French oak barrels. Imperial is the brand’s oldest and most complex expression, a five-year extra añejo that was aged in French oak and oloroso sherry casks, which imbue it with rich notes of chocolate, spice, and oak.

Fortaleza

In-the-know tequila lovers know this brand well, although at times it can be hard—and expensive—to find in the U.S. The brand launched in 2005, but the founders claim to have about 150 years of tequila history under their belt. Its production process is pretty traditional when compared with those of other brands. And its lineup is simple: blanco, reposado, añejo, and still-strength blanco to round it out. Fortaleza also makes some special seasonal blends, usually aged tequilas matured in what are described as “re-chipped and re-charred” barrels.

Lagrimas del Valle

Few tequila brands focus on single estate or single ranch expressions. Lagrimas del Valle is one of the best of the bunch. The brand releases its tequila in vintage batches that come from individual harvests from single fields to highlight how terroir affects flavor. The latest release, La Mesa del Charco, is the brand’s first single estate release, meaning the agave comes from one estate as opposed to the individual fields. The agave for this tequila was cooked in masonry ovens in eight-hour increments over four days then crushed using a combination of roller mills and a tahona stone. The result is another stellar pair of tequilas, a blanco and a reposado, both of which are bottled at 92 proof.

Cazcanes

Cazcanes was founded a decade ago and makes tequila from organic agave that’s slow-cooked in an autoclave and fermented with a proprietary yeast strain. Earlier this year, it dropped a must-try bottle. The limited-edition No. 7 Rosa Añejo sold out quickly and might be hard to find at the moment, but it’s worth the hunt. To make it, Cazcanes aged its tequila in a combination of two French oak wine casks and one ex-bourbon barrel. The result is a rich and warm spirit with chocolate and berry notes that don’t obscure the spirit’s all-important agave character.

Tequila FAQs

How is tequila made?
Tequila must be made from Blue Weber agave, unlike mezcal, which can be made from different varieties. The agave is harvested and cooked in a stone oven or autoclave. Then it is shredded and fermented before being distilled into a high-proof spirit. That spirit is usually diluted with water and then either bottled or put into barrels to mature.

What are the different categories of tequila?

Blanco or silver refers to unaged tequila, although it will sometimes spend a few weeks inside a barrel. Reposado means that the tequila was aged in wood for two months to a year, añejo means one to three years, and extra añejo refers to tequila that’s been aged for upwards of three years. There is also joven, which is a blend of blanco and aged tequila. Cristalino is a popular style, and while it’s not officially recognized, it refers to aged tequila that has been filtered to remove color. Finally, mixto is a blend of 100 percent agave tequila and sugar.

How should you drink tequila?

As with any other spirit, you should drink tequila any way you like. However, if you want to really get to know this category, you should start by sipping it neat at room temperature. Instead of a shot glass, a good option is a champagne-style flute that allows you to nose the tequila without getting a big whiff of alcohol. Tequila is, of course, a great option to use in a cocktail like a margarita, paloma, or ranch water. And you can substitute aged expressions for whiskey in drinks like an old-fashioned.

What are the most popular tequila brands?

Tequila is more popular than it’s ever been, and there has been an explosion of new brands hitting the market. The most popular remain classics like Patrón, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo, and El Jimador. Celebrity brands that have done very well include Casamigos, Teremana, and 818. And there are many different smaller brands that have cult followings, like Tapatío and Fortaleza.

This article first appeared on Esquire US

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