When the pandemic first started, bars and restaurants were shuttered. Naturally, liquor houses thought their sales were going to be negatively impacted. Not true! Sales have been booming! It’s been said, “When times are good, people drink. But when times are bad, people drink more.” Tequila manufacturers switched gears and began to invest more in direct-to-consumer sales. And the payoffs were massive. One noticeable market trend shows that consumers are starting to look for smoother, more refined spirits. There’s also a growing interest in those with foundations rooted in local traditions.
Here are some mind-blowing stats. Within the last 25 years, the production of tequila has increased by approximately 405 percent. In the last year alone (2020-2021), production increased by 40 million gallons to a gross total of 139 million gallons of tequila. That’s the highest volume ever recorded, and a massive increase! Unsurprisingly, the USA is the biggest recipient of Mexican imports, with about 76 million gallons traded. (The second biggest purchaser of tequila exports? Germany!)
Unfortunately, there’s a downside to the tequila boom: there’s an agave shortage. Growers are doing their best to accommodate the high demand, but agave plants take years to mature. Due to the basic law of supply and demand, expect prices to increase. Of course, rising gas prices are only going to make the hike in price even more significant.
The source of the tequila will make a difference when you are looking to choose a good sipping tequila. The finer the quality, the more the spirit relies on the agave plant for its sugar source. Cheaper tequilas often cut corners by using sugar substitutes, such as beet sugar. For now, expect to dig deeper into your wallet as you pick out a good bottle of sipping tequila.
Here are our picks for best sipping tequilas.
A Blanco (aka silver) tequila has not been aged. These tequilas are clear in color because they have not been aged in wood barrels, where other tequilas pick up their golden hue. Blancos are bottled directly after the distilling process. From a flavor standpoint, these spirits may emerge a little “raw.” But taste carefully, and you’ll pick up the beginnings of flavors that are usually enhanced by barrel aging. If you love margaritas, Blanco tequilas are a good choice for mixing as well as sipping. (Check out some great tequila recipes here!)
Jalisco, Mexico | $55 USD
With its 100 percent agave recipe, this aqua vitae “honors the noble agaves of Arandas and the Camarena ‘ranchos’ in southwest Mexico.” This distillery shares its 3rd generation of ownership with partner Tomas Estes. The fragrances of citrus, black pepper, earth, and grass shine. The black pepper will journey on further to greet the taste buds.
Jalisco, Mexico | $60 USD
Begin this sipping excursion with the aromas of citrus, agave, butter, and olives. When it hits your tongue, citrus, vanilla, basil, olive, and lime materialize. Sounds delicious with guacamole! This spirit is heated using a stone/brick oven and is double distilled in copper pots. What emerges is a clear spirit that any tequila connoisseur would love. (The hand-blown bottles are keepers, too.)
Jalisco, Mexico | $45 USD
Named after the beautiful caves of Mexico, this tequila comes in beautiful blue bottles. Owned by Stoli, it smells of citrus and pepper. When you taste it, you’ll discover an infusion of cooked agave, spices, wood, and green vegetables. It’s earthy and alive! It is distilled twice in stainless steel pots with copper coils. Unlike the other two selections above, this tequila is aged in American oak barrels for a quick three weeks. It is bottled afterward to mellow out the tequila.
Unlike Blanco tequilas, reposados are aged, typically in oak barrels. The length of this process ranges from a few months to a year. The longer the duration, the darker gold the liquor becomes. Aging helps to smooth out the spirit and amplify some subtle notes, often captured in the wood barrels. Our picks for best reposado tequilas are:
Jalisco, Mexico | $75 USD
This very light-colored beverage is made from 100 percent blue agave. First, the agave is baked in brick ovens for 79 hours. Then it’s crushed by a two-ton volcanic stone tahona wheel, hence the “Roca” name. (Read: Why Stone Grinding Affects Flavor. A slower process makes for a higher quality product.) It is smooth and sweet, with notes of ginger, caramel, and mushroom. The scent of the American oak bourbon barrels in which it is aged comes through as you sniff this spirit.
Jalisco, Mexico | $55 USD
This tequila is also lightly golden in color, with aromas of citrus, caramel, butter, agave, and sage. Flavors consist of agave, citrus, vanilla, apple, earth, and cinnamon. Like the Roca Patrón Reposado, it is aged in former bourbon barrels, although this distillery prefers white American oak. It’s fruity and playful and well worth the price.
Jalisco, Mexico | $55 USD
Slightly darker gold in color, this liquor is aged for eight months in American white oak bourbon barrels. Its scent is of lemon, citrus, and spice, with flavors of dark chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon. You will float away with an evocative reminder of caramel apples. This is a “super easy sipper,” probably because of the extra aging time. It’s sweet and thinner in the body than some other selections.
We saved the best for last! Añejo tequilas are premium sipping tequilas and are aged longer than Reposados, typically for one to three years. As a result, they acquire a darker golden hue. In general, these spirits are softer and easier on the palate, with notes of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, and custard. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? Get started with one of these choices:
Jalisco, Mexico | $55 USD
“Patience is the secret ingredient,” says the Casa Noble Tequila Company. Made from 100 percent Agave Azul, this tequila is aged longer than most añejos—two years. It spends its maturing time in brand new French oak barrels. While most tequilas are distilled twice, this craft spirit is distilled three times, which results in a smoother selection. It is dark gold and presents with aromas of vanilla, caramel, and agave. Cooked agave flavor figures prominently in this well-balanced, smooth tequila that won’t disappoint!
Jalisco, Mexico | $60 USD
This Double Gold Medal winner from the International Spirits Challenge (2020) is aged between two and three years in American white oak bourbon barrels. It’s more floral than other choices, with jasmine and oak wafting out in the aroma as well as the palate. The Master Distiller says, “This tequila would be perfect with some pancakes because it has a nice acidity of red fruits as well as nice vanilla and maple elements.” Using the traditional volcano stone to crush the agave, this tequila emerges light and sweet, and goes down easily.
Jalisco, Mexico | $75 USD
Extra Añejo spends three years (or more) in brand new American oak barrels. Flavors of cinnamon, roasted apples, and nutmeg are present, giving it a really “hunting lodge” kind of vibe. Perhaps this is the reasoning behind the giant buck on their label? This distillery uses an autoclave (post diffuser) during the cooking process, which seems to polarize people—some love it, and some hate it. (Read: Process Matters in Tequila Production. Earthen pits and brick ovens are rated yummier.) The result is a thoroughly modern tequila.
Here are some general quick tips for you to keep in mind:
It’s not all about the agave plant, but it’s mostly about it. Did you notice that all of our selections are from Jalisco, Mexico? This isn’t surprising, considering that this area of Mexico is the biggest producer of tequilas by far. Most of our choices use the Agave tequilana weber or blue agave plant, resulting in a sweet, caramelized spirit. Isn’t that what tequila is all about? The interesting aspects are in the distiller’s choices of crushing, extracting, distilling, and aging. These can all take a variety of shapes and styles. What techniques do you enjoy the most? Hit us up in the comments!
This spring, we challenge you to take your tequila skills to the next level. Whether you are on Spring Break or getting ready for Cinco de Mayo, consider ratcheting your tequila tasting up a notch. You’ll be glad you did!
(Love this article? Read more about tequila!)