Gone are the days when the most popular tequila was one that you had to cover up the taste in an unbalanced margarita or with salt and lime. Tequila now outsells just about every spirit in the United States (and the margaritas and margarita variations got a lot better, too). With that increase in popularity came a massive influx of great tasting tequila.
There are myriad nuanced, complex, aged tequilas perfectly suited to be sipped slowly like you would a glass of bourbon or single malt Scotch whisky. And the best part? There are a wide variety of reposado (aged between two months and a year) and añejo (aged between one and three years) available for less than $100.
The Best High-ABV Tequilas to Mix Into Cocktails or Sip Straight
If you glance at the label on an average bottle of tequila, there’s a good chance it will be listed as 80 proof. This means that it’s 40 percent alcohol. This is the baseline for tequila and many other spirits. But, while it’s the most common level of alcohol, it’s…
Corralejo Extra Añejo
You might think a tequila that is this special would cost well over $100, but it doesn’t. It starts with 100% Blue Weber agave that’s hand-harvested in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. It’s double-distilled using the Charentais distillation method--the same distilling process used to make Cognac. It’s then matured for a full 36 months in American, French Limousine, and Mexican oak barrels. This creates an award-winning, highly complex, well-balanced tequila with notes of roasted agave, vanilla, oak, and spices on the nose and a palate of sweet agave, caramelized sugar, oak, candied orange peels, and just a hint of smoke.
Buy: $84.99
Mijenta Reposado
This popular tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave. It’s distilled and then matured for between three and six months in a mixture of American white oak, French oak, and French Acacia barrels. The nose is a mix of candied orange peel, vanilla beans, sweet agave, and honey. Sipping it reveals notes of sweet honey, roasted agave, oak, citrus peels, and honey. The finish is long, warming, and leaves you craving another glass immediately. This is the kind of bottle you’ll always want on hand for mixing and sipping.
Buy: $74.99
Casa Noble Añejo
If you’ve never tried any tequilas from Casa Noble, what are you waiting for? If you’re a fan of sipping tequilas, a good start is with its Casa Noble Añejo. While all you need to do to call a tequila an añejo is age it for one year, Casa Noble matures its Añejo for a full two years in new French oak casks. This creates a tequila with notes of dried fruits, cooked agave, and vanilla on the nose and an epic palate of toasted vanilla beans, sweet agave, butterscotch, and charred oak. Sip it slowly and savor all the flavors.
Buy: $59.99
El Tequileño Reposado Gran Reserva
You might see the name of this tequila and wonder what it all means. Well, it means that this award-winning expression begins as a reposado that’s matured for at least eight months in American oak before being blended with an añejo tequila that was aged in American oak casks this result is a sublimely balanced, slow-sipping tequila that is sure to find a permanent spot on your home bar. This is thanks to a nose of orchard fruits, caramelized sugar, cooked agave, and gentle spices. Drinking it brings forth notes of candied nuts, butterscotch, vanilla beans, sweet agave, and oaky wood.
Buy: $57.99
Tequila Ocho Añejo
This popular tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber agave. Tequila Ocho treats its agave like winemakers treat vineyards by focusing on the terroir of each agave plot. After distilling, it’s matured for a full year in American oak barrels that previously held whiskey. It’s well-known for its nose of pipe tobacco, cooked agave, vanilla beans, herbal tea, and cracked black pepper. The palate is a symphony of cooked agave, chocolate, dried fruit, toffee, gentle spices, and charred oak. It’s a great tequila to have on hand for sipping neat and mixing into classic tequila-based cocktails.
Buy: $72.99
Fortaleza Añejo
The folks at Fortaleza take their tequila-making very seriously (there's a reason it's one of the hottest names in tequila right now). Fortaleza Añejo is no exception. Made from 100% Blue Weber agave, it’s cooked in brick ovens before being stone crushed and double distilled in copper pot stills. It’s matured for at least 18 months in American oak barrels before being bottled in hand-blown Mexican-made bottles. On the nose, you’ll find hints of vanilla beans, toffee, and cooked agave. The palate is loaded with candied orange peels, caramel, vanilla, cooked agave, and oaky wood. It’s a memorable tequila you won’t soon forget.
Buy: $89.99
