There’s no wrong time of year to drink tequila. Whether you like it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a margarita, paloma, or another cocktail, this agave-based spirit is always in season. There’s a tequila for every palate and every price range. It’s also a great choice for whiskey and rum drinkers looking for a change of pace. And although we could get into the various price ranges, today is all about inexpensive tequilas.
When it comes to bargain drinking, you have to be careful with tequila. While there are well-made, affordable varieties, there are plenty of inexpensive offerings that would be better used to power your lawn mower. Don’t let that discourage you though.
When we talk about bargain tequilas, we aren’t talking about bottom-shelf swill. We are, however, limiting the discussion to tequilas priced less than $30. You’ll be glad to know there are many balanced, noteworthy tequilas that fit this criterion.
Photo via Campari Group
Espolon Blanco
If you’re planning to mix some tequila-based cocktails, you’re going to need a well-made blanco tequila, andou can’t go wrong with Espolon. This 80-proof expression is made with 100% Blue Weber agave. It’s known for its surprisingly complex, mixable flavor profile featuring notes of roasted agave, vanilla beans, candied citrus peels, and just a hint of cracked black pepper. It’s the perfect balanced, sweet, lightly spicy tequila for your favorite cocktails.
Photo via Hacienda Corralejo
Corralejo Reposado
Sometimes you have to pay more for reposado tequilas, due to the longer aging process required. This isn’t the case with Corralejo Reposado, a 100% Blue Weber agave-based spirit that’s a must-add to your home bar. This double-distilled tequila is matured for four months in a mix of barrels to create a unique, nuanced tequila loaded with flavors like oak, vanilla beans, clover honey, lemon peels, tropical fruits, cooked agave, and light spices. Drink it neat, on the rocks, or as the base for your favorite tequila-centric cocktail.
Photo via Cimarron
Cimarron Blanco
Another great blanco tequila choice, this 100% Blue Weber-based spirit is made the traditional way, with stone crushed agave. After baking, it’s fermented with a proprietary set of yeasts before being double distilled. This creates a noteworthy, memorable tequila that’s centered on flavors like roasted agave, toasted vanilla beans, light herbs, lemon zest, orange peel, and spicy cracked black pepper. This is the type of blanco tequila you’ll always want on hand for mixing and rainy-day sipping.
Photo via Gran Centenario Tequila
Gran Centenario Reposado
This award-winning reposado tequila is distilled from hand-picked Blue Weber agave and matured for months in American oak barrels. This creates a sublimely smooth tequila that features notes of toasted almonds, clove, baked agave, vanilla beans, tropical fruits, oak, and light spices. For the price, you’d have a tough time finding a better tequila for sipping neat or on the rocks. It’s also inexpensive enough that you won’t feel like you’re wasting it by mixing it into a Tequila Sunrise or Ranch Water.
Photo via Arette Tequila
Arette Reposado
This is a great tequila for whiskey fans. Made from 100% Blue Weber agave, it’s distilled twice before being matured for eleven months in ex-bourbon barrels. It’s a solid, multi-layered gateway into the Mexican spirit. The nose is a mix of roasted agave, candied lemon peels, charred oak, vanilla fudge, and gentle wintry spices. The palate is a mix of flavors including oaky wood, vanilla, cracked black pepper, caramel, and vegetal, sweet agave. Grab a bottle and add it to your home bar. You’ll be glad you did.
Photo via William Grant & Sons
Milagro Silver Tequila
Everybody needs at least one inexpensive blanco specifically for mixing into cocktails. That bottle should be Milagro Silver Tequila. Always priced below $30, it’s made with 100% estate-grown, hand-selected Blue Weber agave. It’s known for its crisp, clean flavor profile that features hints of orchard fruits, vanilla beans, lemon peels, cracked black pepper, orange zest, and baked agave. Use it as the base for a Margarita, Ranch Water, or simply drink it with a twist of lime.
Photo via Teremana Tequila
Teremana Reposado
Teremana isn’t your average celebrity brand. It’s co-founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and has produced a number of well-made, award-winning expressions. One of the best is the Reposado. It’s made with 100% Blue Weber agave that’s slow-roasted in small brick ovens for three days before distillation. Matured in American oak barrels, the result is a balanced tequila filled with flavors like roasted agave, caramelized sugar, toasted vanilla, oak, and light spices. Buy it for mixing, but keep it for sipping neat and on the rocks.
