Taster’s Club’s Top 10 Best Tequila Picks for 2023
Written by Emma C | Updated March 2023
'Tis the holiday season, and if you're on the lookout for that perfect bottle of tequila—whether to entertain guests or give a gift to a Tequila lover—you've come to the right place. We know that sifting through thousands of tequila bottles to discover the ideal one for you can be a daunting task. With a myriad of brands and bottles saturating the market, the list appears to expand with every new brand launch, making the selection process even more challenging. Our expert curators have sampled many of today’s top tequila expressions and have come up with this list of the top ten Best Tequilas out there. All of these are available in our bottle shop, and in the spirit of the holiday season, we are extending a 5% discount storewide until the end of the year. You can’t go wrong with any of these picks, so grab one or multiple bottles to celebrate during this festive season. Happy holidays!
Top 10 Best Tequila Recommendations from our Bottle Shop
Best Overall
1. Próspero Blanco
Rich in aromas and bright tones, Próspero Blanco provides an unparalleled flavor that offers exceptional quality for the price. Pop star Rita Ora collaborated with master distiller Stella Anguiano to produce this San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023 Double Gold winner, using 100% blue agave from the Lowlands of Jalisco. You’ll enjoy soft, peppery flavors with herbaceous hints of anise and vegetal agave.
Tasting Notes: Pepper, Spice, Anise, Herb | ABV: 40%
Best Blanco
2. Tequila Ocho Plata
From the finest, overripe agaves comes the finest quality tequila from the Highlands of Jalisco. The single-field, estate-grown agaves used in Tequila Ocho Plata are looked after carefully by the Camarena family. From the fields to your glass, the agave brings with it the essence of the rancho from which it grew.
Taster Notes: Pepper, Mint, Fruit | ABV: 40%
Best Reposado
3. El Tequileno, The Sassenach Select Tequila Reposado
The Sassenach Select is the first collaboration between the award-winning El Tequileño and The Sassenach Spirits teams. Antonio “Tony” Salles met with Scottish actor and spirit aficionado Sam Heughan on several trips to Mexico. Though literally a world apart, the two combined their cultures and shared passion for creating exceptional spirits to do this blend justice.
Tasting Notes: Herbal, Sweet Spice, Caramel | ABV: 42%
Best Añejo
4. ArteNOM Seleccion 1146 Anejo
Casa Tequileña, led by Master Distiller Enrique Fonseca, creates an añejo tequila that balances oak and agave flavors. Aged in Cabernet Franc wine barrels and then American white oak barrels, it offers notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, citrus, nuts, and spice, with a prominent oak presence.
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Butterscotch, citrus zest | ABV: 40%
Best Extra Añejo
5. Avion Reserva 44
Avión Reserva 44 is handcrafted in limited batches. This extra añejo tequila is aged for at least 36 months in American oak barrels. It has savory aromas of cooked agave, roasted hazelnuts, and a bit of vanilla. Flavors include honey, vanilla, caramel, almonds, eucalyptus, roasted agave, oak, and leather.
Tasting Notes: Honey, Eucalyptus, Oak | ABV: 40%
Best Cristalino
6. Maestro Dobel Tequila Diamante
Maestro Dobel Diamante is the original Cristalino. Blended extra añejo, añejo, and reposado tequilas are aged in Balkan new white wood barrels, then filtered again to retain an elegant flavor. This Cristalino tequila has a mild oak aroma with a touch of vanilla, along with citrus and prickly pear flavor and a smooth, crisp, clean finish.
Region: Jalisco | Tasting Notes: Citrus, Prickly Pear | ABV: 40%
Best For Gifts
7. Corralejo Tequila 1821 Extra Anejo
Aged 36 months in charred American oak barrels, this estate-grown tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber Agave hand-harvested from the maker’s fields in the state of Guanajuato. Perfected by the French in distilling Cognac, the 400-year-old Charentais double-distillation method allows for exceptional aroma and flavor retention.
Tasting Notes: Oak, Agave, Pepper | ABV: 40%
Best Splurge
8. Don Julio 1942
Celebrated in exclusive cocktail bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, iconic Don Julio 1942 Tequila is the choice of connoisseurs around the globe. Produced in small batches and aged for a minimum of two and a half years, the expression is handcrafted in tribute to the year that Don Julio González began his tequila-making journey. It offers aromas of sweet floral and fruit, agave, and oak, followed by flavors of grass, vanilla, fruit, vanilla, agave, and clove.
Region: Jalisco | Tasting Notes: Grass, Agave, Vanilla, Oak, Fruit, Clove | ABV: 40%
Best For Margaritas
9. Tapatio Tequila Blanco
Savor the perfection of Tapatio Tequila Blanco, aged six months in stainless steel. Delight in its harmonious blend of modest agave, black pepper, and balanced notes of lemon and sweetness. This extraordinary tequila concludes with a subtle finish of black pepper. Elevate your moments with Tapatio Tequila Blanco—where tradition meets innovation in every sip. Cheers to the finer things in life.
Region: Jalisco | Tasting Notes: Popcorn, Caraway, Flinty Minerals, Agave | ABV: 40%
Best Value
10. Tequila Corralejo Reposado
This reposado tequila is aged for 4 months in American and Encino oak barrels. This gives it a light straw appearance with sweet vanilla, honey, spice, and a hint of oak aromas. The taste has lemon-lime, peppercorn, honey, oak, and agave notes that give this tequila a smooth, warm finish.
Region: Guanajuato | Notes: Honey, Oak, Citrus, Pepper, Agave | ABV: 40%
With these Taster’s Club’s top 10 best tequila picks for 2023, you’ll be ready to share some great tequila with friends or, enjoy a new sipping experience. Each bottle is available in our online bottle shop, which is always open. But, if you’re looking for a more curated experience, you can’t go wrong with our Tequila club. We have two tiers to choose from, each offering amazing, hard-to-find monthly selections from today's award-winning producers.
Top 10 Best Tequila FAQs
Which tequila is best in the world?
It’s tough to say which tequila is the best in the world since there are seemingly countless bottles and too many tastes and preferences – it’s very subjective. That said, our favorite bottle is San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023 Double Gold winner, Próspero Blanco.
What is tequila made from?
Tequila is made from the Blue Weber agave plant and, under Mexican law, within Jalisco and a few other Mexican states. Once the agave is harvested, it’s cooked, ground, and fermented. The yeast converts the sugar to alcohol, and the mixture is distilled into tequila.
What are the types of tequila?
There are five types of tequila: blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo, and cristalino. Blanco is unaged, reposado is aged between two and twelve months in oak barrels, añejo ages for over a year but less than three, and extra añejo ages for over three years. Cristalino tequilas are usually aged but charcoal-filtered to make them clear and free of woodsy barrel flavors.
What makes a good tequila?
Make sure you’re drinking good tequila by looking for these things on the bottle’s label:
- “100% de Agave”. Many producers make “mixto” tequilas which only contain 51% agave (and the rest other ingredients that reduce quality)
- “Hecho en Mexico” (made in Mexico) and “CRT” (approved by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila, which is the regulator that oversees tequila production)
- A four-digit “NOM” (Norma Oficial Mexicana) number, or unique identifier for tequilas and where they’re made
What's the difference between tequila and mezcal?
Mezcal is any distillate of the agave plant that’s made in Mexico, and tequila is one type of mezcal.
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