It seems like tequila is seeing a bit of a renaissance in the last several years, and
this raises the obvious question: what are the best tequilas for margaritas?
Keep watching to see our favorites.
Espolòn Blanco is a popular tequila from a celebrated brand.
Although it's known for being cheap and easy to find, this blanco is a good choice for
a couple of reasons.
First, Espolòn Blanco is made with 100% blue agave.
All tequilas must be made from this agave type to be legally considered the real thing.
The agave for Espolòn Blanco is grown in Los Altos de Jalisco, "the highlands" of the
state of Jalisco, specifically, the city of Tequila.
The city is divided into two parts: highland and lowland, with the separate areas imparting
different flavors to the agave grown there.
Tequila from the highlands, like Espolòn Blanco, is known for herbaceous and citrus-heavy flavors.
Meanwhile, tequila from the lowlands is known to have peppery and earthy flavors.
This blanco is great for mixing into margaritas, since it's usually affordably priced per bottle,
meaning you won't feel bad using it for a party or big group.
Drinkers note that this somewhat unsophisticated tequila is not great for sipping, but has
a touch of natural agave-flavored sweetness that can enhance a sugary margarita.
The label of Olmeca Altos Plata makes it convincing enough to mix into your margarita, with 100%
agave and "Hecho en Mexico" boldly on display.
Blancos are the standard margarita mixer for a couple of reasons.
These typically clear tequilas are usually unaged or aged for up to 60 days.
Reposado or añejo tequilas will likely be darker in color because they have been aged
for months or even years in oak barrels.
Because blancos are so much younger and have a more pure agave sweetness these tequilas
go best with margaritas.
"That's what we were looking for.
We were looking for softness but very robust flavor."
The Olmeca Altos Plata is an award-winning tequila, which has been recognized by The
Tequila Masters, and The Spirits Business competitions.
This liquor's strong citrus flavors make it great for mixing into any tequila cocktail.
It should pair especially well with the lime juice of your next margarita.
ElVelo is another great blanco made of 100% pure agave in Jalisco.
Its name, which translates to "the veil," references the layer of ash that covered the
Tequila region when a volcano erupted there.
Although that volcanic explosion occurred around 200,000 years ago, the tequila community
likes to say that this ash imparts flavors to the Jalisco tequilas, especially those
from the lowlands, where ElVelo's agave is grown.
That's why ElVelo Blanco's label depicts an exploding volcano.
ElVelo Blanco tastes grassy and peppery, which is typical for lowland tequilas.
There is a strong aroma of agave, followed by citrus tasting notes.
Both the scent and flavor of ElVelo Tequila Blanco should go great with classic margarita components.
1800 Tequila Silver should be a familiar bottle, recognizable by its trapezoidal shape and
blue-accented label.
The bottle's shape is meant to reference the Mayan pyramids, the ruins of which are still
located throughout Mexico.
The company name also alludes to the year the first bottle of tequila was made.
This drink is made from agave plants that are aged for 8-12 years and then harvested
at their peak.
This is the standard amount of time it takes to grow agave.
In making their silver tequila, 1800 distills the agave twice, then blends several different
white tequilas to create the final "silver" spirit.
All of this brand's tequilas are grown in the highlands.
That means the fresh flavors of 1800 Tequila Silver will pair well with a citrus-focused
or fruity margarita.
It's both vegetal and acidic, with notes of lemon and freshly cut grass.
Don Julio is one of the most recognizable names in tequila.
Don Julio, named for its founder Don Julio González, grows the blue agave used in its
tequilas in the highlands region.
The company insists that Don Julio's blanco is best for making margaritas, due to "its
crisp agave flavor and hints of citrus," which are of course associated with the highlands.
Like 1800 Tequila, their blanco is made from unaged agave, then double distilled.
It has a similar alcohol content, but the price is slightly higher, making it a little
more of a premium product.
Don Julio Blanco has both the herbaceous qualities of a highland tequila, along with the peppery
taste of a lowland tequila, which makes it great for a variety of mixed drinks.
You may know of Patrón as one of the more expensive tequilas on the market.
However, the quality of this tequila company is credited with elevating tequila's reputation
in the drinking game.
Patrón was able to do that thanks to their mixable and sippable tequilas, such as their
margarita-ready Patrón Silver.
Patrón Silver is made with 100% agave and is 40% ABV, the company website says.
The brand also claims to use a volcanic stone tahona wheel to process their agave plants.
It's one of many tequila companies in Jalisco to do this, due to the region's proximity
to the now-dormant Tequila Volcano.
The company's distillery is located in the highlands region of Tequila.
Herradura has made their tequila for over 100 years.
Herradura began producing tequila as early as 1870, in Amatitán, a municipality located
within the state of Jalisco.
The company claims to engage with that history by preparing their agave in traditional clay ovens.
Unlike other silver or blanco tequilas, Herradura Silver is different.
Most blancos aren't aged, however:
"Herradura Silver rests in American white oak barrels for 45 days."
This aging process of fewer than 60 days still qualifies Herradura Silver as a blanco-type
tequila, however, it turns the liquid a slight straw or greenish hue.
While untraditional, this may give your margarita a dash of color while preserving the pure
agave taste of a traditional blanco.
You may have heard of Casa Mexico Tequila for its associations with boxer Oscar De La
Hoya and actor Mario Lopez.
But look again, and you'll find that Casa Mexico makes a great silver tequila for your
next margarita.
The drink is 40% ABV and 100% agave.
Casa Mexico Tequila Silver is a highlands tequila and is distilled twice.
Its cooking processes are a little more contemporary, as the agave is crushed with a roller mill
and cooked in brick ovens, rather than clay.
However, the Casa Mexico website likes to boast a commitment to eco-friendly practices,
such as "renewable resources and conservative farming techniques."
In addition to sustainability, the brand is sometimes referred to as a "small batch" tequila company.
It's an agave-focused flavor profile, as well as a middle-ground blanco — making it perfect
for margaritas.
Pasote, a tequila brand named after Aztec warriors, is a 100% agave tequila made in Jalisco.
A reference to the Aztecs is included in the bottle design featuring an Aztec sun god.
The brand even says in the description of their tequilas, "we are certain you will revel
in our tribute to warriors everywhere."
The tequila company claims their blanco is distilled with "natural rainwater."
The company also avoids adding flavors, chemicals, or glycerin to their drinks which sets the
blanco apart from less organic tequilas.
Some reviewers claim the effect of rainwater is noticeable while drinking Pasote Blanco,
and that the minerality comes across strongly in the aroma.
There is also a natural sweetness to the blanco.
Both qualities should make a sweet, natural, and fresh-tasting drink when mixed in a margarita.
Tequila Ocho is a tequila maker full of authentic history and expertise.
They've brought those qualities to their Tequila Ocho Plata, a celebrated drink that is so
smooth it's primarily thought of as a sipping tequila.
That's also why it's a little more expensive.
However, while it's not advised you sip a mixing tequila, you can mix a sipping tequila.
Do that with Tequila Ocho Plata in your next margarita.
Their plata tequila is 100% pure agave, made in Mexico, and 40% ABV.
It's made from highlands agave grown on the fields of the Camarena family, who also have
their own tequila brand.
Sustainability is also important to the company.
It vows to compost, limit pesticide use, and attempt to limit harm to wildlife such as
bats, which are sometimes endangered by the tequila industry.
There is agave, black pepper, and lots of alcohol in both the aroma and the taste of
this tequila.
It's sometimes compared to wine in the way it "opens up" after it's been poured into
a glass, so maybe expose this tequila to the air for a bit before using it in your next
plata margarita.
Tequila Fortaleza is a newer brand, founded in 2005.
But the company's owners are related to some of the most vital players in tequila's history,
including the first person to export tequila and the first person to discover blue agave's
importance to the tequila industry.
The company has traces of that history in their production today, where their distillery
uses ancient tahona boulders to crush its agave.
The blanco made by Tequila Fortaleza is such a popular tequila that many drinkers call
it the best of its kind.
Tequila Fortaleza includes unique hints of olive, white pepper, and other herbal scents.
Traditional scents like agave and citrus are also there, as well as a lot of sweet, caramelized flavors.
The average bottle is 750 ml, 100% pure agave, and 40% ABV.
Tequila Fortaleza Blanco is a little pricier, but it's a worthwhile splurge for your next margarita.
El Tesoro is another Tequila brand made at the same distillery owned by the Camarena
family, along with Tequila Ocho.
The name of their distillery, La Alteña, actually means "a native of El Alto."
This makes sense, given that both tequilas are made in the Jalisco highlands.
The name El Tesoro means "treasure" which comes across the gold-accented tequila bottle.
It will also come across in the price point since this blanco is on the higher end of
the spectrum.
But this blanco has earned its keep, winning a handful of awards, including a Double Gold
Medal in the International Spirits Challenge of 2020.
It also scored 91 points during the Beverage Testing Institute Awards of 2020.
Like some of the higher quality and more expensive blancos, the El Tesoro Blanco has a complex
flavor profile: there are green notes, olive accents, and white pepper mixed in with the
classic agave flavor.
El Tesoro Blanco is great for putting together a refined, yet spicy, margarita.
There are a few little changes to Casa Noble that set it apart from other tequila companies.
For one, Casa Noble's tequilas are distilled three times.
Also, the company is set apart by its famous distillery which is located outside the hub
of Tequila city.
The brand claims to be "one of the first certified organic tequilas."
"They do things right.
And you can see that on the land, and you can see it on the product."
Casa Noble's blanco now comes in a tall, rectangular bottle.
The company rebranded its tequila early in 2021 when it ditched the previously rounded
bottle shape.
Where the old bottle resembled Patrón's container, the newer one is a little sleeker.
The new one has a 40% ABV and is made from 100% pure agave.
Casa Noble Blanco is grassy, which will make for a refreshing margarita.
This tequila's profile means it could work great with a margarita that's been elevated
by garnishes like basil or thyme.
Mijenta Tequila is primarily known as a forward-thinking tequila brand.
Sustainability is considered throughout the tequila-making process, from using recycled
agave materials to making their own paper products, to sourcing glass from local craftsmen.
Collectivity is another way they've stood out as a more progressive brand.
Mijenta claims to have numerous community-focused initiatives, including those helping employees
with education and insurance.
Their blanco tequila is still 100% pure agave, 40% ABV, and made in Mexico.
What's different in the process of making this tequila is that it's unfiltered, which
gives it a bit of a different, more natural flavor.
The tequila is already making a name for itself as a quality, classic highland blanco with
a bit of a surprisingly alcoholic bite.
That's pretty impressive given that the brand was only officially launched in September 2020.
Tequila Cazadores is a historic liquor maker that's been perfecting its blanco recipe since 1922.
The company is based in Arandas, a town located in the Jalisco region that's about a three-hour
drive from the town of Tequila.
The name Cazadores translates to "The Hunters," and references the more isolated location
of their distillery.
That's why you'll see a wild stag on the bottle.
The Tequila Cazadores Blanco is 100% agave and 40% ABV, and it's extremely affordable.
Despite its low price point, this blanco has made a name for itself.
It's even been awarded a spot in Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Spirits of 2017.
It's been described by the company as having a short finish and a clean agave taste, meaning
it will easily blend into a batch of sweet margaritas without being too noticeable.
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