35 Best Tequilas to Experience in 2021 [Ultimate Guide]

#1 Clase Azul Reposado

Best Overall Tequila

If you want to jump straight to the best tequila, Clase Azul is as good as it gets! With hints of honey, vanilla, and cream soda, it can be enjoyed straight from a glass. The handcrafted bottle also makes Clase Azul a perfect gift. Everyone wants this one on their shelf.

#2 Maestro Dobel Diamante

Best Tequila for a Top Shelf Margarita

If you love a truly high end margarita, you’ll love Maestro Dobel Diamante. This “diamond” blends Reposado, Anejo and Extra Anejo, while double filtering to produce a tequila that is as clear and smooth as it’s name suggests. This is truly one of the best tequilas in the world.

#3 Fortaleza

Best Old World Tequila

Fortaleza is so smooth and easy to drink. The caramel and oak perfectly complement each other, and it isn’t overpowering or too sweet to enjoy straight. If you go into a liquor store and ask someone who knows about the best tequila brands, don’t be surprised to come home with Fortaleza.

#4 El Tosoro Reposado

Best All Around Tequila

If you’re looking for a “go-to” tequila that can be everything for everyone, El Tosoro is perfect. We’ve made hundreds of margaritas with El Tosoro and never received anything but compliments. If you’re having a party, use this in our favorite margarita recipe below.

#5 Aha Toro Blanco

Best Blanco Tequila

While we find the bottle’s ocean blue color mesmerizingly captivating and the silver label reminds us of old world “plata” coins, the flavor couldn’t be better. You’ll be the bull when you share Aha Toro and the empty bottles also make for excellent art projects.

#6 Casa Noble Anejo

Best Anejo Tequila

Casa Noble has our favorite website. Just take a look and tell us you don’t want to own a bottle of this beautiful tequila. They also have excellent recipes that showcase the diversity of this anejo and its blanco and resposado siblings. Need we say more.

#7 Sauza Signature Blue

Best Tequila under $20

Do we think this is one of the seven best tequilas in the world or one of the best tequila brands? No. But, we do think Sauza makes the best 100% agave tequila at the lowest price point. If you are looking to make good margaritas with a tequila that costs under $20, we recommend Sauza Blue.

#8 Don Romero Anejo

Best Sipping Tequila

Pour some in a glass and kick back. Don Romero is perfect for relaxing and really sets the sets the mood. We love how the warm caramel and vanilla flavors have aged in the wood to produce a sweet anejo with just the right burn. Isn’t life wonderful.

#9 Maestro Dobel Anejo

Best Colored Tequila

This is a dark colored anejo! But, where the color may lead you astray, the flavor is superb. If you love a dark french press coffee or a old bourbon, you’ll probably love the aged wood, nut and sugar muscle of this top shelf anejo. Find three friends and enjoy.

#10 Don Julio 1942 Anejo

Best Splurge Tequila

This could easily be #1 on our list if it wasn’t for the price. If you’re looking to sip the crème de la crème of one of the best tequila brands in the world, get a bottle of the 1942. The caramel flavor is excellent and there’s a certain perfection to the aged smoke and heat. Enjoy with a nice cigar.

#11 Jose Cuervo de la Familia

This is easily one of the best tequilas in the world and would rank higher if we didn’t consider the price. The extra-long aging is appreciated and the smooth burn of each sip is incomparable. Enjoy this tequila’s excellence on its own, don’t waste by mixing.

#12 Corralejo Resposado

If you like herbs, wood, and a little spice, this is a perfect tequila. For the price, Corralejo makes a perfect sipper and has enjoyed a loyal following for decades because of its unique flavor and profile. It’s best enjoyed straight up with a sprig of your favorite herb.

#13 Casamigos Blanco

This is the best tequila for margaritas with exotic spices or flavors. We had a tamarind margarita with Casamigos Blanco that was absolutely out of this world. If you’re looking to make a margarita with unique spices and exotic flavor, reach no further.

#14 El Tesoro Blanco

While El Tesoro’s Reposado ranks in our 5 best tequilas, their Blanco ranks as the best tequila for margaritas. With fresh citrus flavors begging for a top-shelf, this is one that never disappoints. We recommend using it in our favorite margarita recipe for the perfect summer barbecue.

#15 Casamigos Reposado

Perhaps more than any of the others on our list of best tequilas, this is a love it or hate it tequila. The unique flavor results from aging in previously used whisky casks. Casamigos wraps some into lovers for life, while others feel like it’s an organic concoction gone wrong. Try for yourself.

#16 Don Julio Anejo

This is your grandfather’s tequila for a reason. Toasted oak and spice are perfectly combined with a rich agave flavor that never tries to be anything other than itself. Don Julio has been one of the best tequila brands for a long time. If you can enjoy perfection, and aren’t swayed by trending fads, look no further.

#18 Herradura Silver

Herradura is a staple in many top-shelf margaritas. If you go to an upscale Mexican restaurant in a hip city with a happening vibe, don’t be surprised to see Herradura being mixed behind the bar. We love the vanilla undertone and the lucky horseshoe.

#19 Patron Tequila Gran Platinum

Perhaps no list would be complete or controversial without Patron. There are millions of Patron lovers who consider this to be one of the best tequila brands, and there are millions of Patron haters who might cringe at the mention. Whether you like Patron Silver, enjoy the sweetness of Roca Patron, or hate both, Patron Gran Platinum is smooth and wonderful.

#20 Dulce Amargura Extra Anejo Collectible Edition

If you love art or know someone who does, get a bottle of Dulce Amargura Extra Anejo’s collectible edition before this bottle is gone. Display this bottle on your mahogany bookshelf and expect questions. When you pour a sip, your guests will be impressed.

#21 Don Julio Reposado

You will notice Don Julio several times on this list for good reason. It isn’t “fancy”, but it is excellent. If your grandfather’s Anejo is too dark for your palette, your father’s reposado is hard to beat and you’ll pick up more of the fruity flavors in this younger version.

#22 1800 Anejo

If you ever toasted sugar as part of a science experiment, you’ll notice what stands out about this tequila – caramel. If you’re new to Anejo, you’ll love the sweet oak, vanilla, and sugary agave. This isn’t for those in search of treasure – it is the treasure!

#23 El Jimador Reposado

El Jimador seems to be the best tequila for margaritas served at clubs. The color is beautiful and the bottle looks great. There’s a reason you will find El Jimador on the shelves of high end Mexican restaurants and bars. If you like tequila based cocktails, this is a great one for all occasions.

#24 Don Julio Blanco

Anyone want to do a shot? Don Julio is smooth and wonderful. Whether drinking straight, taking a shot or mixing into a cocktail, it’s hard to go wrong with the Don. Just remember aficionados – the bottle isn’t flashy because the bottle never had to be.

#25 Herradura Reposado

Herradura’s reposado has one of the best colors you’ll find in a bottle or a glass. This might be the best tequila for margaritas served in a plastic cup, where you drop the lime in and go. If you like putting lemon or lime in Corona beer, you have been missing out. Try this reposado.

#26 Corzo Anejo

There’s something about the smooth taste of this Anejo that keeps us coming back. It feels “refined” in the sense of having a lot of class and elegance. Put on a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses, a Canali jacket, an Armani watch, and a pair of Versace shoes and enjoy.

#27 1800 Reposado

1800 has been one of the best tequilas for a long time. You won’t go wrong with the strong flavor and the color attracts a lot of attention on the bar shelf and in the liquor store. It almost reminds us of an Old Fashioned cocktail. Try swapping it and let us know how it goes.

#28 E. Cuarenta Reposado

This reposado is double distilled, giving it a light color and a very smooth elegance. If you normally prefer a Blanco, E. Cuarenta may convince you to take the next step and try a wonderful reposado. It’s very approachable and almost reminds us of a scotch.

#29 Hornitos Anejo

This might be your uncle’s tequila, but there’s a reason it has stood the test of time as one of the best tequila brands for the working man. Hornitos consistently delivers a smooth Anejo that makes us want to lick salt and pour a shot. You can’t go wrong with a big bucket of margaritas made with Hornitos Anejo.

#30 Asombroso El Platino

If you like a peppery blanco tequila, Asombroso El Platino is one of the best tequilas you’ll find. It has a beautiful bottle that exudes wealth with the floating silver images. Calling Michael Godard – this tequila belongs in one of your Las Vegas gallery paintings.

#31 Asombroso La Rosa

For those who like unique flavors (or Rosé wine), Asombroso’s La Rosa is beautiful. Aging in Bordeaux wine barrels gives La Rosa its pink color and a little spice makes it nice. Perfect for a romantic date, just be sure not to stare at the bottle the whole time.

#32 Carrera Tequila Blanco

Carrera makes a high quality blanco tequila. There is a good mix of fruit, citrus and agave that comes together perfectly to make this an excellent sipper. We also love the inlaid wood in the cap, which perfectly accents the beautiful stallion and platinum bottle.

#33 Avion Silver

Avion makes the best tequila for margaritas with herbal notes. If you like silver tequilas with lot of different flavors that you can pull out, Avion is a great choice. There’s nothing fancy about the bottle, but the quality is good and the name is recognizable. If you want to step up, there’s the Avion Reserva 44.

#34 Codigo 1530 Blanco

Aged, but never barreled, this is a unique tequila from one of the best tequila brands. If you like something that goes down like water you’ll love how ultra smooth this blanco sips. Don’t think too hard about this one. Just pour a glass and enjoy one of the smoothest tequilas in the world.

#35 1800 Silver

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably waiting for our favorite margarita recipe (and it’s excellent!). The 1800 Silver is the best tequila for margaritas that are served outside on hot days. It’s smooth and the flavors don’t overpower the natural lime, salt or organic blue agave nectar. Enjoy!