One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor. Get ready for our ultimate list of popular brands of tequila. We’ll explore the fun histories, cost, product offerings, and tasting notes of the world’s bestselling tequilas. This isn’t just for Cinco de Mayo; with our list, you’ll be excited to sample tequila all year long. ¡Salud!
Popular Tequila Brands
1. Patrón
First on our list of popular tequilas is a household name, Patrón. Crafted with 100 percent Weber blue agave, this high-end offering originated at one of Mexico’s oldest distilleries, Casa Siete Leguas. Patrón has reinvented itself as a premium brand that is handmade in small batches to be sweet, smooth, and easily mixable.
Some of the company’s products include Patrón Silver; Reposado, which is aged for two months in oak barrels; Añejo, which is aged for a year in oak barrels; and Extra Añejo, which is aged for three years. A 375-milliliter Patrón Silver will set you back between $21 and $28, depending on where you buy it and not including tax.
2. Don Julio
Named after company founder Don Julio Gonzalez-Frausto Estrada, this big brand hit the market in 1942 and is now the most popular tequila brand on Earth. The company bills itself as the producer of the world’s first luxury premium tequila that’s crafted with 100 percent blue agave plant.
The Don Julio brand includes six distinct tequilas: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, 1942, Real, and 70. The specialized 1942 offering costs about $140 for a 750-milliliter bottle, while the more mainstream Blanco retails for about $45 for the same amount of alcohol.
3. Cabeza
The Cabeza brand is especially noteworthy for being a family business for five generations. The agave used for the company’s tequila is grown on a single estate. Even cooler? The agave is grown without pesticides.
The company’s signature product is the Blanco, which uses champagne yeasts to ferment and costs between $21 and $32 for a 750-milliliter bottle. Tasting notes for this selection include honey, earthiness, light citrus, and toasted seeds and spices. All the yum!
4. Jose Cuervo
Jose Cuervo is another well-known brand of tequila. This brand became popular during the Prohibition era, when tequila was regularly smuggled from Mexico to the Southwestern United States. The company is still run by a descendant of the founder, Don Jose Antonio de Cuervo.
Jose Cuervo’s Gold product is the most well known, but the company produces 100 percent agave Blanco and Reposado bottles as well. Jose Cuervo Gold retails for about $25 for a 350-milliliter bottle.
5. Tapatio
Tapatio is the Spanish word for “a man from Guadalajara,” and Guadalajara is the capital city of the Mexican state of Jalisco, where most agave is grown. This brand is known for its double-distillation process, authentic taste, and history that can be traced back to the 1800s.
The company’s portfolio includes Añejo, Excelencia Gran Reservas, Blanco, Blanco 110 Proof, and Reposado. Excelencia Gran Reservas is one of the oldest tequilas on the market and was distilled in the year 2000; a 350-milliliter bottle costs $170, while the regular Blanco costs about $35.
6. Ocho
According to its website, Tequila Ocho is special because it was the “first tequila to designate both the year it was produced and the precise field from which the family-grown agaves were sourced.” This means that each batch of the company’s tequila can be traced to a specific field with its own distinct characteristics. Ocho is processed in a slower, old-fashioned style and maintains a deep agave flavor as a result.
The company’s offerings include Plata, Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo, Añejo Single Barrel, and Extra Añejo Single Barrel. A 350-milliliter bottle of Tequila Ocho Plata costs roughly $50.
7. Herradura
Herradura’s El Jimador label is the bestselling tequila in Mexico, and all bottles are 100 percent agave.
The company also produces Blanco, Blanco Suave, Reposado (Herradura invented the Reposado category of tequila), Antiguo, Añejo, and Seleccion Suprema, which is noteworthy for being barrel-aged for over four years! A bonus? A 350-milliliter bottle of Blanco retails for less than $20.
8. Juárez
Juárez is a lower-quality and cheaper brand that includes Gold, Silver, and Triple Sec mix varieties. A handle (1.75 liters) of all three options only costs about $20. According to the company website, Juárez is a top-five brand in the United States and can make a delicious and affordable margarita.
9. Espolòn
Espolòn is produced at the San Nicolas Distillery in Jalisco and named for the spur of the rooster (as seen above in the logo). The rooster is a symbol of Mexican national pride, so it’s a fitting mascot for this company.
Espolòn offers a number of tequila products, including Reposado, Blanco, Añejo, and Añejo X. The company website states that “Reposado is for sharing, Blanco is for shaking, Añejo is for sipping, and Añejo X is for stashing.” The Blanco label runs at about $40 for a 350-milliliter container.
10. Calle 23
We love a good pun, and the next tequila on our list, Calle 23, has a very punny tagline: “Agave you my heart.” This popular brand is produced in the Jaliscan Highlands, an area known for superior agave that is only mature after seven to nine years.
The company sells three distinct varieties of tequila: Blanco, Añejo, and Reposado. You’ll pay between $34 and $49 for a bottle, depending on type.
11. Sauza
Sauza has been called the chief of cheap tequilas and is a very popular brand offered at a low price point ($10 for a 750-milliliter container of Silver).
The company sells a few different options, including Silver, Cucumber Chili, Añejo, Gold, and some spiked sparkling water selections. It also offers a more expensive line known as Sauza Signature, which includes Blue Silver, a 100 percent blue agave tequila, and Blue Reposado, which is 100 percent blue agave with hints of warm vanilla.
12. 1800 Tequila
1800 was the first year that barrel-aged tequila was sold to the world. This brand is a tasty yet affordable alternative to more expensive tequila options.
The company produces 1800 Silver (Blanco), 1800 Reserva Reposado, 1800 Reserva Añejo, 1800 Colección, 1800 Coconut, and 1800 Milenio. A 750-milliliter bottle of the Silver costs $23.
13. Montezuma
Montezuma, named for the Aztec ruler who fought the conquistadors and headed a large and impressive empire, is another popular yet cheap brand. It is considered a mixto tequila, which means it contains additives and is not 100 percent agave. A full liter retails for about $13.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the most popular tequilas. There’s certainly a choice for any occasion!
