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Top 10
Top 10 award-winning Tequilas
To celebrate National Tequila Day today (24 July), we’ve rounded up 10 Tequilas that took home top honours at our recent blind tasting.
It was an agave frenzy in January when our judges convened to taste the best of what Mexico has to offer during The Tequila & Mezcal Masters 2024. While there were great options across every category, for National Tequila Day we’ll be focusing on the Blue agave varieties only.
From super-aged expressions to flavoursome liqueurs, there was a winning Tequila for every palate – and budget. Here are our top 10.
Don Julio Alma Miel
Kicking off with the best of the best, Don Julio’s Alma Miel took home the competition’s most prestigious award – the Taste Master. It was praised for its “lovely rich agave, grassy character, rich toffee, honey and vanilla notes from the wood – very sippable”.
Made with oven-roasted agave nectar, the ultra-premium Tequila retails at US$99.99 for a 750ml bottle.
Herradura Reposado
Considering Herradura claims to have created the reposado category, it’s unsurprising that its rested expression took home a Master medal this year. Its tasting notes included “complex layered aromas with sweet vanilla and stone fruit, [which] follows onto the palate with a touch of tannin – plenty of character”.
All of Herradura’s Tequilas are created at Casa Herradura in Amatitán, Jalisco (the birthplace of Tequila), which is said to be one of the world’s oldest and most historic Tequila distilleries.
Volcan De Mi Tierra Reposado
One other reposado was graced with a Master medal this year, this time in the ultra-premium segment. Volcan De Mi Tierra Reposado was praised for its “good texture and long finish”.
The Spirits Business’ editor Melita Kiely added that “the impact of the cask shines through – this has been well aged. A very solid reposado, and deserving of the price point.”
1800 Milenio Extra Añejo
Two extra-aged Tequilas managed to really impress this year, with both owned by Proximo Spirits.
The first, 1800 Milenio Extra Añejo, was praised for its ‘jammy’ notes and its ‘almost peachy quality’, which was compared with a well-aged Irish whiskey. Some may baulk at its RRP of US$250, but Kiely said it was “worth the price point”.
Gran Centenario Leyenda
The second extra-aged expression from Proximo Spirits that managed to bag a Master medal this year was from one of Mexico’s top-selling brands: Gran Centenario. Its Leyenda expression is created using a 150-year-old recipe, with the original first created by Gran Centenario’s as a special Tequila for his most distinguished guests and closest family members.
Our judges praised its notes of “fresh agave and oak spice” on the nose, leading to a “nice texture, cooked agave sweetness, gentle spice, and a well-rounded” palate.
Jose Cuervo Cristalino
Jose Cuervo’s offering was the only Cristalino – which is an oak-aged Tequila filtered with charcoal – to take home a Master medal this year.
The brand, which was also our Supreme Brand Champion this year, expects cristalinos to account for nearly 10% of all Tequila sales by 2027. With judge Matt Chambers praising its “nice level of sweetness” and “lovely balance of spice and agave”, we wouldn’t be surprised to see growth in the category.
1800 Coconut Tequila
Love it or hate it, flavoured Tequila is here to stay. And if you’re yet to make up your mind, 1800 Coconut could be the place to start, with Kiely stating: “This is how you make a flavoured Tequila.” The agave notes are complemented by the creamy, tropical coconut rather than drowned out – we think a Tequila Piña Colada could be on the cards.
Miixa 100 Café Tequila
If you love your flavoured Tequila on the sweeter side, the Liqueurs heat came up trumps with one Master medal being awarded. Miixa 100 Café Tequila has “a great freshly brewed coffee flavour” and manages to avoid being too sweet. We think it’s a great alternative to a certain big-name brand that discontinued its coffee variant…
Espolón Tequila Blanco
Not every expression can take home a Master medal, but it’s no mean feat to secure a Gold.
Espolòn Tequila won this prize for its “earthy, rooty notes” on the nose, complemented by “good texture, creaminess and chocolate” on the palate.
For National Tequila Day, the brand is celebrating the traditional Mexican Tequila serve, the Sangrita – it’s a short tomato-based drink paired with a neat measure of Tequila blanco. Salud!
El Tequileño Platinum
Another Gold-winning blanco Tequila, and the final bottle in our list, was El Tequileño’s Platinum expression, which the judges praised for its “fresh aromas” and “light floral notes, sweet agave and gentle pepper” on the palate.
The brand has been expanding its global presence recently – launching in France, China, Hong Kong and Singapore this year alone – so it’s very likely you’ll be able to get your hands on it wherever you’re based.
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