Top 10 best-selling Tequila Brand Champions
As the Tequila sector’s growth rates stabilise, the world’s biggest players are fighting harder than ever to win over consumers. But which brands came out on top in 2025?
Lower agave prices, a debate over additives, and an abundance of new brands have dominated the Tequila space in recent years. But with its distinct Mexican identity and its increasing prevalence in cocktails, Tequila remains one of the most compelling spirits segments, and an attractive proposition for many drinks firms.
In one of the biggest markets for the category, the US, Tequila has held on to its position as the third‐biggest‐selling spirit by volume (behind vodka and RTDs). In 2025, data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the US revealed 32.1 million nine‐litre cases of Tequila and mezcal were sold in the US, with the categories’ volumes soaring by 301% since 2003. The 2025 figure remains almost identical to 2024 but the sector has performed better than most spirits categories.
While the overall growth of agave spirits may have slowed, the 2025 performance of the world’s leading Tequila brands was mixed, with varying levels of success. Only four brands managed to experience growth, a contrast to previous years when many Tequila players soared during and after the pandemic.
One Tequila brand has been knocked from its third-place spot after holding the position for four years.
Scroll down for the 10 biggest-selling Tequila brands from this year’s Brand Champions report.
The data is listed to one decimal place for ease of reading, but the percentage changes were calculated on the full data supplied. All data is recorded in millions of nine-litre cases.
10. Olmeca (including Altos)
Owner: Pernod Ricard
2021: 1.1m | 2022: 1.1m | 2023: 1.3m | 2024: 1.5m | 2025: 1.5m
Growth: 2.1%
Place last year: N/A
Pernod Ricard’s leading Tequila brand, Olmeca, returned to its 10th position on our best-selling list after dropping out of the ranks the previous year.
The brand (including Altos’ volumes) was one of several Tequilas in our top 10 to grow its volumes, rising by 1.2% to 1.5m cases.
Last October, the Olmeca brand alone became Pernod’s first Tequila brand to sell more than one million nine-litre cases.
Pernod Ricard also introduced a new design for its 100% agave Altos line last summer, as well as a six-figure UK campaign, which could have boosted the brand’s growth.
9. Hornitos
Owner: Suntory Global Spirits
2021: 1.9m | 2022: 2.1m | 2023: 1.9m | 2024: 1.8m | 2025: 1.7m
Growth: -4.5%
Place last year: 8
Suntory-owned Hornitos posted its third year in decline, slipping by 4.5% to 1.7m cases last year, which led to the brand also dropping down one spot to eighth place.
The decline comes amid a new brand platform for Hornitos last year, created to ‘democratise’ premium Tequila. The brand also unveiled a new Reserve range in October, which includes a cristalino expression and an añejo matured in three different oak barrels.
With Suntory’s increased focus on the brand in the second half of last year, there could be a return to growth for Hornitos in 2026.
8. Espolón
Owner: Campari Group
2021: 1.1m | 2022: 1.3m | 2023: 1.6m | 2024: 1.8m | 2025: 1.9m
Growth: 3.9%
Place last year: 7
Posting its fifth consecutive year in a row, Campari’s Espolón brand has had a successful 2025 – moving up one space on our top 10 list.
According to Campari Group’s 2025 financial results, Espolón was up by 3% in organic sales. It had contrasting results for its main expressions; reposado grew by 8%, but blanco declined 1%.
In May, the brand brought its Cristalino Tequila to the UK, initially as an exclusive to The Whisky Exchange, tapping into a “growing interest” for cristalino.
7. Casamigos
Owner: Diageo
2021: 2.2m | 2022: 3.2m | 2023: 3.0m | 2024: 2.4m | 2025: 1.9m
Growth: -19.8%
Place last year: 5
Casamigos recorded the worst results of the ranking with a 19.8% drop to 1.9m cases – its lowest figures in five years.
Owned by Diageo, the brand was once named Supreme Brand Champion but it has not managed to maintain the 3m mark it hit in 2022.
In Diageo’s financial results for the second half of 2025, Casamigos sales plunged by 30.9% in the US, reflecting increased competition and a reduction in distributor inventories due to ‘softer demand’.
However, Diageo’s major push for the Fifa World Cup this summer with a new campaign for Casamigos could bring the brand’s sales back to its glory days.
6. Gran Centenario
Owner: Proximo Spirits
2021: 1.7m | 2022: 2.0m | 2023: 1.9m | 2024: 1.9m | 2025: 1.9m
Growth: -0.5%
Place last year: 6
Proximo Spirits’ Gran Centenario managed to hold on to its 1.9m case sales of the past two years, only posting a minor drop of 0.5%.
Its parent company noted that the group’s ‘other Tequilas’ – which includes Centenario – posted a slight uptick of 1.2% for the 2025 full year.
Like Casamigos, the brand is hoping its fortunes improve in the year ahead with its World Cup activity. Centenario recently released a limited edition reposado to celebrate the three nations hosting the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
5. Lunazul
Owner: Heaven Hill Brands
2021: 0.6m | 2022: 0.9m | 2023: 1.3m | 2024: 1.7m | 2025: 2.3m
Growth: 29.9%
Place last year: 9
Heaven Hill’s Lunazul took the Tequila Brand Champion 2026 title after soaring by more than a quarter to surpass two million nine‐litre cases for the first time.
According to Brittany Wenig, senior brand manager at Lunazul, the brand’s growth was driven by its ability to stand out as an “authentic, high‐quality Tequila at an approachable price point”, particularly as consumers have become more conscious about their spending.
Wenig says another driver of growth was the brand’s continued investment in cultural relevance and consumer engagement, including its NBA team partnerships and localised activations.
4. Patrón
Owner: Bacardi
2021: 3.2m | 2022: 3.5m | 2023: 3.2m | 2024: 2.8m | 2025: 2.7m
Growth: -5.3%
Place last year: 3
Having previously held strong as the third-biggest Tequila on our list, Bacardi‐owned Patrón has now lost its position after sales dropped by 5.3%. In the brand’s heyday, it boasted more than three million cases in annual sales.
The brand’s owner has been betting on transparency to drive its sales, with Patrón’s latest campaign focusing on its use of only three ingredients. A redesign of the brand’s range could also help overturn its decline.
Privately-owned Bacardi does not disclose the financial performance of its portfolio, but it’s safe to say that the brand has likely struggled to stand out among its competitors, particularly in a weak US spirits market.
3. 1800 Tequila
Owner: Proximo Spirits
2021: 2.1m | 2022: 2.5m | 2023: 2.9m | 2024: 2.8m | 2025: 2.8m
Growth: -1.4%
Place last year: 4
Similar to its stablemate Centenario, Proximo’s 1800 brand saw a small decrease but held onto its 2.8m stronghold. Its sales were enough to see the brand shift up one space on our top 10 ranking as its competitors slipped.
It is now the third-biggest-selling Tequila brand, overtaking Bacardi‐owned Patrón.
Over the past year, the brand has revealed new innovations, including a higher-ABV range, a basketball sneaker-inspired decanter, and a collaboration with a Mexican artist. Proximo also brought its luxury añejo 1800 GuachiMonton Tequila, which was finished in orange liqueur casks, to the UK in April.
2. Don Julio
Owner: Diageo
2021: 2.7m | 2022: 3.2m | 2023: 3.4m | 2024: 4.4m | 2025: 4.5m
Growth: 2.3%
Place last year: 2
Last year’s Tequila Brand Champion, Don Julio, continued its upward trajectory, albeit not to the same level as before. Growth of 2.3% in 2025 is still positive at a time when many other players are slipping.
In February, Diageo noted that the brand had lost share in the Tequila category and in total spirits, with the group aiming to focus on actions to improve its performance. Key to this could be its investment in the World Cup with Diageo being the football tournament’s official spirits supporter. Diageo has readied more than 100 activations across 34 airports for Don Julio and Casamigos.
It also introduced a limited edition bottle of 1942 in April inspired by the World Cup trophy.
1. Jose Cuervo
Owner: Proximo Spirits
2021: 7.9m | 2022: 9.2m | 2023: 9.5m | 2024: 8.9m | 2025: 8.6m
Growth: -3.3%
Place last year: 1
Despite a 3.3% drop, it would be extremely difficult to nudge Jose Cuervo from its leadership position. The brand has been selling upwards of eight million nine-litre cases for the past five years, with 2025 figures sitting at 8.6m cases.
In an investor call for its full-year results, Juan Beckmann Legorreta, CEO, general manager and proprietary chairman, described 2025 as a “year of navigating challenges” with an “unusually complex global spirits sector” that he expects will remain in 2026.
However, he remains confident about the group’s Tequila portfolio, noting that it “outperformed” the US spirits sector in value growth while avoiding heavy discounting for its Tequila.
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