The 5 Absolute Best Bottles Of Tequila For A Perfect Cinco De Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is upon us. The great underdog’s holiday is most often celebrated in the States with a healthy amount of tacos (the “healthy” amount is as much as you can eat until you fall over), plus your favorite Mexican beer or spirit — be it mezcal, raicilla or our personal favorite, tequila.
Whether you’re looking for something budget-friendly, or prefer the high-end sip-worthy bottles, there are great bottles to be had in both camps. To help point you in the right direction, we’re naming five (get it? five, cinco, the 5th of May) of our favorite bottles of tequila right now for a guaranteed great Cinco de Mayo.
Because this is a shorter list than usual, there were a few bases I wanted to cover in building it out:
- The tequila has to be relatively easy to find — that means something that you don’t have to hunt for.
- The tequila has to be comfortably under $70.
- This year we’re going additive-free.
I think with those parameters, we can guarantee that wherever you land on this list, you’re going to get a great bottle. But we went ahead and ranked ‘em all anyway just for fun. Happy Cinco de Mayo, let’s drink.
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5. Don Fulano — Blanco
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $47.99
The Tequila:
Call me crazy but I like my tequila agave forward, and bright (I’d just call this good taste), and Don Fulano delivers on those fronts. It has everything I love about tequila, without being wince-inducing or harsh. This tequila is produced at the famed NOM 1146, Tequileña, from highland-sourced agave that is slow-roasted for 28 to 32 hours, extracted via a low-pressure autoclave, and fermented with proprietary yeast in open tanks between 72 and 96 hours.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave and earthy peppery notes jump from the glass, it’s almost sneeze-inducing. Once you get a good enough smell some mineral notes will form on the palate.
Palate: Tropical pineapple and zesty citrus dominate the palate with some chili spice, pepper, and herbaceous notes keeping things from coming across too fruity.
Finish: Oily with supple butter flavors and some gentle sweetness on the backend.
The Bottom Line:
Bright and agave forward with a spiced fruit vibe.
4. Tequila Ocho Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $55.99
The Tequila:
In my book, Tequila Ocho is a brand that just doesn’t miss. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see this brand on more and more store shelves and restaurant menus. It’s readily available, relatively affordable for what you get in bottle, and above all else, delicious.
Produced at NOM 1474, Tequilera Los Alambiques, the agave here is slow-cooked in brick ovens, extracted via a roller mill, and fermented in open-air wood vats before being twice distilled in a copper pot. Finally, the tequila is rested for 8 weeks and 8 days in American white oak, old whiskey, and used barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You get a lot of the oak character on the nose mingling with rich caramelized agave, crushed black peppercorn, zesty orange rind, and earthy rainwater.
Palate: A light sense of vanilla hovers over a green and grassy flavor with hints of warm caramel, rosemary, citrus, and some minerality.
Finish: Dry and oaky contrasted with tropical coconuts and a slight creaminess.
The Bottom Line:
Zesty, earthy, and oakey, with a nice creamy finish that is a true pleasure to sip.
3. Siete Leguas — Añejo
ABV: 38%
Average Price: $62.99
The Tequila:
It was hard to balance this list between blanco, reposado, and añejo tequilas, but I knew going in that if I had just one añejo, it was going to be Siete Leguas.
This añejo tequila is produced at NOM 1120, Tequila Siete Leguas. That’s right, the bottle is the namesake of the distillery. If that’s not a good sign, I don’t know what is. The agave is cooked in stone ovens, tahona extracted, proofed down with natural spring water, and open-air fermented in stainless steel tanks before being twice distilled in a copper pot before being aged in American white oak barrels for 24 months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A really delicate, gently spicy nose. I’m getting a gentle waft of cinnamon, caramel, and oak, all hovering over a roasted agave base.
Palate: Surprisingly fruity, I’m tasting some rich plum notes, some juicy ripened citrus, a bit of coffee bitterness and a bright white peach vibe.
Finish: The barrel comes out on the finish, I’m tasting oak, more of that cinnamon from the nose, and the slightest hint of grassiness.
The Bottom Line:
Fruity, spicy, and grassy, with a light barrel influence.
2. El Tesoro — Blanco
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $46.99
The Tequila:
The stuff of legends, if you’ve never had El Tesoro, you need to pick up a bottle at least once. I think the blanco serves as the perfect introduction.
Produced at NOM 1139, Tequila Tapatio (La Alteña), the agave is cooked in stone ovens, tahona extracted, and fermented in open-air wood tanks before being twice distilled in a copper pot. That is four steps every great bottle of tequila goes through.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Juicy raw and warm caramelized agave in equal balance with a hint of fruity mango interest.
Palate: Rich agave, cracked black pepper, fresh flowers, baking spices, a hint of salt, grass, and minerals. The flavor shifts between sips, always leaving something new to latch onto.
Finish: Remarkably clean. Agave and grass with no lingering flavor.
The Bottom Line:
Agave forward and surprisingly fruity.
1. Volans — Tequila Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $66.99
The Tequila:
Of this list, Volans is the newest brand and bottle to me, and it’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine due to its mix of natural earthy flavors and smooth dessert-like mellow flavors.
Volans is produced at NOM 1579, El Pandillo Distillery, and what sets this brand apart from others is that before it even starts cooking the agave it goes through a steaming process for three hours to remove impurities. One purified, the agave is slow roasted for 19 to 22 hours, rested for 24 to 36, and then crushed by a tahona. After being proofed down with well and rainwater, it is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then twice distilled through a copper pot.
Finally, to reach the repo state, Volans is rested in American White Oak bourbon barrels for just under a year.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rich mix of caramel and roasted agave with a strong oak character and the slightest hint of wet grass.
Palate: Cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla mingle with lots of minerality, a bit of salt, and wet soil quality. It’s earthy and warm, but rich and luxurious. A real bouquet of experiences here.
Finish: A mix of dessert-like sweetness and black pepper with an oily buttered mouthfeel. It leaves the tongue wanting more.
The Bottom Line:
Well-balanced between natural earthy flavors, and sweeter pleasing-to-the-palate sensations.