The Best Sipping Tequilas of 2023 to Enjoy Neat
Sipping tequilas are having a moment.
The signature spirit of Jalisco, Mexico, tequila is on the tips of everyone’s tongues—literally. It’s poised to become the top liquor category in the U.S. before the end of the year, according to the 2023 Growth Brands Awards.
“Tequila is one of the fastest-growing spirits globally, and experts anticipate this growth to continue into the next decade," says Lander Otegui, SVP of marketing at Proximo Spirits, producer of Jose Cuervo. "In fact, according to IWSR, tequila recently overtook whiskey to become the second most valuable spirit in the United States, and it is set to surpass vodka by the end of 2023.”
To be sure, it’s buoyed by our aggressive margarita consumption and a slate of celebrity brands hitting the market, seemingly every other week. (The Rock recently celebrated selling 1 million cases of his tequila, Teremana.)
The truth of the matter is good tequila is downright delicious—and there happens to be more top shelf stuff to choose from than ever before.
Related: The 25 Best Craft Gins to Drink in 2023
What Is Sipping Tequila?
There was a time, as recently as a decade ago, when tequila was a spirit built for shots, filled with sweeteners and other less-savory additives. Those days are a distant memory. It’s not just that we’re drinking more tequila; we’re drinking better tequila…100 percent blue weber agave tequila, to be precise.
Yes, this sort of stuff tends to wear a higher price tag, but prevailing trends demonstrate that American drinkers are willing to shell out more for a better tasting tequila.
There are no cut and dry rules. A sipping tequila can be a bright blanco that's unaged, or a reposado, añejo, or extra añejo that have been barrel aged. While the latter can certainly climb in price for a pour, you needn’t break the bank to enjoy an agave spirit worth sipping slowly.
In fact, if you're budget-conscious, most tequila-makers will tell you it’s the unaged blancos that keep them coming back for more.
Whichever style of the spirit you prefer, just know that a good sipping tequila is one marked by sophisticated tones. It has an interesting nose and takes your tongue on a compelling journey before finishing in a friendly way.
We’ve got a dozen examples that fit the bill and are best served neat. But we won't judge if you want to make a tequila old fashioned, Negroni, or paloma.
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The Best Sipping Tequila of 2023
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In a world increasingly populated by white celebrity brand owners, Flecha Azul stands apart. Founded by PGA golfer Abraham Ancer and Aron Marquez, Flecha Azul Tequila is produced, owned, and operated by a multi-generational family. They've been making tequila since 1840—starting with their version of blanco, which is crisp, refreshing, and bright, leaning on agave’s sweetness. Cocktails are certainly welcome.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $50.48; drizly.com]
If you’re confused by this tequila’s name, that’s okay. Puntas isn’t a type. It refers to the point of the distillation run in which the spirit is found—right in between the head and the heart. This overproof version of Tequila Ocho Plata (50.5 percent ABV) is loaded with ripe agave flavor as well as tropical fruits, caramel, and toasted vanilla beans.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $344.99; drizly.com]
Zarpado first hit the tequila scene with a blanco, then it released its first aged expression: reposado. With a base of agave grown in the Los Valles region in Jalisco, it’s aged between three and four months in ex-bourbon barrels. This results in a rich, multi-dimensional tequila that has a nice mix of vanilla, toffee, and oak from the bourbon barrels, plus vegetal and ripe fruit flavors from the agave.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $29.99; drizly.com]
Other tequila producers might advise you to shy away from mixto tequilas. They’re probably just jealous of the brands that can make something really great. Case in point: El Tequileño Blanco. Made with 70 percent agave and 30 percent sugar, the hybrid product is a delicious cocktail ingredient. It has been since it was first created in 1959 by Don Jorge Salles Cuervo (yes, that Cuervo). The sweet, cooked agave flavor is a staple for cocktails, especially the “La Batanga.”
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $29.11; drizly.com]
This bold, high-proof tequila sits at a potent 55 percent ABV. It’s referred to as distilled-proof. You’ll have a difficult time finding a higher octane blanco for your mixing needs. It works beautifully as a base for margaritas and palomas as it's spicy, peppery, and fruity. Just mix wisely—and know this one packs a punch.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $59; 123spirits.myshopify.com]
We've been eagerly awaiting a special release like Mijenta Añejo Gran Reserva, another stunner from the brand. Unveiled this year, the añejo was aged for 18 months in American oak, French oak, acacia wood, and cherry wood barrels. This results in a slightly spicy tequila with notes of cinnamon, chocolate, oak, vanilla, and dried fruits.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $159.44; thewhiskyexchange.com]
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El Tesoro master distiller Carlos Camarena holds many titles and distinctions. He’s a fifth-generation tequila maker, a third-generation master distiller, and also the CEO of El Tesoro. His liquid is incredible, and perhaps none is so great as the Single Barrel Reposado. Camarena picks a few select barrels of reposado tequila that shine above their peers for this line, meaning they’re both unique and exceptional. El Tesoro’s tequila, which boasts minerality and green nuances on its own, ages in ex-bourbon casks for nine to 11 months before it heads to your hands. It’s perfectly balanced, and should be consumed neat—and with respect.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $249.99; caskcartel.com]
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Distilled exclusively from well-matured agave and blended with a batch of reposado, this complex sipping spirit is further enhanced through a finish in PX sherry barrels. In the assertive bouquet are garden herbs and vegetables. Fresh bell peppers present themselves on the palate before a touch of tobacco emerges in the fade.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $57.11; drizly.com]
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Casa Noble recently underwent a rebrand, highlighted by graceful bottles which sit pretty along any top shelf. But the liquid within is just as elegant as ever. Certified organic blue agave plucked from the fertile soil of Jalisco is responsible for the vegetal underpinnings of its standout blanco. The liquid also benefits from a triple distillation, which brings about a soft, creamy mouthfeel supporting a citrus zest in a pleasing finish.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $59.99; drizly.com]
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Lagrimas del Valle is a craft brand concerned with the terroir of tequila. Its expressions celebrate the distinct tonalities of a single agave ranch. In fact, each release is a vintage harvested from one specific field of the plant. This particular unaged Plata sings soulfully with a true sense of place. It is mineral-forward, with slate, clay and a tinge of metallic zing strutting across the sides of the mouth. Then, out of nowhere, a touch of tropical fruit flexes its muscles. It all makes for one memorable dram.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $61.99; curiada.com]
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Rosa tequila is gaining popularity as a new subcategory of the spirit. These pink-hued liquors enjoy aging in red wine barrels. This newcomer to American shelves is probably the most stellar example of such so far. Ultra-premium agave from the Jalisco Highlands is distilled and aged in French Oak barrels, which formerly held red wine from the Valley of Guadalupe. There’s an intense cherry top-note to this one. But even more magical is the tequila’s velvet-like texture that goes down effortlessly in a neat pour.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $109.99; totalwine.com]
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Sure, you’ll pay a premium for this rich and robust reposado. In exchange you’ll be getting the most complex sipping tequila you’re likely to ever encounter. The aromatics are blessed by caramel-coated apples, burning sage and everything in between. The actual tasting experience is equally as captivating. There’s vanilla and cinnamon, which aren’t exactly unfamiliar to the reposado category. But this unique adult beverage weaves orchard fruit, hazelnut and kettle corn into the fold. It appeals to the most seasoned of agave enthusiasts. And yet it’s also a perfect pour for anyone who thinks that tequila isn’t for them.
[Price varies by vendor and availability, $77.54; thewhiskyexchange.com]