9 Best Tequilas Of 2025 (So Far)

Every year, tequila aficionados eagerly await the arrival of the newest and freshest bottles of the agave spirit. It wasn't always this way, though. Tequila was once predominantly known as part of the college party stereotype, where those fueled with the drink would chase shots with lime and salt and regret it the next morning. Today, things are somewhat different, with the drink being a beverage of choice across multiple generations throughout the U.S. In fact, tequila was the only spirit to show net growth during the 12-month period leading up to March 2025, growing by over 1.3%. This year, we've seen a number of standout tequilas enter the stage, whether they're being consumed on the rocks, in cocktails, or the old-fashioned way of knocking one back.

In many cases, the brands that have made the best tequilas list for the year are those that blend tradition with experimentation, using sustainable practices, rare aging techniques, and specific agave plants. Tequila distillers have been doubling down on vibrant agave character and additive-free profiles, with many rising brands claiming their place alongside heritage names.

The class of 2025 has already shown us that it is here to deliver something for every palate. It doesn't matter if you're craving a mineral-driven blanco, limited-edition collector's releases, or something a bit more experimental; there are a number of exciting releases that have begun to create a bit of a stir. Here, we share our take on the best tequilas of 2025 so far. For a full explanation of the methodology, you'll find this at the end of the article. ¡Salud!

Hailing from El Arenal, Jalisco, and going all the way back to 1904, the Cascahuín distillery is one that has long been a favorite for tequila enthusiasts. Using the powerful combination of an impressive master distiller and traditional production practices, Cascahuín offers six products, with each one made using a different production method. One that has risen in the tequila ranks during 2025 after its release in December last year is the Cascahuín Destino.

Released as a special edition, the Cascahuín Destino is a high-proof, unfiltered blanco tequila developed to celebrate the distillery's 70 years of heritage and tequila making in Jalisco. It is considered a rare collectible, with the label designed by acclaimed artist Mauricio Lara. Described as a bold and expressive blend of six distinct blancos, this artisanal tequila is one that has been produced from 100% blue Weber agave grown at Cerro del Cascahuín. Three unique techniques contribute to the success of the release: open-air wooden fermentation, tahona extraction (using a heavy volcanic stone wheel), and distilling the spirit in stainless steel and copper stills.

It's been described as a reminder of how incredible the Cascahuín team is and a masterclass in how flavor can be shaped by process. Where can you buy Cascahuín Destino in the U.S.? Firstly, it's not exactly cheap, as you can expect to pay $250 or more, but you can find it at online wine and spirit retailers. Alternatively, it's worth a trip to the distillery itself.

Tequila Ocho continues to push the boundaries of terroir-driven spirits with its 2025 Plata "Capulin" release. What makes this tequila unique is that it's produced from Capulin estate's 100% blue Weber agave, which is grown at over 2,100 meters above sea level. Tequila Ocho, as a distiller, is relatively new when compared to other vintage tequilas, with its 2008 beginnings built around the founders' goal of showcasing terroir's tequila potential. While Tequila Ocho may not go back many decades, a powerful and experienced duo has relatively quickly elevated the status of the brand. This includes Carlos Camarena, a fifth-generation farmer and third-generation tequilero, and the man who introduced Europe to tequila culture, Tomas Estes.

As for the tasting notes, on the nose it has cooked agave and honeyed sweet potato, as well as a gentle anise spice and chamomile, while the palate brings up white pepper, dark chocolate, dried fruit, and a creamy herbal citrus peak. The finish is smooth and subtly sweet, with an earthy and spicy aftertaste. You can purchase the 2025 Tequila Ocho Plata from various online retailers, where you can expect to pay from $45 a bottle.

While much of the buzz in 2025 has centered on bold, high-proof blancos and artisan blends, Lost Explorer Blanco quietly emerges as one of the year's most exciting new tequila entries. The release has generated a fair amount of praise from tequila lovers, but more importantly, a number of awards as well. In the much-hailed Agavos Awards, it was presented with double gold and won the best bottle design award for 2025. With vibrant and bright tasting notes of herbaceous, citrus, and cinnamon, it creates a smooth agave-forward tequila that many have taken note of.

Produced in Jalisco's sun-soaked valley, this small-batch tequila brand places a great deal of emphasis on sustainability, something that sets it apart from many other leading distilleries. With a focus on sustainable production and hand-crafted practices, the distillery's processes reduce wood consumption, and an extensive solar panel system is in place to keep their CO2 emissions down.

With Lost Explorer first releasing its tequila range in 2024, it is considered the new kid on the block. As many new kids do, it's made a few bold statements as it looks to sit alongside other award-winning tequila releases. With Enrique de Colsa at the helm as maestro tequilero, who spent over 30 years as head distiller of Diageo's Don Julio, this is going to be an exciting distillery to watch over the next few years. Expect to pay around $55 a bottle, depending on where you shop.

When it comes to aged tequilas that marry tradition with bold character, El Tesoro Añejo earns its place among the standout 2025 releases. Born out of La Alteña distillery, which has been around since 1937 thanks to its founder, Don Felipe Camarena, the tequila is made in small batches using the tahona method. While this way of crushing may be labor-intensive, it allows for slow fermentation, which preserves the delicate aromas of the agave.

El Tesoro Añejo is one of many tequilas produced by La Alteña, with previous releases racking up a number of awards. This includes a double gold medal in the San Francisco Spirits Competition in 2021 and a total of 94 points in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge of the same year. Other bottles from the distillery include the El Tesoro Paradiso and El Tesoro Reposado.

The bottle is aged for two to three years and is described as a great after-dinner sipping drink due to its depth. The aroma is one that is defined as floral and an oaky character, with a sweet agave taste that is balanced with pepper. As for the finish, expect light green notes with vanilla. If you're not willing to make your way to the distillery to sample this exceptional tequila, there are many online retailers where you can purchase it from across the U.S. It's not exactly an affordable option, coming in at around $84 a bottle. The prices do vary, though, so keep an eye out for online stores running promotions.

Entering 2025 with serious micro-batch cred, Lote M77 Blanco is quickly becoming a favorite among aficionados hunting for a tequila that embodies a smoky taste with hints of earthiness and minerals. The thing is, however, you'll need to act quickly if you're looking for a sample, as the distillery only releases 1,077 bottles per lot. It's another tequila that takes the tahona method approach, using blue Weber agave, which is additive-free and hand-crafted. There's no question mark around where your bottle sits in the production line, as each one is hand numbered.

As for the distillery, it's the first and only tequila that it's taken to market. It takes the old-fashioned approach of slowly cooking agave in stone ovens using wood and then using the tahona method to crush the whole agave piñas. The man behind the Lote M77 project is Erick Mora, who first entered the tequila game in 2009, where he used Bordeaux, French oak, whiskey, and Canadian oak barrels for aging. It was, however, only in 2018 that he set off to develop the tequila in question, eventually launching Lote M77 in 2024. It's made at Tequilera Puerta de Hierro (NOM 1477), in El Arenal, Jalisco, a location known for producing a number of other traditional tequila releases. You can expect to taste citrus, grass, and anise, with the smoky smoothness a common feature in the tequila reviews. Online retailers sell the Lote M77 Blanco for around $55.

The 2025 tequila scene isn't only about new contenders — it's also about the comeback of a few beloved classics. El Último Agave Blanco was brought back to life under the guidance of Iliana Partida, the daughter of third-generation agave farmer and tequila producer David Partida. This specific tequila was once a well-known value sipper that gradually faded from shelves. It has, however, returned to the tequila stage to show that traditional brands can successfully evolve within today's premium tequila landscape. The distillery's revival at Hacienda de Oro (NOM 1522) in Amatitán, Jalisco, blends nostalgia with renewed craftsmanship.

The distillery claims that El Último Agave Blanco is made using the finest ingredients and mature plants that are eight to 10 years old. While the tequila may be back after many years, the production process is still one that is steeped in tradition. It's clear that whatever El Último Agave is doing behind the scenes is working, as it has racked up a number of high tasting scores. It's one of those tequilas that will appeal to both long-time fans and a new wave of tequila enthusiasts.

On the nose, expect cooked agave and vegetal notes, complemented by clove, tropical fruit, green grapes, and light cacao. While it's not exactly widely available, a quick browse online will bring up a few options. You won't have to spend too much to get your hands on a bottle, which comes in at around $25. El Último Agave Blanco is a reminder that heritage tequilas can still shine in a modern world.

Alma del Jaguar Nocturna was technically launched in late 2024, but as it gained a fair amount of traction in 2025, we're including it on this list. This is one tequila that has really made an impact this year. It is part of the broader Alma del Jaguar stable, a brand that by early 2025 became the fastest-growing tequila in its segment, outpacing all other brands that had sold over 15,000 units over the prior 52-week period ending in April 2025. Other tequilas in the range include the blanco, reposado, and añejo.

Coming back to the Alma del Jaguar Nocturna, it's a high-proof blanco that has been called "a banger" by both bourbon and tequila lovers. As the brand's second seasonal high-proof blanco, it is produced at Feliciano Vivanco Distillery, Arandas, Jalisco. On the nose, you'll get the zestiness of orange as well as cooked agave, with a bit of sea salt, honey, cucumber, and pepper coming through. On the palate, you can expect more of the orange zest as well as sweet honey and green pepper. The finish is crisp and peppery, with notes of cooked agave again, more orange and sea salt, as well as grapefruit and mineral.

If you're looking to get your hands on a bottle of Alma del Jaguar Nocturna, a quick online search will bring up a retailer near you. You're looking to pay between $60 and $70 a bottle, but it does go for a higher price as well. If you buy direct from Alma del Jaguar, for example, you'll be in for $80.

Making its U.S. debut in 2025, Tequila Rosaluz is another great example of a new entrant in the world of premium tequila. The brand released not one, but five signature expressions. Each of the five new releases is produced under the guidance of Maestra Tequilera Mariana Muñoz Gutiérreza, who is quickly becoming a celebrated female master distiller. The range sits within the broader Mack Brands stable, which owns a variety of negroni, whiskey, and vodka-based drinks.

The range, consisting of a blanco, reposado, añejo, cristalino, and rosado, is born out of San Francisco de Asis in the Jalisco highlands and relies on craftsmanship with a blend of traditional tequila production methods and artistry. Mariana Muñoz Gutiérreza uses fully ripe, 100% estate-grown blue agave and traditional brick oven cooking to produce each of the five releases. What do the tasters have to say, though?

Some say the blanco boasts vibrant aromas of cooked agave, bright citrus, and fresh herbs, while the reposado has subtle oak and ripe cherry, along with cooked agave. For the añejo, it's layers of caramel, dried fruit, and toasted oak, with cooked agave as the foundation, whereas the cristalino also features oak and caramel, but also notes of vanilla and citrus. Considered the pinnacle of Tequila Rosaluz, the rosado aromas include floral hints of jasmine, with citrus and white stone fruit coming through. Expect to pay between $30 and $80, depending on which one you choose, with retailers across the Northeast stocking the range, and you can order online at Flaviar.

Mijenta's Maestra Selection No. 2 has quickly become one of the most talked-about limited-edition tequilas of 2025. The award-winning distillery, located in the highlands of Jalisco, has a variety of tequilas under its belt. It has a big focus on both sustainability and experience, claiming not only to have over 25 years of tequila industry expertise but also that it is "one of the most trusted, respected, and awarded tequila authorities in Mexico."

Building on the success of its predecessor, this second Maestra release continues Mijenta's philosophy of blending craftsmanship with environmental consciousness. What sets the tequila apart from many others is that it is produced from terroir sourced from single estates in each of the five territories — Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. To preserve the agave character, Mijenta's Maestra Selection No. 2 is bottled unaged and features artwork on the label designed to represent each state's cultural heritage.

While that's all great, how does the Maestra Selection No. 2 fare with the tequila experts? Some say that it is a bold and thoughtful expression of Mexican terroir, while others lean toward it being very earthy with that smooth high-elevation agave finish. Caramelized coconut, vanilla, and cooked agave are picked up on the nose, while on the palate, herbal tones of sage and mint come through, with a hint of roses. How much will a bottle of Mijenta's Maestra Selection No. 2 cost? Expect to pay around $85 for a bottle, which you can get from a variety of online retailers, or you can go directly to Mijenta's website, which will come in at around $84.

At the time of writing, we reviewed an extensive list of new tequilas that were launched in 2025, as well as those that were considered new releases so far in the year. The only exception was the Alma del Jaguar Nocturna, released in 2024 — but as this was October 31 of last year, it was only realistically available across the U.S. in 2025. So, it falls within our 2025 list.

When it comes to how we determined the standout tequilas of 2025, we focused on releases that blended tradition with innovation, emphasizing craftsmanship and sustainability. We also took note of their award success so far during the year. Of course, the most important criterion to be included in the review was that they had to be officially produced in one or more of the five regions in Mexico — Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and/or Jalisco.

As tequila is most often a subjective experience when it comes to quality and taste, we took careful note of what the public had to say about each brand. This included popular online review platforms, social media, and reviews left on online retailer websites. We also closely reviewed what tequila experts had to say about the new brands and releases, whether their preference was blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo, or joven. Finally, we took note of how the media had reported on each tequila in terms of flavor and quality. With all of these factors combined, this list of the best new tequilas in 2025 is one that is balanced and well-researched.