The Budget Tequilas That A Bartender Says Taste Far More Expensive Than They Are

Everybody wants to drink tequila these days, and lots of people are on a budget too. That creates an issue. Tequila has been climbing the charts of the most popular spirits in the U.S. for decades, and now sits squarely in second place, with only vodka beating it out for total sales. With that popularity comes a thirst for affordable tequila, as many popular premium brands can run $50 plus and sometimes closer to $100. 

Budget tequilas can be a minefield when it comes to quality, because many are loaded up with flavors and additives that mask the true flavor you're looking for. To help us sort through the mess we talked to Justin Lavenue, a master mixologist, the co-owner of The Roosevelt Room, and owner and operator of The Eleanor and RoadHaus Mobile Cocktails. Lavenue told us what budget tequilas actually have a taste that can match more expensive brands.

Right off the bat Lavenue gave us two good affordable tequila options. He says, "There are plenty of good value tequilas, but I usually point people toward Arette or Cimarron." According to him both actually taste like real tequila, which is far from a guarantee with more budget brands. "They show real agave character instead of tasting like vanilla frosting with a celebrity attached to the label." 

When choosing between the two, Lavenue recommends Arette for people who want a tequila that is, "bright, citrusy, clean, and light on its feet," while he describes Cimarron as, "meaty, savory, salty, and full of character."

Justin Lavenue has recommendations for general things to look for when shopping budget tequila beyond Arette and Cimarron. He first says you should look up how a brand is extracted, cooked, and distilled. "Any tequila made with a diffuser is usually going to be on the lowest-quality end of the spectrum, because that process is built more for efficiency than flavor." 

According to him finding this out may take a little work, but isn't too hard using the internet. He notes that, "Arette Clasico and Cimarron use autoclaves, which isn't the highest quality method, but it's still much better than diffuser production."

Finally, Lavenue issues a general warning against cheap tequila that isn't 100% agave, and tastes overly sweet or vanilla-heavy. "That softness can feel premium at first, but it often has very little to do with quality and more to do with additives meant to cover up the taste of a bad distillate," he says.

Tequila that isn't 100% agave, which is called "mixto," can be made with up to 49% other sugar sources like corn or cane sugar. These mixes can often have a harsh flavor, and have less character, which is why the tequila will often have so many additives.

Thankfully you do still have some options for 100% agave tequila at a reasonable price. Beyond Arette and Cimarron, Espolon, El Jimador, Lunazul, and Olmeca Altos are all 100% agave options that are respected by experts. Some may be better for mixing in cocktails than sipping, but there is nothing wrong with sticking to mixing great tequila cocktails when you're on a budget.