27 Popular Tequila Brands, Taste Tested And Ranked

Tequila is a misunderstood spirit. There are so many brands out there with beautiful bottles, buzzy words, and clever advertising, that it can be difficult to narrow down the best one based purely on taste. There are a lot of fantastic tequila brands out there, and if you're busy being swayed by a name or an ad rather than getting a little experimental, you're missing out on some potentially really great sips.

To find the tequila that really works for you and your taste, you've got to put in the work. Figure out which one speaks to you from an aroma, flavor, and texture perspective, which one seems like it could complement your favorite tequila-based cocktail, and which one feels like a painful hangover in the making.

Because there are hundreds of tequilas and each one tends to have at least three different age expressions — blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo, you know the drill — we did a blind tasting of 27 of the most popular tequila brands, blancos only. We considered factors like aroma and taste, ignoring things like marketing speak and price, which can end up impacting the types of spirits we choose to enjoy in the first place. Read on to see which tequila reigns supreme when our eyes are closed, and each brand can only rely on the liquid in the bottle to prove it's truly the best.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

It's not often that you can smell a tequila before the glass is even put in front of you, but somehow, the aroma of this one made its way to me well before the liquid did. And on the nose, Cutwater is quite pleasant. It's grassy and a little floral, with some little spicy notes of black pepper as well. On the palate, however, there's a lot of burn right away, which is fairly aggressive. After a few swirls and sips, I was able to decipher some herbaceous, vegetal notes, but the alcohol burn really took over every possible flavor that may have been trying to get out. The texture is soft and a bit creamy but with a fairly fiery finish. 

For a blanco that I hoped would be as smooth and fresh going down as it was during that first heady inhale, this didn't quite hit the mark for me, which is why it takes the lowest ranking in this blind tasting.

Coming in at number 26 in the tasting is Hornitos, a brand that I have only ever had in a frozen margarita, and certainly not sipped neat. Right away, the aroma here is a little off-putting, like it had been sitting out for a long time and was starting to age, and rather ungracefully at that. There's a lot of alcohol on the nose, but after some swirls in the glass and a chance for it to breathe a bit more, some slight sweetness did make its way out. Each sip, while peppery, was immediately overpowered by some heavy alcohol burn. After a few moments, the burn tapered off, and my mouth was left with that leftover burn sensation, but not much else.

Despite some promising notes of sweetness at the beginning of each sip, the overall experience was relatively alcohol-heavy and a bit too strong for my liking.

When looking for a good sipping tequila, even in the blanco category, those initial aromatic notes are so important to the overall experience, and the aroma on Tequila Corralejo is something that pulled me in right away. My sinuses were instantly welcomed with light, delicate aromas of lilac and freshly cut grass. After a few swirls, that fresh, outdoorsy scent got even stronger, making me hopeful for an equally good sipping experience. The initial sip is fruity with a slight creaminess, but after a few moments, that good feeling is instantly burned off with heavy alcohol and spice.

The wonderful aroma here definitely bumped up the enjoyment of this tequila, but the fiery alcohol burn took away those initial enjoyable flavors, ending up in a fiery finish with some lingering minerality at the end. A worthy contender, perhaps best enjoyed in a mixed drink rather than on its own.

Super grassy on the initial inhale with some fresh, crisp notes as well as citrus and a little bit of cilantro, Siete Leguas sits at the 24 spot. But to give credit where it's due, it's on the cusp of being a really lovely sip. Right away, my palate was met with agave and sweet melon, but that disappeared almost instantly, ending up in a fairly muted flavor overall. On the second sip, heavy spice and fiery notes tamped down that initial sweet fruit flavor. 

Remarkably, this ended up having an enjoyably smooth, warm finish with notes of black pepper. I certainly wouldn't mind this in a frozen margarita or even in a Paloma cocktail, where the acidity of the grapefruit could mix nicely with the sweet and spicy notes throughout.

In the 23 spot is Tequila Cayeya, a blanco that I was genuinely looking forward to trying as I had never tried it before, and the bottle is made from recycled materials. After the tequila is done, the idea is to reuse the bottle for some other kitchen good, like olive oil. A noble quest, but not the reason we're here. The first inhale has a sort of plastic-y aroma, but after a few gentle swirls in the glass, that unpleasant scent goes away and the aroma is far more clean and bright. The flavor here is complex and rather savory, with notes of soy sauce and black vinegar.

This is a shockingly savory sip that I didn't expect for a blanco tequila, but found enjoyable nonetheless. There's a lot of fire on the finish, but only for a moment, and then it's gone. The finishing flavor has some lingering salinity, like a piece of sourdough bread or a rice cake. While I'm not sure I could sip this on its own on a regular basis, I'm not against featuring it in a more savory tequila cocktail, like a bloody maria.

Even though I'm fully aware that I'm about to drink a tequila, I don't necessarily want to be hit in the face with the smell of alcohol before anything else. Unfortunately, that's what happened here with Corazon in the 22 spot. The alcohol aroma is really strong, but fortunately, after a few swirls in the glass, that scent melts away, and sweeter notes of melon, honey, and lime come through for a far more pleasant experience. 

The flavor on that first sip is crisp but extremely peppery. Even after subsequent sips where I hoped to get something more here, the pepper notes muted anything else. I can't picture sipping this blanco on its own, but the pepper notes do set it up nicely for a bloody maria or even a spicy margarita.

The immediate aroma from Don Fulano hit my sinuses like an 18-wheeler, heavy in spice and fire with noticeable ginger and clove as well. However, a quick swirl in the glass gave the spice a chance to calm down, and some cooked agave and toasted almond notes were able to come through for a far more enjoyable aroma. This ended up setting up a nice, flavorful sip, rich with honey and vanilla, as well as some muted black pepper. The finish is gently spiced as well, with some noticeable fire that lingered for a bit too long. 

While I found this to be a nice sip, overall it was a little forgetful. I certainly see this one as another good example of a blanco that could work nicely in a savory tequila cocktail, allowing its peppery notes to really shine.

The aroma of Don Julio blanco is so sweet and inviting, with heavy notes of cantaloupe and honey. After a few swirls, some floral notes begin to release, making for a lovely bouquet of aromas before diving in for that first sip. On the palate, the flavor is clean and crisp, with hits of ripened stone fruit and sweet agave. A slight burn on the finish is present but not necessarily unpleasant, rather a reminder that this is a spirit meant to be sipped slowly rather than downed in one go. However, all that crisp, fruity flavor gets muted fairly quickly after only a few moments, which is a rather disappointing finish for a sip that I so enjoyed at first.

As far as sipping tequilas go, I still firmly believe Don Julio is worthy of a neat pour, perhaps with an ice cube to really open things up. Of course, the perfect margarita is no good without a flavor-forward tequila, and this one has certainly earned its place with agave nectar and lime juice.

Coming into the top 20 at number 19 is Cazadores, a blanco that, when I tasted it, not knowing where it came from or what brand it was, was the first that made me think, "Oh, this is most definitely a blanco tequila." The hit of zesty citrus and cooked agave aroma on that first inhale was so familiar and welcoming, and it immediately made me want to reach for a wedge of lime so I could squeeze a few drops in to really make this complete. The first sip is peppery, almost a little too much so, but it's quickly smoothed out by some honey sweetness. 

The texture is a little creamy and overall, this has a refreshing flavor that hangs around for several moments after that final sip. Some strong herbaceous notes came through towards the end, but overall, this was a light and delicate sip that never felt overly harsh or alcohol-forward.

Next up is Tequila Herradura, a blanco that spends 45 days aging in American white oak barrels. After a few deep inhales of this in the glass and an eventual taste, you can taste every bit of those 45 days. Without even knowing who made this tequila while tasting it, I could tell it was a higher caliber than a lot of what I had already tried, and what I would be trying after.

The initial aroma is herbaceous with a lot of grass and green pepper, a dramatic and enticing entrance to the first sip. The flavor starts out sweet and fruity, with some light floral notes, but immediately, that toasted wood, black pepper, and heavy spice flavor comes in to take hold. There's a lot of fire in this sip, and that burn sticks around on the finish, but not necessarily in a bad way. This is a high-end sip of blanco that I could picture myself sipping neat and enjoying every moment.

With beautiful, crisp notes of melon and honey on the nose and a little bit of pine and oak in there, too, Alto Canto is well-deserving of its spot in the middle of this blind-tasting ranking. The aroma is fresh and fruity, with some hints of vanilla bean and banana and a wisp of mint after a few swirls in the glass. The flavor is herbaceous and a little grassy, but with heavy notes of pepper on the finish that results in a pleasant, albeit spicy, finish. 

I found myself going back for extra sips of this one, intrigued by the sweetness on the nose but the vegetal flavor overall. There's something to be said for a blanco that has so many conflicting aromatic and flavor notes, but I enjoyed the contrast each time I went back for more.

It's at this point in the ranking where things go from good to great, and that starts with Patron El Cielo. The aroma here is elegant and inviting, with clean, fruity aromas of apple and cooked pears, as well as some gentle floral notes after a few swirls in the glass. That first moment after I took a sip, I was immediately welcomed with white pepper and honey, with some sweet melon notes that remained throughout.

With a smooth finish that includes a little bit of black pepper for a wisp of heat, this is a blanco with a lot of character and depth. It's sweet and flavorful, and unlike a lot of blancos that tend to hit you with a ton of flavor and then instantly disappear, Patron El Cielo sticks around for quite some time, inviting you to come back for more sips. With its light, delicate flavor, this is an ideal blanco for a neat sip or with a touch of lime juice for brightness and zest.

Coming in next on our list is Teremana blanco, a tequila that I have had in the past but only in a mixed drink, never on its own. I could really smell what the Rock was cooking (if you know, you know), and what he's cooking is a lot of minerality on the nose, like freshly cut grass that just got rained on. There's a lot to be said for a blanco that has a more earthy, mineral-forward aroma that isn't musty but just smells fresh and clean. This has a really crisp, fresh aroma, but has a lot more flavor on that first sip than I expected. 

There's a lot of black pepper initially, but just as quickly as that spice comes in, it is tamped down with agave sweetness and ripe peach. A smooth finish with a little bit of sweet plum towards the end lingers for a while, making for a really enjoyable sip.

Next in our ranking is El Tequileño, a blanco that had me furiously typing out tasting notes for several minutes, because every time I went back for another smell or another taste, I would find something new that I hadn't tasted or smelled previously. There's some light green pepper and zesty lime on the nose, but things take a sharp left turn with that first taste.

Unlike any other blanco I tasted, El Tequileño looks and smells like a blanco but has the flavor qualities of a young reposado, which I really enjoyed. There's some gentle smoke on the palate, with vanilla and toffee as well. There's some cooked agave sweetness on the finish, with some gentle spice that travels all the way down and lingers for a while. It's a genuinely enjoyable blanco that would work wonders in a cocktail, but can easily stand up on its own.

Coming in at number 13 in this ranking is 1800, a blanco that I have always considered one of the highest quality, but a lot of that has come from its higher price point and generally higher-end reputation. This is a tequila that when someone offers me a shot of it, it almost feels like a crime to shoot it quickly rather than sip it and enjoy. The aroma here is inviting and zesty, filled with fresh green bell pepper and lemon peel. However, the flavor is far sweeter than that more vegetal, slightly savory aroma. That first sip is sweet, almost like candy. Notes of vanilla and cream soda rushed through my taste buds, with some light caramel after a few moments. There are some faint notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, but only for an instant, and then they're gone. 

This is a full-bodied blanco with a smooth finish and very minimal burn. A beautiful blanco that deserves time in the glass rather than a quick shot.

On my first inhale of Jose Cuervo Especial, which has more than deserved its spot at number 12, I closed my eyes and pictured walking through the fresh produce section of my local farmer's market, reveling in the peak of summer stone fruit season. Clean and fresh, this tequila has immediate aromatic notes of delicate orange blossom and freshly cleaned nectarines. The first sip is less sweet than what the aroma would suggest, but it's wonderfully creamy, and after a few moments, some agave sweetness comes onto the palate to balance everything else. 

This is a well-balanced blanco without a lot of alcohol burn, and as I let the liquid dance around my palate, I got crisp, fresh notes as well as sweet and a little spicy. The finish has an essence of black pepper, but overall, this is a smooth and lovely sip.

As one of the few celebrity-backed brands in this blind tasting, I was looking forward to trying Pantalones with blinders on, not letting anything about the brand or who was behind it influence my opinion. And while many celebrity-backed spirits tend to be all about pomp but not about quality, Pantalones sits firmly at the number 11 spot based on the fact that it's just a damn fine blanco tequila.

The aroma is initially limestone, like walking on your back deck after a light rain. After a few gentle swirls in the glass, some bright citrus notes make their way out, too. The palate is sweet with tropical fruit flavors, like pineapple and unsweetened coconut. There are some sticky sweet agave notes as well, but after a few moments, all those sweet flavors slowly melt away, making me want to go back for more. The finish is incredibly smooth; an ideal sip for a blanco beginner looking to sip on something sweet and flavorful without a harsh burn.

Moving into the top 10 of this blind tasting, it was really difficult to decide which blanco filled which rank. At number 10 is Reserva de la Familia by Jose Cuervo, a beautiful expression from Jose Cuervo that, after realizing this was, in fact, the brand I had put in the 10 spot, I couldn't believe was also responsible for a tequila I so dreaded drinking in my early 20s.

This higher-end expression from the brand has, admittedly, a pretty unappetizing aroma at first. After some swirls in the glass, that plastic-like aroma melted away and I was left with some crisp minerality instead. Thankfully, the first sip was far more inviting and enjoyable. The initial flavor is clean and sweet, with some gentle cooked agave flavor as well as ripe stone fruit. After a few moments, notes of pineapple and jasmine tea come in for a sweet and floral flavor experience. There's a moment of fire on the finish, but overall this is a well-balanced blanco that has me considering Jose Cuervo a high-end brand from here on out.

Sitting pretty at number 9 on this list is Sauza Silver, a blanco that I imagine has readers going, "Seriously?" Well, yes, seriously — this was a shocking revelation for me, too, as I have always considered Sauza to be a lower-end blanco. That said, all is revealed when tasting blind, so the fact that I went into this particular taste not knowing what I was getting made my opinions all the more genuine. The aroma of Sauza is unlike any I experienced during this tasting, loaded with freshly peeled banana. That banana sweetness comes through slightly on the palate as well, but quickly turns to ripe pears. 

There's some noticeable vanilla and oak on the finish with some noticeable alcohol burn going down, but overall, this was a really smooth sip. While I still believe Sauza is best enjoyed in a margarita rather than a neat sip, I undoubtedly have a newfound respect for this brand.

The slight yellow color of Gran Centenario in the glass had me wondering if this was, in fact, a blanco tequila, and after experiencing the aroma and flavors, I continued to wonder how a tequila could say it was a blanco but acted far more like a young bourbon than anything else. That said, this is a delightful blanco tequila, standing out as a sip with a lot more flavor and complexity than I expected, and rightfully earning its place in the number 8 spot in this ranking. The aroma is gently floral with heady notes of marigold and orange blossom, but the flavor palate is wonderfully different. 

There's vanilla and caramel on that initial sip, with some toasted wood flavors as well. This is a deeply flavored blanco with some impressive character that made me want to pour it into a rocks glass with an ice cube and sip it like a whiskey.

This expression from Jose Cuervo, Tradicional Tequila Plata, was the first that I tried for this blind tasting, and what a wonderful entrance it was. Once again, despite the Jose Cuervo brand having a bit of a reputation, its higher-end expressions are proving that this is far more than the first iteration of itself.

The aroma is sweet but with hints of something more vegetal, like asparagus or green beans. There's some faint citrus as well, a squeeze of a freshly peeled lemon. The flavor here is subtle overall; there are sweet, toasty notes of agave and oak, and after a few more sips, I started to notice more floral notes like lilac and lavender. There's no real alcohol burn throughout, making for a refreshing sip that hangs around for a few moments but then quickly goes away. The finish is smooth and inviting, and certainly had me looking forward to each future sip more and more.

Coming in at number 6 on this list is Patrón Silver, an iconic name when it comes to the tequila category. This blanco is beautifully aromatic on the nose, with fresh notes of lime and some grapefruit as well. After some gentle swirls in the glass, the bouquet opened further for some more herbaceous notes, primarily dill and chamomile. The flavor is sweet and crisp, with a lot of juicy summer melon sweetness and honey for a slightly creamy texture. The finish was smooth and inviting, with those juicy melon notes sticking around for some time. Each time I went back for another taste, I was delighted by the combination of fruit and herbaceous brightness, resulting in a balanced, full-bodied sip each time.

The flavor here is really pleasant overall, without any heavy alcohol burn or heavy pepper. I have had many a margarita with Patrón Silver as the base, and while it works beautifully in that setting, I definitely see this as a sipping tequila as well, rightly earning its place in this ranking.

Another example of a celebrity-backed tequila that has legitimately earned its spot on this list on flavor alone is Casamigos, which rounds out the top five of this list. The aroma on this blanco is simply exquisite. Honey, melon, and vanilla are present right away, with cooked agave making its way into my nostrils soon after. This is one of the more aromatic blancos I had the pleasure of sipping, so much so that I almost forgot I needed to actually taste it at some point. That said, the aroma sets up the flavor effortlessly, with sweet, complex notes of cantaloupe and freshly picked basil.

This is a crisp, refreshing tequila with a wonderfully smooth finish and not even a hint of alcohol burn. While I can speak from experience about the enjoyment of Casamigos in a cocktail, it almost seems like a shame to share its flavor with anything else.

The next blanco tequila to make it into the top five is LALO, which I had never tried before this tasting, so I was very much looking forward to giving it an honest review with blinders on. Immediately on that first inhale, my sinuses were hit with fresh lemongrass and bell pepper, with grapefruit peel as well for some brightness. A few swirls in the glass only open the aromas further, with the lemongrass and grapefruit coming out even more. The first sip is beautiful and crisp, with notes of red apples and gently cooked pears. There's some gentle spice — notes of anise and white pepper — but overall, this is a refreshing, crisp sip. 

The finish is smooth and has just as much flavor as that first sip, with some gentle spice on the very end. If there's any tequila worth enjoying neat on a hot summer day, this is the one to reach for.

Rounding out the top three of this blind tasting is Tres Agaves, a blanco that, after trying it first and then going back for it time and again, has rightly earned its place as the bronze medal holder on this list. The initial aroma is fresh, and then right away, hits you with some slightly artificial sweetness, kind of like bubble gum. While that didn't give me too much confidence going into the first sip, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted. The initial sip is crisp and clean, with some bright guava flavor and a hint of sweet agave at the end. 

After a few more sips, that refreshing flavor remains, and the sweet tropical fruit flavor gets more pronounced, with some pineapple coming in, too. This was a truly delicious sip of tequila, and I look forward to enjoying many neat glasses of this in the future, perhaps with a little squeeze of lime juice and a bit of agave as well.

It's at this point in the ranking that I had to decide which tequila edged out the other for gold. It really was a photo finish, but Camarena certainly earned its rightful number 2 spot on this list. The initial aroma in the glass is a little grassy and crisp, with some ripe melon and spring freshness, too. A few swirls in the glass brought out further bright herbaceous notes, noticeably mint and aloe. Each inhale had me picturing myself out for a walk on an early day in spring, and damn was it a lovely image.

On the palate, things change, but very much for the better. While the aromas were bright and fresh, the flavor was far more complex: notes of toasted oak and cinnamon, light caramel, vanilla bean, and a honey-forward finish. I found this to be incredibly balanced and rich, and while it certainly differs from what I expect when I go for a taste of a blanco tequila, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's these unique flavor characteristics that put Camarena firmly in second place.

Here we are, at the number 1 spot on the list, with Mijenta blanco beating out 26 other quite impressive tequilas. However, this spot was rightfully earned, as Mijenta really blew me away from the first inhale to the final sip that I never really wanted to end. In the glass, Mijenta is filled with a heavy bouquet of honey and cooked agave. After a gentle swirl, some citrus and white pepper notes make themselves known, as well as some gentle jasmine tea notes. That first sip, though, is what really gave Mijenta the top spot. The flavor is so deep and complex, with a creamy mouthfeel and sweet notes of melon and pineapple. 

Towards the end is a toasty, freshly baked banana bread flavor and an impossibly smooth, almost buttery finish. Mijenta is a really special blanco with by far the most impressive and well-balanced flavor profile, earning it the top spot with a bullet.

Conducting a blind tasting of 27 different types of tequilas is no easy task. However, I took some inspiration from one of my favorite YouTube chefs and personalities Andrew Rea, aka Binging with Babish. Similar to how Babish conducts his many rankings and tastings of different foods with a 0-10 scoring system, I tried each tequila in a glass, not knowing the brand before trying it, and gave it a score of 0-10, with 10 being a truly outstanding tequila. From there, I took the top-scoring tequilas and put them in the top spots, with the lesser-scoring tequilas filling in the rest of the list.

I scored each tequila based on aroma, taste, and appearance in the glass. A special thank you to my husband, Brandon, who poured each sample for me and didn't tell me which brand was which until the very end, when all the scoring had been completed, even when I tried to guess.