23 Top-Rated Tequilas To Try In 2024

Whether you're looking to sip tequila on the rocks or whip up some batch cocktails for a party, good tequila is important for any home bartender to have on hand. From margaritas to Palomas, tequila is the main spirit in several classic cocktails as well as a component for imaginative new creations. However, while tequila gets a reputation for its refreshing nature, it's more than just a summer spirit. Tequila also pairs well with chocolate and other drinks that have caramel, earthy, or even smoky notes. Every bottle brings something different to the table, but you don't have to be a professional to know what's what. 

Sipping tequila neat or on the rocks can be a luxury experience for serious tequila aficionados. Taking in the unique aromas and tasting notes of a special release can elevate any dining experience or enhance a special moment with a loved one. No matter how you like to enjoy it, there's a type of tequila out there for everyone. Tequila covers a wide swath of flavor palates, from the bright unaged blancos to darker, barrel-forward añejos aged to perfection, which give the spirit more versatility than you may think. 

We've looked at a range of releases from classic labels and newcomers alike, keeping issues concerning quality, production process, and price point in mind. So, whatever the reason you're looking for a new spirit to sample, we've gathered the best recent tequilas to try in 2024.

New to Patrón's luxury label Gran Patrón comes Patrón El Alto. El Alto joins Gran Patrón's existing luxury lineup of Platinum, a triple distilled silver tequila; Burdeos, an añejo finished in Bordeaux barrels; and Piedra, an aged añejo. Patrón El Alto is made from a unique blend of four-year extra añejo, añejo, and reposado tequilas. For its aging process, Patrón El Alto is shifted between 11 different types of barrels aimed at giving it a smooth, sweet finish. The tequila is made entirely from blue Weber agave using the tahona method, involving volcanic stone used to pulverize the agave hearts and unleash the fermentable liquid within.

While most liquor companies, Patrón included, usually promote cocktail recipes to complement a new liquor release, Patrón actually suggests that you simply sip Patrón El Alto on its own, neat or on the rocks. The brand emphasizes the smooth, refined nature of Patrón El Alto, which makes it unnecessary to mask the tequila's flavor in any way with any additions. The light color signifies the subtle, softer notes you'll taste in this specialty bottle. If you're looking for a great new sipping tequila, you'll definitely want to give Patrón El Alto a try.

Don Julio's 2023 spring release, Tequila Don Julia Rosado, will bring a dash of spring brightness to your glass. With a host of celebrity endorsements — including "Real Housewives" personality Lisa Rinna, actor Lukas Gage, and TikTok influencer and model Remi Bader — Don Julio Rosado had set itself up to be one of the most talked about new drinks of that summer. 

Tequila Don Julio Rosado is aged for a minimum of four months in ruby port wine casks, which gives the tequila its aesthetically pleasing pastel pink color. The ruby port wine casks also give the tequila its glowing, fruit-forward notes, in addition to the more traditional caramelized flavors of cooked agave. Tequila Don Julio Rosado is best enjoyed with simple additions, like soda water and lemon, for a refreshing drink perfect for a sunny day. The fun, natural hue and smooth taste are sure to be the talk of your next pool party or cookout.

Inside the unique bottles said to be hand-dipped in the soil of the company's agave fields, Paladar Tequila's Paladar Destilado de Agave contains an experimental creation that stands out from the crowd. There is a focus on involving various kinds of wood in the process and special consideration for the agave. The Paladar tequila-making method starts by harvesting seven-year blue Weber agave from the company's fields. The agave then cooks slowly in brick ovens, followed by fermentation in a special open-air pine box filled with the brand's wild, proprietary yeast. Each batch is distilled twice using a mix of both copper and stainless steel pots.

After that, the Destilado de Agave tequila is aged for two months in recycled bourbon barrels. Then, the tequila is finished for an additional two months in a large wood cask made of amburana wood, which is native to Brazil and imparts this tequila with a signature dark color and tasting notes. The wood choice also gives the spirit a distinct set of aromatic accents that include vanilla and nutmeg, as well as a slightly sweet flavor profile. This is a well-rounded and creative tequila that is as good a mixer as it is a sipper.

Astral Tequila's Reposado is aged in single-use American oak bourbon barrels and follows the brand's traditional production process, demonstrating a plant-first thought process. Using a stone wheel tahona, the distillers at Astral smash agave fibers until juice emerges. Afterward, the crushed threads are added in the fermentation step, a technique that ensures more of the plant is utilized in the tequila-making process and is also said to infuse more flavor from the agave into the tequila.

The mixture is aged for five months, which is three months longer than the industry standard, to create Astral Tequila's Reposado. In the end, the final product has tasting notes of caramel and oak, containing a subtle botanic sweetness that can complement the zesty grapefruit notes of a paloma as well as an Oaxacan old fashion. Fortunately, if you prefer those darker flavors, the release of the reposado comes in conjunction with an offering for another newer tequila for the brand, Astral Tequila Añejo, which is aged for 12 months and has tasting notes of vanilla, oak, and butterscotch.  

The sustainable tequila brand Mijenta released this exclusive drop in 2023: Mijenta Añejo Gran Reserva is a bottle you should have in your collection. Beginning with the brand's award-winning blanco as the base, Añejo Gran Reserva undergoes an 18-month aging process, resting in four different hand-selected casks along the way. It starts in American white oak barrels before moving to French oak, then acacia barrels, with the final two months completed in cherry oak casks rather than typical sherry casks. This four-part process sets Mijenta's Añejo Gran Reserva apart from other añejos on the market in fragrance and flavor.

Thanks to the oak barrels, Mijenta's Añejo Gran Reserva offers aroma notes of cacao, butterscotch, and tobacco. The tasting notes come through with hints of stone fruits and spices like mace, anise, and saffron. The caramelized agave flavor blends with subtle vanilla and coffee notes, creating a unique and complex flavor profile thanks to the variety of wood barrels used in the aging process. Perfect for sipping on its own or using as a base of a spirit-forward cocktail, you can even try substituting Mijenta Añejo Gran Reserva in your favorite bourbon-centric mixed drink.

Cristalino is a fresh release from Gran Centenario, a tequila company that has been producing fine tequilas since 1857. Including Cristalino, tequilas from Gran Centenario are made with 100% blue Weber agaves. Gran Centenario Cristalino uses a blend of the brand's añejo and extra añejo tequilas, which are American oak matured. After that, the tequila undergoes a process that is new to the brand. The makers finish the tequila's aging process in casks that were previously used to make Calvados, a type of cider made of pre-fermented fruit. There, the tequila rest for several months. Ordinarily, a tequila becomes darker the longer it is aged, but Gran Centenario Cristalino is crystal clear when finished, as the name implies. This is because the tequila undergoes a special filtering process using Mexican silver as its final step to transform it back into a clear spirit.

This unique process passes on hints of apple and oak flavor from the Calvados casks, as well as more typical tasting notes of sweet cooked agave and toffee. Gran Centenario Cristalino's complex flavor is best consumed on its own, so the tequila is recommended to be served neat or on the rocks with a lime twist.

Costa Tequila is known for creating the first "Hi/Lo" blend of tequila in the world, meaning that the brand delivers the only tequila that combines agave sourced in "Los Altos" (the Highlands) and "Valle de Tequila" (the Lowlands) in Jalisco, Mexico. Other tequila brands exclusively use agave sourced from one of these two regions when making tequila. This gives a tequila a very different flavor profile depending on which region its agave is grown in. Agave taken from the Highlands tends to develop tequila on the fruitier and sweeter side. Conversely, agave taken from the Lowlands often leads to tequila that is more peppery or spicy. The overall result is a uniquely combined flavor profile across all of Costa's tequilas. 

Costa Tequila has added an añejo to its unique Hi/Lo lineup, and it is surely a tequila you should taste in 2023. Añejo tequilas generally lean one of two ways: barrel-forward if the harvest is from the Highlands, or agave-forward if the plants come from the Lowlands. Costa Tequila añejo blends the two, and with a 16-month aging period in American oak barrels, the profile of hazelnut, sweet vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar are noticeable and balanced. 

Born in the town of El Arenal, Jalisco, Loco Tequila made a splash in the premium tequila world with its launch in 2019. Its latest iteration, Loco Tequila Puro Corazón, is the brand's self-proclaimed "crown jewel," a delicate liquid made with the very best of the house tequila: just the heart — hence the name puro corazón.

Starting with 100% blue agave that is cooked in stone ovens and milled in a tahona and a small rolling mill, this liquid is fermented in wood and stainless steel tanks. It is then distilled twice in stainless pots with copper coils for a pure, crystalline spirit. Loco Tequila Puro Corazón offers fresh aromas of mint, agave, and eucalyptus, as well as some sweeter notes like molasses, pumpkin candy, and cooked agave, ending with a hint of minerality. On the palate, you will find citrus and herbal notes with hints of spice. Smooth and elegant, Loco Tequila Puro Corazón pairs well with seafood, as well as vegetable-based or citrusy dishes.

The soft, velvety liquid comes in a blown crystal glass designed by artist Jan Hendrix. For the ultimate collector's edition, search for the Colibrí limited edition, featuring a gorgeous design by Oaxacan artists Jacobo and María Ángeles.

Cierto means true or certain, a fitting name for a tequila backed by its makers' impressive legacy. Enrique Fonseca and Sergio Mendoza, fourth and fifth-generation tequila masters, are in charge of producing this most recently launched liquid jewel, available in the United States since early 2023. La Tequileña distillery is where the magic happens. Cierto starts with hand-cut agave plants that are cooked in low-pressure ovens. The resulting juices, free of additives or artificial ingredients, are distilled twice in copper pots and column stills, a process inspired by Scotch whisky production. Lastly, the tequila is aged in French Limousin oak casks, previously filled with cognac, Armagnac, and wine.

Cierto's line includes eight tequila labels: four in the Private Collection and four in the ultra-premium Reserve Collection. For a taste of Cierto that won't break the bank, try the Private Collection Blanco, a smooth, floral tequila, or the Private Collection Reposado, aged for 11 months and boasting sweet notes of caramel, butterscotch, and cinnamon.

Over its young but fruitful life, Cierto has already won a stunning amount of awards — 736 and counting — including best extra añejo tequila at the World Tequila Awards and tequila of the year at the Berlin International Spirits Competition.

One of the younger brands in the market, Tequila Ocho launched in 2008 but boasts a deep history between its co-founders alone. As a third-generation tequila-maker, Carlos Camarena's family first introduced the Jalisco Highlands region to agave; Tomas Estes holds a pretty impressive resume himself, as founder of the Pacífico Group and lifelong ambassador of tequila and agave spirits in Europe. The duo's vision is to showcase terroir through tequila, allowing the rich soil of the Jalisco to shine in every drop.

To experience Tequila Ocho at its purest, go for its Plata, a bright, fresh silver tequila that comes alive with aromas of agave, citrus, and white pepper on the nose, as well as some herbal and vegetal notes. On the palate, the spirit becomes richer, with flavors of cooked agave, earth, grass, herbs, and minerals. Each bottle of single-estate Tequila Ocho Plata features the year of production and the name of the field where the agave was harvested. The latest releases include San Jerónimo and Mesa Colorada, both from 2023. The Ocho team recommends you enjoy this tequila neat, and we could not agree more.

Whether you're a fan of mezcal's mystical, smoky profile or are intrigued by its aromas and flavors, Patrón Ahumado Silver might just be the tequila for you. This 2023 release boasts a smooth, smoky taste courtesy of the charcoal-cooked, 100% blue agave that's at the heart of its production. After going through fermentation and a double distillation process, the result is an 82-proof liquid with aromas of cooked agave, flowers, and earth, as well as flavors of smoke, minerals, and pepper. 

Designed by Patrón for special occasions, this smoky spirit is ideal when sipped on its own, taking in the slight yet delicious smokiness. It also works wonderfully in mixed drinks, like the house's own ahumado margarita. If you're into reposado tequila, the sweeter Ahumado Reposado iteration, amber-hued and boasting notes of oak, fresh agave, caramel, and vanilla, is sure to hit the spot.

With nearly 20 years in the market, Tequila Fortaleza may be a relatively young brand. However, its more than 150 years of history makes it a legacy brand. The story begins with Don Cenobio Sauza, whose name will ring a bell to any tequila aficionado as the founder of La Perseverancia distillery back in the late 19th century. A firm believer in blue agave as the best plant to use for tequila, he was also a pioneer when it came to exporting this spirit to the U.S. It was his great-great-grandson, Guillermo Sauza, who honored Don Cenobio's same artisanal production process when he brought the family hacienda, La Fortaleza, back to business.

This spirit starts with agave from the Tequila Valley, which is cooked in a stone oven and then crushed artisanally in a stone tahona. After two distillations in copper pots, the liquid is a powerful 92-proof tequila, courtesy of its non-diluted profile, which showcases the power and beauty of silver tequila in its purest form. Fortaleza Blanco Still Strength offers a blend of tropical and earthy notes, including baked agave, green olives, butter, and black pepper. In our opinion, the best way to enjoy it is to sip it neat.