Updated May 2026.
“Sipping tequila” is not a CRT class, and “under $50” is not a hologram. The legal classes are blanco, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo under NOM-006. Most US 100% agave bottles print 40% ABV — one NIAAA drink per 1.5 ounces. Price is the sticker that day. This is not a 2022 top-15 tasting and not a 2026 MSRP list.
Age in oak changes the class clock, not the drink math at the same proof. Related: reposado vs añejo, añejo for sipping, blanco under $50.
Class vs marketing word
| Word on the shelf | What the norma says |
|---|---|
| Sipping | Not a CRT class |
| Blanco / plata | Unaged or <2 months oak |
| Reposado | 2 months to <1 year |
| Añejo | 1–3 years |
| Under $50 | Sticker, not MSRP |
A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks. Four 40% pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Read 100% de agave and the NOM. Pour math: tequila drinks.
Sources
- NOM-006-SCFI-2012 classes; 27 CFR 5.148. Additive-free is not a CRT class.
- Typical US 40% from current labels — confirm the neck. No invented ranking or MSRP.
- NIAAA December 2025. Casamigos current NOM 1609 not restated as 1416.