Updated April 2026.
“Additive-free tequila” is not a CRT class and not a hologram from a blog list. NOM-006-SCFI-2012 allows caramel, oak extract, glycerin, and sugar syrup up to 1% of weight before bottling, without a required front-label callout. 100% agave means the sugars were agave — not zero abocantes. A 1.5-ounce 40% pour is still one NIAAA drink.
Blanco’s dry-extract band is tighter (max 0.30 g/L) than aged classes (max 5 g/L). Third-party “additive-free” databases are voluntary, not CRT. Related: tequila types, blanco, reposado vs blanco.
What the norma actually allows
| Claim | What it is |
|---|---|
| 100% agave | Sugars from blue weber agave — not an additive seal |
| Abocantes (4.1) | Caramel, oak extract, glycerin, sugar syrup |
| 1% rule | At most 1% of weight before bottling (NOM-006) |
| CRT class | Blanco / reposado / anejo / extra anejo — not “additive-free” |
| Matchmaker-style lists | Third-party. Not a CRT certificate |
Four 40% shots are four drinks whether or not the producer used the 1% allowance. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Ask the producer; read the NOM. No invented ranking or MSRP. Pour math: tequila drinks.
Sources
- NOM-006-SCFI-2012 section 4.1 (mellowing) and the 1% weight cap (CRT English PDF).
- CRT classes; 27 CFR 5.148. Dry-extract bands in the same NOM.
- Third-party additive lists are not CRT. NIAAA December 2025. No gossip ranking.