Last Updated on April 12, 2024 by Lydia Martin
It would be nice to have a list of the best Don Julio Tequila, considering how expensive each bottle is.
Fret no more — we’re here to make sure that your hard-earned money goes to the good stuff. We’ve spent the entire week taste-testing all Don Julio Tequilas out there to give you the ultimate best of the best.
Here are the best Don Julio Tequila bottles!
Top 9 Don Julio Tequilas
1. Don Julio 70 Añejo Claro Tequila
The Don Julio 70 was released in 2011 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the brand.
This variety is a cristalino tequila, meaning the aged tequila goes through a charcoal filtering process to remove the color and some sharp tastes without sacrificing its original flavors.
The result is a smooth, fine tequila that’s easier than the añejo.
- Color – The Don Julio 70 is a crystal-clear spirit.
- Nose – Don Julio 70 is very grassy with a tinge of vanilla and oak.
- Palate – The charcoal filtering has stripped away most of the sharp wood flavors, leaving behind a smooth tequila with tons of vanilla and spicy white pepper.
- Finish – Don Julio 70 has a classy, smooth finish, with creamy notes of white chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Best Way To Drink – In cocktails, like a Margarita or Negroni
2. Don Julio 1942
This variant was named after the first time Don Julio Gonzalez started making tequila.
Don Julio 1942 is aged longer than most anejo (spending two and a half years maturing in ex-bourbon casks), resulting in a smooth spirit.
But can you buy Don Julio 1942 at Costco?
- Color – The aging period gives 1942 a golden brown color, which may or may not be lighter than some añejo.
- Nose – It has the aroma of vanilla, caramel, and honey, laced with familiar grassy agaves.
- Palate – Like whiskey, Don Julio 1942 is rife with the rich, dark flavor of chocolate, cinnamon, and caramel.
- Finish – It has a woodsy finish with a hint of pineapple.
- Best Way To Drink – Chilled
Read: Don Julio 1942 & Don Julio 70 Compared
3. Don Julio Añejo
Don Julio Anejo is another anejo under the brand name. The double-distilled spirit spends 18 months aging in ex-bourbon casks, which gives it an exceptionally smooth profile.
It is rich and fruity and is an excellent sipper. It doesn’t have the harsh bite found in other tequilas.
- Color – This spirit is a light straw gold, with slight amber hues depending on whether the light hits it.
- Nose – Don Julio Anejo contains a unique aroma combination: roasted agave, caramel, honey, and oak.
- Palate – Don Julio Anejo is full-bodied and rife with fruit notes. It’s a different story as soon as you swallow, though — you’ll find wood and cigar, spicy white pepper, and cinnamon at the back of the throat.
- Finish – This spirit has a long, lingering finish, laced with oak and spice notes.
- Best Way To Drink – Neat
4. Don Julio Blanco (Blue)
The Don Julio Blanco tequila is a light-bodied silver tequila with plenty of fruit notes and a slight menthol finish.
This double-distilled tequila is bottled unaged at 40 percent ABV and is one of the best-selling tequilas in Mexico.
Unlike cheaper brands, the careful distillation method ensures that Blanco has no harshness, so you’ll have a fun time drinking this in shots.
Blanco also pairs nicely with lime juice and a bit of salt.
- Color – Blanco is crystal clear.
- Nose – This great tequila is a fruit bomb, with the aroma of fresh agave and some tropical fruits.
- Palate – The sweet agave flavor continues on the tongue, balanced with spicy white pepper, stone fruit, and a menthol taste.
- Finish – This great tequila has no harsh alcohol bite, but we didn’t expect Blanco to have a short finish.
- Best Way To Drink – In shots or traditional tequila cocktails, like Margaritas and Palomas
5. Don Julio Reposado
Don Julio Reposado spends eight months maturing in ex-bourbon casks before being bottled at 40 percent ABV.
It is made from hand-harvested and double-distilled blue agave from the highlands of Los Altos.
As a result, the reposado tequila is more agave-forward than the rest, with plenty of the grassiness and earthiness people expect in tequilas.
However, we wouldn’t recommend this for people who have a sweet tooth.
- Color – The short aging process gives the reposado tequila a pale gold hue.
- Nose – This good tequila is grassy, with a hint of honey, fruit, and vanilla oak.
- Palate – Unlike other tequilas that may come across as sweet, Reposado is earthy and grassy, with agave, tropical fruits and spicy oak flavor notes. Some floral, herbaceous notes are also present.
- Finish – This spirit has a long, lingering finish while continuing the fruity and grassy trend.
- Best Way To Drink – Neat
6. Don Julio Ultima Reserva
Don Julio Ultima Reserva is made with the final agave harvest planted by Don Julio Gonzalez, aged 36 months in ex-bourbon casks and finished in Madeira wine-seasoned casks.
The luxury bottles use a unique Solera aging system that combines and matures tequilas of different characteristics, ensuring that the quality of the final alcohol is preserved and consistent.
This signature tequila is fruity and rich with a smoky note, perfect for drinking neat or on the rocks.
- Color – This spirit has a light, golden color.
- Nose – This spirit begins with aromas of vanilla, caramel, and oak, with hints of roasted agave.
- Palate – It is rife with fruit notes: citrus, peach, and apricot taste.
- Finish – Ultimo Reserva remains friendly and smooth at its finish. Delicious honeyed agave and sweet vanilla linger long after you have finished that sip.
- Best Way To Drink – Neat or on the rocks
7. Don Julio Double Cask Tequila Lagavulin Aged Edition
The Don Julio Double Cask Tequila Lagavulin Aged is a variation of the brand’s iconic Reposado Tequila.
Master Distiller Enrique de Colsa created this limited edition bottle alongside Lagavulin Distillery manager Colin Gordon.
This good tequila was inspired by the innovation Don Julio Gonzalez embraced when it came to making the spirit.
The Reposado Tequila is finished in casks that previously held Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch whiskey for two weeks, which gives it plenty of smoke and peat.
- Color – This spirit is golden amber in color.
- Nose – The Double Cask Tequila Lagavulin Aged Edition is particularly smoky, with blue agave and black pepper.
- Palate – The smoky trend continues on the tongue, laced with butterscotch, sweet vanilla, and caramel.
- Finish – This variant has a rich and smooth aromatic finish, followed by leathery and smoky notes.
- Best Way To Drink – On the rocks
8. Don Julio Reposado Double Cask Tequila
The Don Julio Reposado Double Cask Tequila is another variation of the iconic Reposado Añejo — this time, the final spirit is finished in casks previously used for Buchanan’s blended scotch whisky.
As a result, the alcohol has a remarkable depth of flavor: notes of honeyed agave, tropical fruits, and chocolate malt are present, laced with light peat from the casks.
- Color- The color of the spirit is very pale, almost straw-like.
- Nose – This is a very fresh tequila, with aromas of bright lemon, caramel, and cinnamon, with a touch of cooked agave.
- Palate – Reposado Double Cask Tequila is equally fresh on the tongue, with plenty of citrus notes and herbal agave. It has the taste of caramel and vanilla.
- Finish – This spirit has a refreshing, medium-length finish with a lingering spice.
- Best Way To Drink – Neat
9. Don Julio Reposado Private Cask Tequila
Just as the name suggests, the Private Cask Tequila comes from single-cask barrels that have been personally hand-selected by the company’s master distillers.
As a result, no two barrels are alike, but you can expect rich and complex spirits inside each limited edition bottle. It is bottled at 42.7 percent ABV or 85.4 proof.
- Color – The Private Cask Tequila has a molten gold hue.
- Nose – Alongside earthy agaves are a subtle oak note and some citrus fruits.
- Palate – No two barrels will taste the same, but you can expect a rich, nuanced spirit.
- Finish – Don Julio Reposado Private Cask Tequila has a spicy, bold finish that lingers long after that sip.
- Best Way To Drink – Neat or on the rocks
Is Don Julio Gluten-Free?
Yes, Don Julio is gluten-free.
Don Julio Tequila is distilled from 100 percent agave, making it safe for those who choose not to consume gluten.
Making tequila using 100 percent blue agaves leaves behind no gluten residue.
However, it’s important to note that some contemporary brands will use an agave plant mixture, which may or may not contain gluten. [1]
Can You Freeze It?
You can put Don Julio inside the freezer, but we don’t recommend it.
You tend not to notice all the wonderful flavor nuances in cold tequilas.
If you prefer cold drinks, you may use ice. It’s best to use a large ice cube instead of several small ice cubes so you don’t dilute the final spirit.
With the brand being expensive, we don’t want you to waste money by putting it in the freezer and ending up with a subpar spirit.
Also Read:
The Most Expensive Don Julio Tequila
The most expensive Don Julio Tequila in the world is the Don Julio Real (around $400 per 750ml bottle).
This spirit is as real as can be (pun intended), coming from maestro tequilero Don Julio Gonzalez himself.
Don Julio Real is made from slow-roasted agave, meticulously fermented, and distilled before being put inside American white oak for three to five years to age.
Don Julio Tequila Price Guide
| Bottle Type | Size | Alcohol By Volume | Average Price |
| 70 Añejo Claro Tequila | 750ml | 40 | Around $84.99 |
| Don Julio 1942 | 750ml | 40 | Around $190.99 |
| Don Julio Añejo | 750ml | 40 | Around $72.99 |
| Don Julio Blanco (Blue Bottle) | 750ml | 40 | Around $57.99 |
| Don Julio Reposado | 750ml | 40 | Around $59.99 |
| Don Julio Ultima Reserva | 750ml | 40 | Around $1,299.99 |
| Double Cask Tequila Lagavulin Aged Edition | 750ml | 40 | Around $67.99 |
| Reposado Double Cask Tequila | 750ml | 40 | Around $65.99 |
| Reposado Private Cask Tequila | 750ml | 42.7 | Around $74.99 |
*Average prices are based on Drizly online. Prices may vary in local liquor shops.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which Don Julio tequila is best for shots?
The best Don Julio tequila for shots is Blanco. We don’t advise drinking the brand’s aged tequilas for shots, as the aging period adds flavor nuances that wouldn’t be appreciated if they were knocked back quickly.
Blanco is made specifically for shots or for mixing in cocktails.
Is Don Julio tequila top shelf?
Don Julio is top-shelf tequila! It’s not the most expensive tequila out there, but each bottle uses only the finest agaves and a carefully handcrafted process to ensure quality stays top-notch.
Each bottle of Don Julio is sweet and spicy, with grassy agave notes.
Is Don Julio tequila Keto-friendly?
Yes, Don Julio Tequila is keto-friendly. Most pure spirits, like tequila, whiskey, rum, gin, and vodka, are carb and sugar-free, making them safe for those on a keto diet.
However, just because tequila is keto-friendly doesn’t mean you should go out on a drinking spree! It’s still best to limit yourself because you’ll get drunk much quicker with pure spirits.
How much is Don Julio per shot?
It will cost you around $30 per shot of Don Julio Tequila, assuming that each shot is about 30ml. You can get Don Julio at high-end cocktail bars in the United States.
Final Thoughts: Best Don Julio Tequila
Don Julio Tequila is the brainchild of a 17-year-old boy who wanted to change the world of tequila-making. After a business loan and 70 years later, it’s one of the biggest tequila brands and possibly the most innovative worldwide.
Depending on your preference, there are different variations of Don Julio Tequila available. Don Julio Blanco is for you if you want something light and smooth for shots. For casual sipping, you may go with Don Julio Reposado or Anejo. And, of course, for a truly sublime experience, you may go with the Don Julio Ultima Reserva or the Private Cask label.
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