Updated September 2026 by Lydia Martin
Buy a blanco, 100% agave, bottled at 40% ABV or higher. That is the short answer and it is correct.
But "100% agave" does not mean what most people think it means, and understanding the gap is the difference between a margarita that tastes like agave and one that tastes like vanilla syrup.
What "100% agave" actually guarantees
Under NOM-006-SCFI-2012, the Mexican standard governing tequila, "100% de agave" means one thing: all the fermentable sugars came from blue Weber agave. Nothing was cut with cane sugar or other sugars during fermentation.
That is genuinely important. The alternative is mixto tequila, which needs only 51% agave sugars, with the balance from other sources. Mixto is where most cheap tequila and most bad hangovers live. Avoid it.
But 100% agave is a floor, not a guarantee of purity.
The 1% nobody puts on the label
Here is the part the marketing does not mention.
The same standard permits producers to add up to 1% of four substances, known collectively as abocantes, with no disclosure required on the label:
| Abocante | What it does |
|---|---|
| Glycerin | Softens texture, creates a thicker mouthfeel |
| Sugar syrup (jarabe) | Sweetens |
| Caramel colouring | Darkens |
| Oak extract | Adds barrel and vanilla notes without barrel time |
A bottle can say "100% agave" on the front and legally contain all four. One percent sounds trivial. It is not — glycerin and syrup at that concentration are enough to change mouthfeel and sweetness noticeably, and oak extract can imitate aging that never happened.
This is why some tequilas taste of vanilla and butterscotch rather than cooked agave. Agave, properly handled, tastes vegetal, peppery, faintly citrus and mineral. If your tequila tastes like dessert, that is a signal.
Estimates of how widespread the practice is vary and no one has audited the whole category — one frequently cited figure puts it at a substantial majority of 100% agave bottles on shelves, but treat that as an estimate rather than a measured fact.
Why the label won't help you
In August 2024, the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) — the body that certifies and polices tequila — issued a circular stating it would not certify "additive-free" claims, and brands were required to remove the wording from labels.
The CRT's stated reasoning is that since abocantes are legally permitted, calling a tequila "additive-free" is misleading under the existing standard.
The awkwardness is structural: the CRT both writes the rules and is funded by the industry it regulates. A regulator that permits undisclosed additives and then prohibits the one label that would tell you a bottle has none has made a choice about whose interests come first. You do not have to take a side to notice the tension.
The practical consequence for you: the label cannot tell you, so you have to know the brands.
How to actually read a tequila bottle
1. "100% de Agave" or "100% Blue Weber Agave." Minimum requirement. Without it, put the bottle down.
2. The NOM number. Every legal bottle carries a four-digit Norma Oficial Mexicana number on the back label identifying the distillery that made it. This is the single most useful piece of information on the bottle, because dozens of brands share a handful of distilleries. Learn a few NOMs and you learn what you are actually buying.
Three tied to distilleries with strong reputations for traditional production:
- NOM 1493 — Fortaleza
- NOM 1579 — G4
- NOM 1474 — Tequila Ocho
3. ABV. 40% or higher. Some export bottlings run at 35%, which is legal in some markets and noticeably thinner in a drink built on lime.
4. Cross-reference. Independent databases such as Tequila Matchmaker publish community and lab testing on additive content. Since the regulator will not let brands tell you, third-party verification is what is left.
Why blanco, and not reposado or añejo
For a margarita, blanco is the correct choice and it is not close.
Blanco is unaged or rested briefly. You taste the agave, the pepper and the citrus, and those are exactly what lime and orange liqueur are built around.
Reposado spends two to twelve months in oak. It brings vanilla and caramel, which sit awkwardly against fresh lime. Some people like a reposado margarita, and it is a legitimate variation — but it is a different drink and slightly muddier.
Añejo spends one to three years in oak. It has no business in a margarita. You are paying for barrel character and then burying it under citrus.
There is also a practical argument. Aged tequilas are where caramel colouring and oak extract are most useful to a producer, because both imitate barrel time. A blanco has less for an additive to hide behind.
Which blancos to buy
Names, not price tiers, because tequila pricing varies wildly by market:
Widely respected for traditional production
- Fortaleza Blanco — stone tahona crushing, brick oven roasting, and the benchmark many people measure others against.
- Tequila Ocho Plata — single-estate, single-harvest bottlings that publish the field and the year.
- G4 Blanco — rainwater and spring water, traditional production, strong reputation.
- Siete Leguas Blanco — long-established traditional producer.
- Cimarrón Blanco — the best value on this list by a wide margin, and a genuinely good margarita tequila.
Widely available and dependable
- Espolòn Blanco — easy to find, honest, and cheap enough to pour generously.
- El Tesoro Blanco — tahona-crushed, and excellent.
- Tapatío Blanco — from the same family behind Ocho.
What to walk past for a margarita: anything not marked 100% agave, anything bottled at 35% ABV, celebrity-branded añejos, and anything that tastes of vanilla before you have added a thing.
The ratio, and the part most people get wrong
The IBA specification for a Margarita is 50 ml tequila, 20 ml triple sec, 15 ml fresh lime juice. That is a fairly dry drink.
The modern bar standard is closer to 2 : 1 : 1 — 2 oz tequila, 1 oz orange liqueur, 1 oz fresh lime — often with a quarter ounce of agave syrup to round it out.
Two rules matter more than the ratio:
Fresh lime, always. Bottled lime juice and sour mix are the single biggest reason home margaritas disappoint. This is not snobbery — bottled lime is cooked and preserved, and it tastes it.
Use a real orange liqueur. Cointreau at 40% ABV, or Grand Marnier for a richer, cognac-based version. Cheap triple sec is usually around 15–30% ABV and mostly sugar, which flattens the drink.
The build
Makes one
- 2 oz blanco tequila, 100% agave, 40% ABV
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- ¼ oz agave syrup (optional)
- Salt for the rim, on half only
Shake hard with ice for 12 seconds. Strain over fresh ice, or serve up in a chilled coupe.
Salt half the rim. Run the lime wedge along one side only. It gives the drink two modes and lets anyone who dislikes salt drink from the other side.
Shake hard and briefly. A margarita wants aeration and quick chilling, not extended dilution — the opposite of an Old Fashioned, which is stirred slowly because it has no citrus to lift.
More in our Tequila Guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tequila for margaritas?
A blanco, 100% agave, at 40% ABV. Cimarrón and Espolòn are strong value picks; Fortaleza and Tequila Ocho if you want to spend more.
Does "100% agave" mean no additives?
No. It means all fermentable sugars came from blue Weber agave. Up to 1% of four permitted additives — glycerin, sugar syrup, caramel colouring and oak extract — may still be present without disclosure on the label.
What is a NOM number?
A four-digit code on the back label identifying the distillery that produced the tequila. Many brands share distilleries, so the NOM tells you more than the brand name does.
Should I use blanco or reposado in a margarita?
Blanco. Its agave and pepper character suits lime and orange. Reposado's oak and vanilla sit awkwardly against fresh citrus.
Why does my tequila taste sweet or like vanilla?
Properly made tequila tastes vegetal, peppery and mineral. Pronounced sweetness or vanilla can indicate permitted additives, or heavy barrel influence in an aged expression.
Can you use añejo in a margarita?
You can, but you are paying for barrel character and then covering it with lime. Save añejo for sipping.
Is expensive tequila better for margaritas?
Not necessarily. Production method matters more than price. A well-made inexpensive blanco beats an expensive celebrity brand carrying additives.
What's the correct margarita ratio?
2 oz tequila, 1 oz orange liqueur, 1 oz fresh lime, optionally a quarter ounce of agave syrup. The IBA specification is drier at 50:20:15 ml.
Sources and method
Additive rules reflect NOM-006-SCFI-2012, which permits up to 1% of four abocantes — glycerin, sugar-based syrup, caramel colouring and oak extract — without label disclosure. The CRT's August 2024 circular declining to certify "additive-free" claims is a matter of public record. Interpretations of whether the 1% limit applies per additive or in total vary between industry sources. Estimates of how many bottles contain additives are exactly that; no comprehensive audit exists. This page names no brand as containing additives, since without laboratory testing that cannot be verified. No prices, ratings, or rankings are invented on this page.