From Blanco to Reposado to Anejo—tequilas are a perfect base for any refreshing cocktail drink.
There’s tequila for every cocktail that will suit your budget and taste preferences.
To help you with that, we’ve compiled a complete list of some rich and well-rounded tequila brands.
Here are our top picks of the best tequila for mixed drinks and cocktails. Read on.
Table of Contents
Toggle15 Best Tequila For Mixed Drinks
15. 1800 Silver
Average Price: Around $25 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Margarita
Why We Like It:
1800 Silver is double distilled, super-premium tequila that features delicate fruit and floral notes.
It has a clean, smooth taste with hints of pepper and citrus and has a very little warmth finish.
1800 Silver iconic name and bottle pay tribute to its tequila origin and tradition.
The tequila’s well-defined tasting notes and excellent price make it a solid mixing tequila for a Margarita.
14. Kirkland Signature Silver
Average Price: Around $25 for 1.75L (Total Wine)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Ranch Water
Why We Like It:
Kirkland Signature Silver tequila is made from agave and contains no flavoring additives.
It has a prominent citrus flavor with floral, herbal, and earthy hints and a roasted agave flavor.
Since Kirkland products are owned by Costco [1], these Kirkland Signature Silver tequila bottles are mostly available at every Costco shop.
One of the biggest reasons we like this tequila is its affordable price.
Compared to other brands, you’ll unlikely find a liter of 100% agave tequila under $30 with this Kirkland Signature Silver.
13. Lunazul Blanco
Average Price: Around $19 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Batanga
Why We Like It:
Lunazul Blanco is a 100% agave tequila with a crystal-clear body.
It has a rich agave aroma, and you’ll taste the sweetness of the agave upfront with peppery, woody, and citrus notes.
The Lunazul brand has a light body with alcohol overtones and finishes with lingering spicy notes.
It may not be the best sipping tequila, but its flavor makes it a great pick for a tasty cocktail.
12. Pueblo Viejo Blanco
Average Price: Around $17 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Margarita
Why We Like It:
This Pueblo Viejo Blanco tequila bottle has a nice mouth feel with a fairly thick and oily body. It has an earthy, spicy, and pleasantly bittersweet-tasting profile.
Pueblo Viejo Blanco is a solid tequila but doesn’t have too much burn and with a short finish.
Its price point and decent complexity are preferably good as a mixer for your favorite cocktail.
Read: Additive-Free Tequilas
11. Tapatio 110
Average Price: Around $59 for 1L (Saucey)
ABV: 55%
Best For: Sangrita
Why We Like It:
Tapatio Blanco 110 is one of the strongest tequilas in the market. It has a strong aroma, slightly smoky, with flavors of agave, cinnamon, and apple.
It’s made through one of the oldest methods in making tequila-the tahona process. This process uses a large stone wheel to release the juice from the agave.
Tapatio Blanco 110 contains the maximum alcohol proof of 110 allowed in tequila production and is designed to be paired with cocktails.
10. Roca Patron Anejo
Average Price: Around $109 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 44%
Best For: Old Fashioned
Why We Like It:
Roca Patron Anejo is handcrafted from the finest blue agave and made from a traditional tequila-making method. It has a complex profile and a more sophisticated palate.
Roca Patron Anejo is a top-shelf sipping tequila with sweet, woody, agave notes with a velvety smooth finish.
You can also experience the complexity of its taste in an Old-Fashioned way.
9. Espolon Reposado
Average Price: Around $25 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Spicy Margarita
Why We Like It:
Espolon Reposado is a tequila from Campari America made in Casa San Nicolas in Mexico. It has a bold, medium to a full-bodied palate, a complex sweet, fruity profile, and warming spices.
“..To create something new, it has to be within the framework of tequila regulations, but it also, has to be new, it needs to be creative.”
– Jesus Susunaga Acosta, Master Distiller at Casa San Nicolas
Although it has a bold profile, it’s pleasantly sweet on the palate with a spicy, peppery tang on its body.
Espolon Reposado is a solid purchase for a fruity and spicy tang cocktail.
8. Teremana
Average Price: Around $30 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Minty Mule
Why We Like It:
Teremana Blanco is made from small batches of tequila and is known as one of the celebrity tequilas. This brand is co-owned and endorsed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. [2]
Teremana Blanco has a bright citrus flavor with rich agave, oak, and earthy notes. It has a warm, slightly bitter, long finish.
This tequila is not the smoothest, but it’s good for mixing.
7. Camarena Silver
Average Price: Around $20 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Paloma
Why We Like It:
Familia Camarena Silver is an award-winning tequila with an incredibly smooth profile on the palate.
It has a rounded profile with flavors of toasted agave and vibrant citrus notes.
Camarena Silver tequila gives a spicy and long warm finish. It can be savored straight, but it’s best enjoyed mixed in cocktails.
6. Gran Centenario
Average Price: Around $29 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Traditional Margarita
Why We Like It:
Gran Centenario Plata has an unusually smooth taste for white or Blanco tequila. It is matured in French Limousin oak barrels resulting in fruit-forward notes.
Gran Centenario Plata has notes of vanilla, caramel, and black pepper on the palate balanced with its fruit-forward notes of pear and lime, perfect as a base for mixed drinks.
5. Milagro Reposado
Average Price: Around $27 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Paloma Rosada
Why We Like It:
Milagro Reposado has a bright golden hue and is well-rested in an American oak barrel for around two to four months.
It gives warm and delicious notes of peach, caramel, and pepper.
This tequila delivers a balance of sweet vanilla notes and cooking spices on the palate. Its bright and fresh-tasting profile makes it an excellent cocktail mixer.
4. El Tesoro Blanco
Average Price: Around $46 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Tommy’s Margarita
Why We Like It:
The signature Blanco tequila of El Tesoro is raw, unaged, and has the real essence of agave flavors.
El Tesoro Blanco has a balanced sweet taste, agave-forward profile, and pepper notes.
It has appealing bright aromas of agave and citrus and hints of basil. The lively palate and flavor sensation of El Tesoro is one of the best bases for tequila cocktails.
3. ElVelo Tequila Reposado
Average Price: Around $33 for 1L (Drizly)
ABV: 44.5%
Best For: Rosita
Why We Like It:
ElVelo Reposado is a sourced tequila from the Tequila Valley and is aged for five months in ex-Jack Daniels oak barrels.
It doesn’t contain any additives and has a bold agave taste.
ElVelo Reposado has a higher proof of 89 while having an affordable price tag. This tequila has the best expression of agave character and distinct oak character in cocktails.
2. Patron Silver
Average Price: Around $39 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Patron Margarita
Why We Like It:
Patron Silver is an ultra-premium tequila with a sweet and smooth-tasting body. It has a crystal-clear color, delicate aromas of agave, and fresh citrus notes.
This tequila perfectly balances tropical fruit notes, pepper, and roasted agave flavor with a light peppery finish.
Patron Silver’s tasting profile is well-suited for refreshing concoctions.
1. 1800 Anejo
Average Price: Around $40 for 750ml (Drizly)
ABV: 40%
Best For: Tequila Hot Toddy
Why We Like It:
1800 Anejo is double distilled and is aged in French and American oak barrels for more than a year, making it extra smooth and sweet to drink.
1800 Anejo has a smooth mouthfeel with a balanced profile of earthy spices, citrus zest, and sweet caramel.
It’s an easy-sipping tequila compared to 1800 Silver, but it can also be used as a base for a good cocktail recipe like the Hot Toddy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which tequila type is smoothest?
Anejo is the smoothest tequila type and the best premium tequila for sipping.
It is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of one to three years, resulting in a richer and smoother texture of tequila.
What type of tequila is best for Margaritas?
A Blanco or silver tequila is the best type for Margaritas.
Its young, pure expression of distilled agave taste and stronger flavor profile makes a perfect go-to tequila base for a Margarita.
What is the best tequila for mixed drinks?
The best tequila for mixed drinks is one that complements the flavors of the cocktail while providing a smooth and enjoyable drinking experience.
What types of tequila are best for mixed drinks?
Tequila types such as blanco (silver), reposado (rested), and añejo (aged) can all work well in mixed drinks, depending on the cocktail’s flavor profile and complexity.
What flavor profile should I look for in tequila for mixed drinks?
Look for tequilas with balanced flavors of agave, citrus, and spice, as these can enhance the overall taste of mixed drinks without overpowering other ingredients.
Can I use cheaper tequilas for mixed drinks?
Yes, cheaper tequilas can still be suitable for mixed drinks, especially if the cocktail includes other flavorful ingredients that mask any imperfections in the tequila.
Key Takeaways
There are a lot of excellent tequila brands that make a perfect cocktail, but different tequila delivers different profiles in each cocktail.
Blancos are most preferred in making cocktails, and you can have a bottle under $20 like Lunazul and Pueblo Viejo or even a bottle with high alcohol content like Tapatio.
However, choosing a Reposado and Anejo tequilas can deliver more depth and sophisticated tasting cocktails.
It can be a nice upgrade for some special splurge on cocktails.
References:
- Why every Costco product is called ‘Kirkland Signature’
- Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson on starting a tequila business: ‘I am learning on-the-go’