José Cuervo is the most popular tequila in the world, hands-down.
It’s just about everywhere you find a party – usually right next to the margarita mix.
But as more and more people realize they actually love tequila…
The competition has heated up big time. And let’s face it…
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There’s a lot of GREAT tequila out there today.
Including several brands whose fans would swear up and down are even better than Cuervo.
Are they right?
Well, that’s for you to decide.
Let’s hop right in:
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But first, a quick reminder –
Generally, tequila falls into one of three categories:
– Blanco (often called silver) tequila has no aging and is bottled right after it’s made. It’s crystal-clear and usually packs a punch!
– Reposado (often called gold) tequila is usually rested in oak barrels for at least two months (and up to a year) before it’s bottled, and it has that distinctive golden huge that most people associate with Cuervo Gold.
– Añejo is aged for at least one year (sometimes as much as three), and it’s usually darker – sometimes as dark as a light brown color. Because of that increasingly complex flavor, usually this is a tequila you’re sipping neat.
This matters because…
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I’ve excluded añejo tequilas from the discussion today, because they’re just operating at a different level (and price point!) from the other two.
Let’s face it, plenty of people use silver and gold tequilas pretty interchangeably. They’re both great mixers, you can sip both neat, obviously they both make an excellent margarita.
So I think they’re pretty comparable!
With that, let’s hop right in on the first Cuervo challenger, and no surprise, it’s:
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The price: $$$
The pitch: I mean, it’s Patron, right? It’s a great tequila for sipping (or shots), with an incredibly smooth and complex finish. It’s more expensive than Cuervo, but it’ll be worth every penny. (Please note – I’m talking about standard silver Patron here – obviously you can spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars when you go up to the really expensive and rare stuff.)
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The price: $$
The pitch: When I used to bartend, I’d always reach for 1800 if someone wanted a nice mixed drink and didn’t ask for Patron. Their Reposado is a solid mid-tier tequila with hints of caramel, orange peel, and marzipan.
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The price: $$$$$
The pitch: Don Julio tequila is where you really start to get out of “mass-market” tequilas and into the expensive stuff. This is a fantastic sipping tequila with a crisp palate and beautiful notes of agave, and you’re going to pay up for the privilege!
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The price: $$$$
The pitch: Pantalones is another beautiful, smooth tequila with beautiful hints of vanilla and oak. The price point is pretty steep, but it may well ruin “regular” tequila for you. Also, it’s backed by Matthew McConaughey, so you get that hint of celebrity too!
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The price: $$$$
The pitch: Herradura’s silver and reposado tequilas might be my personal favorites – their reposado has this beautiful buttery hint to it, while the silver is crisp, clean, and incredibly smooth. Dangerously smooth?
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The price: $
The pitch: A bottle of Olmeca is just a couple bucks more than Cuervo, and their blanco tequila is a beautiful, smooth introductory sipping tequila. Honestly, at the price point (about $20 for a bottle), it’s truly one of the best-value tequilas out there.
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The price: $$
The pitch: With a beautiful bouquet of tropical fruits and vanilla, plus a smooth finish, Cazadores’ Reposado is another excellent tequila that’s just a few dollars more than Cuervo and adds all kinds of excellent complexity for the discerning tequila enthusiast. To try it is to love it.
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I couldn’t leave without giving Cuervo some love. After all, let’s face it – it’s the world’s most popular tequila for a reason!
The price: $
The pitch: Solid flavor, great mixer, fantastic in a margarita, and at a pretty much unbeatable price, Cuervo is the ultimate party tequila. And let’s face it – that’s why it’s so loved!
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So there you have it – seven tequilas giving Cuervo a run for its money…whose fans would swear up and down have surpassed it.
Certainly they make a good case!
But here’s the REAL question:
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Are they right?
Or is Cuervo still #1?
Let us know in the comments!
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