It's pretty hard to refute that tequila is becoming the latest It Spirit, and with it's rapid rise in popularity comes the influx of new brands into the market. While it's great that more drinkers across the globe are starting to wise up to the magic and beauty of Mexico's agave-spirit, it can be overwhelming navigating the bar and deciphering which bottles are worth one's money and which bottles may just be marketing fluff.

That's why today, we've rounded up a juicy list of must-try tequila brands that are highly respected and well-loved by agave aficionados and bartenders alike. Most of these brands produce additive-free, artisanal tequila and are made in multi-generational family-run distilleries. Tastes are of course subjective, but if you're looking to experience authentic tequila with depth and complexity of flavour, there's a high chance you'll find something that pleases you from the producers in this list! 

Salud!

1. Fortaleza

A cult favourite tequila brand, Fortaleza can be identified by its distinctive bottles sporting an iconic agave-shaped stopper. The brand was originally named “Los Abuelas” as a tribute to the family’s great-great-grandfather Don Cenobio, and is still often referred to as such in Mexico (you can even find a hidden Los Abuelas logo under the bottle label on each bottle!).

Fortaleza tequila is made the artisanal way, in small-batches and using artisanal equipment such as small brick ovens to cook the agave, a tahona to squeeze out the juices and wood tanks for fermentation. Its time-tested methods have resulted in tequila expressions that are often flavourful and complex with herbaceous, citrusy and buttery notes.

2. Tapatio

Tapatio tequila is the flagship brand of the historic La Altena distillery, which was established in 1937 by Don Felipe Camarena. Today, Don Felipe’s grandson Carlos serves as the master distiller, continuing a family tradition of making artisanal, additive-free tequila.

At La Altena Distillery, all the tequila expressions are produced from their own agave fields. The pinas are slow cooked in traditional masonry ovens and crushed using a Tahona, before the extracted juices are transferred to wood vats where open fermentation takes place. Tapatio tequilas are all double distilled in a traditional copper alembic.

A notable core expression of Tapatio’s is the Blanco 110 proof, one of the highest proof tequilas out there designed for bartender’s use in cocktails. Frankly, it’s a bit of a flex – often lauded for being rich in flavour yet without any burn!

3. Don Fulano

The name “Don Fulano” means “gentlemen” and “of undisclosed identity”, which reflects the brand’s central philosophy that good tequila requires the collective efforts of a group of people rather than one singular figure. This tequila brand has been operated for generations by the Fonseca family, who have been planting and harvesting their own agave for over 140 years.

The current fourth-generation owner is Enrique Fonseco, who studied distillation and cask aging from winemakers in France and distillers in Scotland, and now implements some of these techniques into the production of Don Fulano at La Tequileña Distillery, Don Fulano tequilas are made with a blend of modern and traditional methods – their agaves are cooked with autoclaves and the juice from which are extracted via a roller mill and screw mill. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks, and the distillery also uses a combination of copper pot still and column stills to distil their tequila expressions.

4. G4

G4 Tequila is produced at the respected El Pandillo distillery, which was purposefully built in way to collect up to 200,000 litres of natural rainwater that falls in the area. You see, G4 tequilas are uniquely distilled with 50% harvest rainwater and 50% natural spring water – a process that is often credited for imparting a unique minerality and earthiness in the tequila.

The brand is helmed by Master Distiller Felipe Camarena, who married his engineering background and his passion for sustainable environmental practices to construct the El Pandillo distillery. The distillery contains several innovative “mad scientist” enhancements of Felipe’s creation. This includes the aforementioned rainwater collection system on the roof of El Pandillo; “Frankenstein”, a mechanical tahona made from spare parts Felipe rounded up from a junkyard; and modifications to the steam jet placements in stone ovens that result in higher agave yield and shorter cooking times. 

5. El Tesoro

El Tesoro translates to “the Treasure of Jalisco”, a bold moniker that the brand manages to live up to. The brand is produced at the well respected La Altena distillery, which also produces Tapatio (see no. 2 in this list). Unlike Tapatio, however, the brand was initially started in 1988 as an export-only brand, designed as an alternative brand of choice to cater to then-US consumers who they worried would not have resonated with Tapatio’s more rustic or traditional label.

To make El Tesoro, the agave is slow cooked in brick ovens and crushed in a tahona. Uniquely, the distillery collects the extracted juice as well as the remaining pulp and fibre, before fermenting and distilling all these elements together. (For Tapatio, they distil only the juice). Many fans laud El Tesoro for being flavour packed with unique vegetal, earthy complexity.

6. Ocho

Produced at El Pandillo Distillery (same as G4, see no. 4 in this list), Tequila Ocho is the brainchild of Master Distiller Carlos Camarena and the late Tomas Estes, the famed tequila expert and writer. The brand boasts a line of additive-free tequila made from agaves slow-cooked in traditional brick ovens, then fermented with natural wild yeast, before being double distilled in a copper pot still. The brand tends to favour the use of ex-bourbon casks for aging their tequilas.

Fans often flock to the brand for Ocho’s limited edition single estate tequila expressions that showcase the impact of terroir on the final agave spirit. Notably Ocho is also among the few tequila brands that states the yearly vintages on their tequila bottles, borrowing from the tradition of wine-making, and they even have an interactive map on their site showcasing the various tequila fields from which they have harvested agave from since their launch in 2008.

7. ArteNOM

With an aim of showcasing the diversity of different expressions and the unique nature of the distilling craft, ArteNOM works with select distilleries to bottle different expressions that reflect distinct terroir, agave cultivation, and the distillation techniques of various master distillers. Accordingly, the name ArteNOM means to make ART of their NOM. 

The four curated expressions currently in their portfolio are NOM 1579, NOM 1123, NOM 1414 and NOM 1146. Among these four expressions consists a mix of tequilas made from mountain agave and valley agave, with some aged in bourbon casks and others aged in Loire Valley French Oak, each promising a unique tasting experience reflecting the personal signature of the respective master distiller.

8. Siete Leguas

Siete Leguas translates to "Seven Leagues", and is a reference to the story of revolutionary Pancho Villa and his famed horse, who is featured on all Sieta Leguas bottle labels to this day. One of Pancho Villa's followers was Don Ignacio Gonzalez, who started Sieta Leguas and paid tribute by naming his brand in reference to Seven Leagues, or the distance a man can travel on horseback within a day.

Sieta Leguas is produced at both the Fabrica el Centenario distillery (established in 1952) and the Fabrica La Vencedora distillery (established in 1984). The bulk of the agave used to produce Sieta Leguas comes from the family distilers' own agave fields, and distillates from both distillery are often blended together to be bottled. 

It's said that the original Fabrica el Centenario distillery was the producer of the original Patron tequila, up until Patron built their own distillery and moved all production in-house by 2002. 

9. Tears of Llorona

Often described as the tequila for whisky and cognac lovers, Tears of Llorona is an ultra premium tequila created by legendary fifth generation tequilero Germán González Gorrochotegu. The distillery makes a small-batch, artisanal tequila extra anejo, aged for five years in three different types of casks which are scotch barrels for dryness, sherry barrels for fruitiness and brandy barrels for sweetness. It's a coveted expression known for its complexity and rich caramel, oaky flavours. 

The brand's name was inspired by the story of La Llorona, “The One Who Cries,” a tale of a young woman scorned to madness by her unfaithful husband and wandering Mexico crying bitter tears. The reference to tears reflects Germán González Gorrochotegu's own passion for his craft. It's certainly not a cheap buy, but if you do get a chance to try it at a reasonable rate some time, who knows, you might just shed tears (of joy) yourself! 

10.  El Tequileño

El Tequileño was founded in 1959 by Don Jorge Salles Cuervo and today, helmed by his grandson and Master Distiller Jorge Antonio Salles. El Tequileño is produced across two distilleries, La Guarrena distillery and La Regional distillery.

The open air fermentation tanks in which their agave is fermented is located a stones throw away from 150 year old mango trees, and the water used for distilling is natural volcanic spring water from El Volcán de Tequila - both environmental factors which the distillery credits as having an influence on the final tequila flavour. 

The brand owns its own agave fields in the highlands, and 98% of the residual pulp are converted into organic compost which is then recycled as fertiliser for their agave fields. 

11. Cascuhuin 

The well-loved Cascahuin Tequila has been produced by fourth generation Rosales family distiller at their distillery in El Arenal since 1904. The name “Cascahuin” refers to “hill of light” or “celebration on the hill”, and was coined by the original founder Salvador Rosales Briseno.

Each Cascahuin tequila batch is produced from a single estate harvest - which may come from the Rosales family’s own fields or sourced elsewhere.  

12. Volans

Volans is produced at the legendary distillery of El Pandillo (also the same distillery helmed by Felipe Camarena, who is the Master Distiller of G4 and Volans, see no. 4 and 6 in this list). The brand, owned by Lonnie Allen, Chad Allen, & Cristina Allen, partners with El Pandillo distillery to produce their ultra-premium, small batch tequilas.

Similar to G4, Volans tequila is distilled using natural spring, deep well and rainwater, and fermented using a multi-generational yeast strain maintained by the Camarena family. The aged expressions are padded in American White Oak bourbon barrels for added sweetness and complexity. 

Happy sipping!

@lotusroot518