When it comes to Tequila, forget about words like “smooth,” “smoky,” and “rich.” It’s not that there aren’t tequilas that fit that bill (añejos explore this territory quite well), but the spirit really shines when the flavors of blue Weber agave — the plant tequila is exclusively made from — are at the forefront. A well-crafted, agave-forward bottle of tequila is bright, peppery (green pepper more than black), fruity, earthy, or vegetal, with a nice buttery finish that glides across your palate.

These more earthy-floral-peppery notes are part of the reason why I almost always prefer blancos and reposados over the more aged expressions whether I’m sipping or mixing a cocktail. Don’t get me wrong, añejos are great. But I think whisky tends to cover that smoky, rich, and smooth territory in more interesting ways.

To help get you on board with what I think is tequila’s best quality, we’re shouting out eight bottles that we’re really digging right now that highlight the flavor of blue Weber agave. For variety’s sake, I’ve left off El Tesoro, Fortaleza, and LALO’s blanco tequilas — not because I don’t think they’re great bottles (all three are amazing additive-free tequilas), but I’ve already heavily covered these particular expressions in past lists this year and we want to give some other brands a little shine.

Let’s drink!

EDITOR’S PICK: Siempre — Tequila Plata

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $49.99

The Tequila:

The brand’s mantra is “no celebrity required” which… whew, that’s certainly an idea we can get behind. It’s made at NOM: 1438 — a highland and lowland 50-50 agave blend — unaged, and open-air fermented after brick oven roasting. No additives, obviously.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Welcome to green (and a tad bit of black) pepper-ville! That’s the first note but it’s quickly balanced by creamy vanilla. If you jam your nose right in the glass you will get some ethanol warmth but not much.

Palate: Here the order reverses — it’s sweet up front and peppery on the back. There’s also a nice little salt-brine-crushed oyster shell note (without any smokiness).

Finish: The agave is alive on the backend — roasted and deeply enjoyable. I don’t love the term smooth but this does go down silky and easy.

The Bottom Line:

This is “Intro to sipping 101” for those who still want to taste what makes tequila tequila. It’s buttery to the point of needing a tad more potency for my palate — but beginning sippers will appreciate that quality.

This is the bottle for the beginner sipper who wants that

La Caza — Tequila Blanco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $50.99

The Tequila:

Founded in Austin Texas (but crafted in Jalisco, obviously) it took a bit for La Caza to win me over. The brand cooks and ferments its agave for one hundred hours to the sounds of classic music, which makes me roll my eyes so hard that it hurts my head.

But gimmick aside, this tequila delivers where it should: process and flavor. Produced at NOM 1414, La Caza cooks its agave in stone brick ovens, extracts the juices with a roller mill, and ferments the juice in open-air stainless steel tanks with champagne yeast and pours the results into a nice hand-blown glass bottle.

Does the classical music make a difference? Doubtful, but it’s good so… rock on, I guess!

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The roasted agave jumps out on the nose with some dusty warm citrus character.

Palate: Peppery and spicy with a very green vegetal quality and a hint of jasmine.

Finish: Sweet agave with a buttery finish that goes down with minimal burn.

The Bottom Line:

Plenty of brightness and pepper notes without a ton of burn — another great pick for the new tequila sipper.

Volcan De Mi Tierra — Blanco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $53.99

The Tequila:

Produced at NOM 1523, Agrotequilera de Jalisco, where it is the only brand in production, Volcan De Mi Tierra is the type of tequila you’re proud to display at your home bar. No, looks are everything, but just look at this bottle! With its lava rock-like look, it’s hard not to fall in love, luckily, the tequila is even better than looks would suggest.

Totally additive-free, Volcan is made from a blend of tequila cooked in stone brick ovens and autoclaves that is extracted via roller mills and a tahona, fermented in stainless steel tanks with champagne yeast, and cold filtered. The result is a bit of a mix of flavors typical of both lowland and highland agave.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted and raw agave combine for an inviting musky vanilla aroma.

Palate: Freshly cracked black pepper with some juicy citrus notes, a kiss of dark cherry, and some minerality.

Finish: Fruity and a touch minty but it leaves the palate a bit too quickly. I wish the flavor would stick around more because I want to savor it, but that can be remedied by another drink.

The Bottom Line:

Pepper and spice are counterbalanced by juicy fruity notes. A great tequila for mixing in cocktails and one that is always interesting to sip and let your palate explore the flavors.

Tres Agaves — Blanco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $27.99

The Tequila:

Our only true budget bottle to hit this list, Tres Agave is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, and is made using agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave that is roller mill extracted and bottled right after distillation with no additives and no aging.

It lacks some of the easy drinkability of the other bottles on this list, but it’s the only bottle for this price that’ll get you palatable agave flavors. It’s a great option for cocktails, but admittedly, you probably don’t want to sip this one.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Citrus zest and roasted agave with a hint of alcohol.

Palate: Bright and sweet with crisp pear flavors and some agave sweetness.

Finish: A bit harsh but not enough to cause you to wince or burn your throat. But it definitely hits back.

The Bottom Line:

A great affordable tequila that tastes like agave without breaking the bank. Reserve this one for cocktails.

Tequila G4— Blanco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $41.99

The Tequila:

Produced by 4th generation master distiller Felipe Camarena, G4 is made at NOM 1579, Destileria El Pandillo, where it is one of six brands in production. The agave here is cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona extracted, and made with natural spring and rainwater with absolutely no additives.

The bottle design and branding are weak but don’t let that dissuade you, this is one of the finest Blanco tequilas in this price point.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Prominent agave notes. It has a warm spikiness to it that tickles the nose like inhaling spices.

Palate: A beautiful mix of roasted agave and warm citrus notes. This tequila is all bright and grassy.

Finish: Warm and nutty with a supple oily mouthfeel.

The Bottom Line:

A strong agave forward tequila that perfectly captures the bright, vegetal and subtly sweet tones of agave.

Tapatio — Reposado

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $41.99

The Tequila:

Men’s Journal listed Tapatio’s Reposado as one of the “Best Tequilas In The World,” and we’re not going to go that far but… Tapatio is damn good! And a favorite amongst many a tequila snob.

Produced at NOM 1139, the famed La Alteña, Tapatio cooks agave in stone brick ovens, extracts the juice via a roller mill, and ages the liquid in bourbon barrels for a mellow additive-free tequila that still retains some of that characteristic agave bite.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted agave with some warm barrel oak which helps to bring forth the vanilla elements.

Palate: That oak does a lot to mellow out the flavors here. You still get some roasted agave earthiness and vegetal qualities, but it’s backed by sweet vanilla and caramel.

Finish: Buttery and soft with just a touch of zest.

The Bottom Line:

A fine reposado tequila that is perfect for sipping. It’s mellow, but not to the point of masking the natural agave flavors.

Cascahuin — Reposado

ABV:40%

Average Price: $58.77

The Tequila:

Hands down our favorite reposado on this list, Cascahuin is a fantastic tequila that highlights the sweetness of agave. Produced at NOM 1123, at Tequila Cascahuin (the distillery’s namesake!), this is another additive-free tequila made from agave cooked in stone brick ovens, roller mill extracted, and aged for 6-8 months in American oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted agave kissed with caramel and citrus.

Palate: Warm as soon as it hits the palate, Cascahuin begins sweet with some cinnamon spiciness before hitting you with black pepper and spice.

Finish: A mix of mint and pepper with roasted agave hovering on the backend.

The Bottom Line:

The best agave-forward reposado currently on the market in our opinion. A versatile bottle that is perfect for sipping and mixing.

Siete Leguas — Blanco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45.99

The Tequila:

Moving things back into the unaged territory, Siete Leguas’ Blanco tequila is produced at NOM 1120, a distillery of the same name, where it is the only brand in production.

The agave is cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona, and roller mill extracted, and made with natural spring water. The juices are fermented in stainless steel tanks and twice distilled in copper pots with no additives.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Warm inviting agave notes with some wet rock character.

Palate: Earthy and highly vegetal with a strong green grass flavor and some cracked pepper spice.

Finish: Citrusy with a hint of vanilla and some cool mint on the backend.

The Bottom Line:

A highly grassy and vegetal tequila that perfectly captures the bright characteristic of agave.

Tequila Ocho — Plata

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45.49

The Tequila:

I’ve highlighted Tequila Ocho a lot in the past, but until now I haven’t had the chance to sing the praises of its plata expression. Produced at NOM 1474, Cía Tequilera Los Alambiques, where it is one in three brands in production, the agave here is hand harvested between 7-10 years, cooked in stone brick ovens, roller mill extracted and fermented in wood vats before being twice slow-distilled in copper pots.

It has absolutely no additives.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Roasted agave, minimality, and fresh-peeled orange rind.

Palate: Very citrus forward counterbalanced by sweet roasted agave flavors, a bit of pepper, and lots of herbal interest.

Finish: Grassy and bright with a subtle mint and pepper finish. Almost cilantro-like.

The Bottom Line:

Orange citrus zest balanced by sweet agave, Tequila Ocho’s plata is a joy to slow sip and makes a Cointreau margarita come alive.