The 11 Greatest Blanco Tequilas to Purchase Proper Now

Frequently Asked Questions

How should you drink blanco tequila?

In spite of its earlier and now outdated reputation, the best blancos are very sophisticated spirits. They are also very versatile, thanks to—depending on brands—being adaptable to sipping straight, enjoying with ice, or used in cocktails. They can even be taken as a traditional shooter, although much of a blanco tequila’s subtle nuances may be lost if you just “knock it back.”

How does tequila differ from mezcal?

Both, by law, must be made in Mexico and distilled from roasted agaves, but tequila can only use the Blue Weber variety and must be distilled in the town of Tequila in Jalisco and four other specifically designated Mexican states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Also, the agaves are primarily steam-roasted in ovens. On the other hand, mezcal can be made in any of nine specified Mexican states, primarily in Oaxaca, but also in Durango, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Puebla. In addition, mezcal is typically made from agaves that have been cooked by fire, smoke, and heat in rock-lined pits,

How did I choose the tequilas on this list?

I start by “nosing” the tequila, pouring a small amount in a Glencairn tasting glass, just enough to fill its wide base, which narrows towards the top to concentrate the aromas of the liquid. With blancos I’m looking for the purity of agave—it can be crisp and herbaceous, or subtle and smooth, but the essence of the agave has to be there. After all, you drink a blanco to literally get the spirit of the plant that gives tequila its character.

Why should you trust us?

Richard Carleton Hacker has been writing about spirits, restaurants, wines and cigars for over forty years and has written for Robb Report since 1995. His work has also appeared in numerous other lifestyle magazines, including Playboy, The Quarterly Review of Wines, Tasting Panel, and the Somm Journal. In addition, he served for 10 years as a judge and team captain for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. He has authored 11 books published in the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, including The Ultimate Cigar Book and The Connoisseurs Guide To Worldwide Spirits. He was knighted in Germany and is an honorary member of numerous whisky and wine societies, including the Scotch whisky industry’s exclusive Keeper of the Quaich honorary society (where he is one of fewer than 200 people worldwide to hold the coveted title of Master of the Quaich), and the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. He has traveled the world visiting countless distilleries in Scotland, France, and Italy and, of course, Mexico.