6 Tequila Brands Poised to Have a Huge Year in 2026

In the current landscape of tequila, brands have to work harder than ever to cut through the noise. With so many celebrity-backed competitors, ready-to-drink cocktails and — increasingly — nonalcoholic alternatives hitting the market, it’s nigh impossible to fit a new bottle onto liquor store shelves, let alone get the word out to consumers and win over the icy hearts of reviewers.

What, then, does it take to stand out in 2026?

Sorting through the past year of press releases and social media scuttlebutt, we’ve narrowed in on six tequilas that are doing it like no other. To be clear, this is not a list of our favorite tequilas — at least, not necessarily. Instead, these are brands that we think have massive growth potential, either because they’re tapping into new techniques, capitalizing on the zeitgeist or simply delivering a dang good product.

Pezuña Blanca

(Photo: Pezuña Blanca)

Our biggest surprise of the year so far came from Pezuña Blanca, a recently launched brand that hasn’t picked up a fraction of the press it deserves. Debuted as a Texas-exclusive in December, the tequila makes use of lowland agaves and mostly old-school production techniques. Expect an earthy, terroir-forward experience steeped in aromas of mint, artichoke and white pepper, followed by a complex yet totally accessible palate of grapefruit rind, tangerine and lingering honey. It’s impressive stuff from beginning to end, doubly so since its Blanco (which comes inside a collectible decanter, we might add) only costs around $60.

Pezuña Blanca will be rolling out nationwide in the months to come, and we’d highly recommend picking up one of its matte-toned, ceramic bottles if they touch down at a liquor store near you. We have a feeling that this might be the next big breakout hit, a la Cazcanes or LALO.

Jose Cuervo

(Photo: Becle)

Yup, you heard us right! Whatever your opinion of mass-market leader Jose Cuervo, there’s no denying that the powerhouse, spearheaded by parent company Becle, has been trying its darnedest to keep up with the fast-changing spirits landscape. Consumers are demanding traditionally made, additive-free tequilas like never before, and Becle has — up to a point — attempted to answer the call. A few months back, sister brand 1800 debuted a pair of high-proof bottlings, followed a few weeks later by a Maestro Dobel-helmed Tahona Blanco that we were pleasantly surprised by.

Will Cuervo catch the innovation itch? If rumors are to be believed, yes. We’ve heard whispers about an upcoming launch dubbed “Jose Cuervo 1906” that promises to deliver on the high-end aspirations of the brand’s Reserva de La Familia line. Though it’s unclear when and how the tequila will take shape, it appears to be a gamble on the premium side of the market.

Pantera de Oro

(Photo: Pantera de Oro)

Cask-strength extra añejos are virtually unheard of in the tequila industry. A brand that specializes only in a cask-strength extra añejo, and an affordable one at that? Before Pantera de Oro, we would’ve said it’s impossible.

Images of this mahogany-brown sipper began going viral on Costco forums in November. The finer details spoke for themselves: A 1-liter, $90 tequila aged in a mix of French and American oak before being bottled at a well-above-average strength of 53% ABV. Though distribution was limited from the outset, the brand quickly garnered a cult following among reviewers and die-hard agave fans, who heaped praise on its chocolatey aromas and punchy flavors of raisin and toasted nuts. As is the case with any “cult” tequila, however, bottles have since become all too difficult to track down. Pantera de Oro has yet to announce a rerelease, nor has it unveiled plans to expand with another age statement or bottling strength. But we suspect that more is on the horizon. Founders Scott Baird and Craig Demko have created a truly unique offering in a vastly oversaturated market, and they’d be fools not to strike while the iron is hot.

Cambio

(Photo: Cambio)

Chicago-based chef John des Rosiers ventured into the spirits market in late 2023 with the launch of Cambio Tequila. We had a chance to chat with the gourmand-turned-entrepreneur at launch, and were shortly after impressed by the brand’s Blanco and Reposado, both of which have a wonderfully rich pepper, earth and ginger vibe totally unlike its contemporaries.

The brand has since become famous in Internet circles for a very different kind of offering. Cambio’s Cellar Reserve Series — essentially, single-barrel tequilas with an experimental twist — are now a favorite among influencers, liquor stores and bartenders hoping to flex their curatorial skills. The program offers an unparalleled attention to detail, diving into the exact cooking temperatures and brix levels used to make each batch. Fan favorites include a blanco finished in white burgundy wine casks and a rye/gin barrel experiment that we’ve been dying to get our hands on. If you’re the kind of agave nerd who keeps tabs on Reddit threads and in-person meetups, then Cambio’s slate of ever-changing releases is well worth investigating.

LALO

(Photo: LALO)

LALO’s rapid ascent within the tequila world has been a sight to behold. Launched by the grandson of the eponymous Don Julio a few months before the COVID pandemic shuttered bars across the country, the brand nonetheless became a sales sensation, garnering attention throughout the U.S. for its additive-free recipe and novel use of Champagne yeast in the fermentation process. LALO famously does not release aged expressions, focusing instead on its flagship blanco and the occasional high-proof bottling, of which there are now two.

The streamlined approach caught the attention of one of the industry’s biggest movers and shakers. In September, Tito’s Handmade Vodka bought a majority stake in LALO, marking the first-ever strategic acquisition for the Texas-based spirits powerhouse. What does that mean for consumers? It’s hard to say. Founder Eduardo “Lalo” Gonzalez insists that the tequila recipe will remain unchanged, adding that the deal will primarily serve to expand LALO’s international presence. Whether or not this is a brand you’ve been keeping a close eye on, there’s no doubt that you’ll be seeing a whole lot more of it in months and years to come.

Tequila Ocho

(Photo: Tequila Ocho)

The critically acclaimed Tequila Ocho recently announced that it will be splitting production between two facilities: the recently constructed Tequilera Los Alambiques and its original home base of La Alteña, located right down the road in the Jalisco highlands. That might not sound like a big deal, but we promise, it is. Both distilleries are among the cream of the crop for agave consumers in the know, representing some of the best work that the Camarena family (the very same behind Tapatio, El Tesoro and G4) has to offer.

The distinction between La Alteña and Los Alambiques vintages is all but certain to command attention among collectors. It’s also worth shouting out that the brand recently debuted the first bottling in its Terroir Select series, an ongoing project celebrating the work of local agave farmers. Between that, the distillery split and its recent string of collaborations with the likes of Widow Jane and Old Fitzgerald, Tequila Ocho is brimming with potential for the foreseeable future.