The 11 Best Tequilas of 2025, Ranked

Despite industry headwinds, trade tensions and declining consumption, tequila is one of the few spirits on track for continued growth in 2025 and beyond. It should come as no surprise, then, that distillers lined liquor store shelves with hundreds of bottlings this year. High-proof blancos rich in peppery, roasted agave flavor. Barrel-aged novelties backed by some of the biggest whiskey brands on the market. Experimentation with unusual yeasts (think India Pale Ale) that explored uncharted horizons in the world of Mexican spirits.

Tasting our way through dozens of bottlings, we settled on eleven that exemplify the best that 2025 had to offer. The following tequilas were ranked using The Daily Pour House Score, with alphabetical ordering taking priority in the case of tie breakers. As usual, all recommendations are additive-free.

11. Lalo High Proof 2025

(Photo: LALO)

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A few days before its acquisition by Tito’s Vodka, Lalo dropped one of the best tequilas of the year. Bottled at a still strength of 50% ABV, the blanco strikes an unexpected tightrope between bright, tropical aromas and earthy flavor. Whiffs of roasted agave, mango and buttercream dazzle the nose in typical Lalo fashion, followed by a dark and peppery palate that makes way for flashes of cocoa, walnuts, cracked black pepper and wet stone. It’s a delightfully complex offering from a brand that has proved itself time and time again over the past few years, and hopefully, a sign that Lalo has plenty more in store even after its high-profile buyout. This tequila is priced at $75

10. Codigo 1530 George Strait “Cowboys and Dreamers” Special Edition Añejo

(Photo: Codigo 1530)

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Themed after the country superstar’s most recent album, Codigo 1530 George Strait Cowboys and Dreamers Edition (what a mouthful) is the rare tequila that matches celebrity with quality. The añejo was aged for two years in French white oak previously used to mature Napa Valley Cabernet wine, resulting in a wallop of red fruit flavor. Sweet, perfumed hits of cherry, rose petals, vanilla and raspberry dominate the palate, underlined by a chocolate dessert vibe complete with macadamia and thickly layered cinnamon. It’s gorgeous stuff from beginning to end, and quite possibly one of the most oak-forward two-year age statements we’ve ever tried. A must-buy for music collectors, the añejo costs $130.

9. Campo Azul 1940 Still Strength

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If this were a roundup of the year’s most underrated releases, Campo Azul 1940 Still Strength would undoubtedly come in first. Rolled out in May to minimal fanfare, this wonderfully agave-forward blanco was bottled at a still strength of 53% ABV, just two notches shy of the legal maximum. Far from a throat burn, the tequila is loaded to the brim with everything caramelized, roasted and charred agave, rolling across the palate with gobs of amber sweetness that complements subtle hints of honeysuckle and white pepper. This is a tequila drinker’s tequila and more than worth its $60 asking price.

8. Cachasol Epic Strength

(Photo: Cachasol)

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Most innovative tequila of the year goes to Cachasol, a recent launch that blends agave expertise with beer sensibilities. Brought to market by fifth-generation master distiller Jimmy Villalobos Sauza (of Sauza family fame) and industry regular James Montero (veteran of Dogfish Head Brewing), the brand ferments its spirits with IPA yeast, which adds an unexpectedly green and oily edge that pushes it far over the finish line. Cachashol’s 48%-ABV Epic Strength is a wonder to behold, loaded with vegetal flavors of tarragon, okra, artichoke and black licorice that resemble a crunchy summer salad in a glass. So long as you don’t mind your spirits on the savory side, the $80 price of entry will be a slam dunk.

7. Lagrimas del Valle Plata – 2024 La Sabina

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Unlike the vast majority of tequilas, which are distilled from agaves grown in Jalisco, Lagrimas del Valle’s latest was produced from a single Guanajuato-origin field harvested in 2024. The attention to detail shows. Aromas of lemon curd, confectioner’s sugar and pie crust combine for an unexpectedly nostalgic vibe, while the palate veers into an entirely different experience dominated by citrus and fresh fruit. Hints of lime, guava, nectarine and honey bounce off eucalyptus and ground pepper, followed by a springtime grass note on the finish that ties everything together with a crisp touch. Clocking in at a modest retail price of $60, this is easily the best bang for your buck you’ll find all year.

6. Wild Common Añejo

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Founded in 2021 by former National Geographic photographer Andy Bardon, Wild Common has quickly garnered a cult following for all the right reasons. The brand’s Añejo, distilled at the critically acclaimed Cascahuin distillery, might just be our favorite yet. Aged for 12 months in ex-bourbon American white oak and bottled at 47% ABV, the tequila leads with a melting pot of everything dark orange and sweet. Flashes of honey, pudding, gooey caramel and toasted coconut, balanced out by plenty of fall fruit and barrel notes of allspice, cloves and white chocolate. There’s something remarkable about a tequila that’s both complex and utterly accessible, and this $100 añejo hits the perfect mark.

5. El Tesoro Mundial Yamazaki Cask

(Photo: El Tesoro)

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2025 was the year of FOMO tequila releases: Specialty cask finishes, big-name collaborations, limited-edition still strength bottlings and everything else that makes collectors drool. El Tesoro’s crossover with Yamazaki Single Malt was one of the few that truly justified the hype. Aged for 12 months in 12-year Yamazaki sherry and wine casks, the añejo opens with toasty aromas of baked plum, grape jelly, brown butter and a lick of ginger. The palate, meanwhile, gives way to all those classic Yamazaki dried fruit notes. Apple, dates, apricot, spiced honey and a distinct nuttiness halfway between walnut and marzipan. An outstanding bottling that marries the finest distillation traditions of Mexico and Japan, El Tesoro’s latest Mundial release clocks in at a suggested retail price of $200.

4. Viva Mexico Tahona Blanco

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The iconography of the tahona — a two-ton volcanic stone wheel used to crush agave — has fascinated many a tequila distiller over the past few years. Legacy names like Maestro Dobel and Tres Generaciones have jumped on the concept, releasing one-off bottlings intended to woo the discerning spirits enthusiast crowd. No brand has pulled off the transition quite as elegantly as Viva Mexico. Bottled at 48% ABV, the blanco kicks off with rich aromas of roasted agave, thyme, brine and basil that resemble a garden in a glass. The palate delivers much the same, homing in on a potent green olive and grapefruit pith note drawn out by flecks of mint, herbs and hibiscus. The definition of a solo sipper, Viva Mexico’s wonderfully complex Tahona Blanco is worth every penny of its $80 asking price.

3. Cazcanes Nuestra Raices Blanco

(Photo: Cazcanes)

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Cazcanes Nuestras Raices isn’t technically a tequila but rather an uncertified agave distillate. Though it boasts many of the hallmarks of Mexico’s most famous export — Jalisco origin, Blue Weber agaves, autoclave ovens — the finer details part ways from tradition just enough to distinguish the bottling as its own thing (case in point: the unorthodox use of a six-cylinder car engine). The resulting experiment is gamey, untamed and totally unique. Salty hints of cardamom, mushroom, parsley and barbequed fruit are peppered across the aroma and palate, seguing into flavors of oregano, anise and overripe lemon that combine for a superb finish. Though its funky, almost mezcal-like character will undoubtedly throw some drinkers off, the $130 bottling is a treat for anyone who knows what they’re getting into.

2. Suerte Extra Añejo Black Label

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The second-best tequila of the year was Suerte Black Label, a haymaker of an extra añejo that defied and surpassed whatever expectations we had of aged agave spirits. Limited to a total release of just 400 bottles, the expression was matured for seven years in used American whiskey barrels (most likely Jack Daniel’s) before finishing an additional four years in French oak. That decade-plus of aging was put to incredibly good use. The expression delivers an unparalleled rarity of flavor, hinted at on the aroma with dark, syrupy notes of Maraschino cherry, caramelized banana, marmalade, fruit cake and cedar. An unmistakable raisin note leaps out on the palate, soaking into every nook and cranny as flavors of figs, blueberries, sherry, jam and malted biscuits take hold. Oak crescendos on the finish with bitter hints of toffee, currants, coffee grounds and drying acidity. Suerte Black Label is a sip that every tequila lover should have the opportunity to behold. The only hiccup: Its $300 barrier to entry.

1. The Last Drop No. 40

(Photo: The Last Drop)

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Before we continue, let’s address the elephant in the room. The Last Drop No. 40 costs $2,300 per bottle. There’s no world, galaxy or universe in which that price could possibly be justified to a sane consumer, let alone someone browsing the secondary market and seeing a markup as high as $10,000. However, for rankings, we judge spirits based on quality, not price. And there’s no doubt this was the best sip we tasted all year. So allow us the opportunity to extoll this delicious, if slightly ridiculous, extra añejo.

Blended by maestra tequilera Carmen Villarreal of the Casa San Matias distillery, the liquid comprises a blend of three batches: Two aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels, and one for seven years in a port pipe. The nose opens with vivid aromas of cinnamon dessert. Coffee crumble cake, hazelnut, molasses and vanilla ice cream steal the show with a custardy texture that clings to the nostrils, giving way to a palate that feels very port-inspired. Splashes of milk chocolate, marmalade, almond and flaky pastry dough make up the lighter side of things, while heftier flavors of toffee and leather dip closer to a bourbon. It’s opulent stuff, balancing recognizable agave with an oaky profile that could only be achieved by over a decade in the cask. Hats off to Casa San Matias for an instant classic.