Best Blanco Tequilas Under $50
The best blanco tequilas blend pure agave flavor with citrus, pepper and floral notes. (Photo: Lalo Tequila)
To many, blancos are the truest form of tequila; unhampered by the oaky tint of barrel-aging, a good blanco lets the pure flavor of cooked agave shine. When it comes to complexity, a quality blanco can pair that agave flavor with wonderful citrus, pepper and floral notes.
Though blancos can be cheaper than their reposado or añejo counterparts, that isn’t necessarily always the case. The rapid increase in premium and celebrity-owned tequila brands over the past few years has filled up liquor store shelves with expensive bottles, making the tricky choice of choosing the perfect tequila all the more difficult.
Today, we’re going to look at five of the best budget-friendly blanco tequilas. Don’t let their low price tags fool you; these tequilas work just as well as solo sippers as they do delicious additions to your next homemade margarita.
Without further ado:
Lalo Tequila
Lalo is a newcomer to the industry, yet the brand has already established itself as a mainstay for tequila enthusiasts and an amazing all-around pick that exemplifies the best agave-forward spirits.
The brand was founded in 2021 by Eduardo González, grandson of Don Julio’s very own Don Julio González. Unlike virtually any other brand on the market, Lalo only makes a tequila blanco.
Their dedication to the craft shows. Lalo forefronts flavors of cooked agave and light minerality alongside earthy notes of cinnamon, pepper and faint baking spice. At $50, this isn’t the cheapest bottle on the list, but it’s one you won’t regret tasting for yourself.
Find Lalo at Frootbat.
Pueblo Viejo Blanco
For $18, it doesn’t get much better than Pueblo Viejo Blanco.
A tried and true yet underrated favorite of bartenders, Pueblo Viejo Blanco mixes agave with fruity hints of lemon, cherries, grapefruit and apple. It’s rare to find a bargain-bin-priced tequila recommended so highly, but Pueblo Viejo Blanco lives up to its reputation.
Find Pueblo Viejo Blanco near you.
El Tequileno Blanco
El Tequileno is a brand often recommended to tequila newcomers. At $32, El Tequileno Blanco showcases a lot of the spirits’ best qualities at quite an affordable price tag.
Expect strong flavors of cooked agave and pepper paired with subdued notes of vanilla, oak and orange peel. If you find this expression to your liking, the entire El Tequileno line boasts reasonably low prices and great bang for your buck.
Find El Tequileno Blanco at FrootBat.
Tapatio Blanco
Tapatio is something of a cult hit among tequila fans, maintaining relevance since the brand’s founding back in 1937 with a relatively simple bottle containing gobs of flavor.
Tapatio Blanco is a complex one, balancing the hallmark flavor of agave with vegetal, grassy notes and flashes of anise and mint. You can usually find a bottle in the $40-$50 range.
Find Tapatio Blanco at FrootBat.
El Tesoro Blanco
El Tesoro is another cult favorite, and one that is in fact produced at the same historic La Alteña distillery as Tapatio. That being said, El Tesoro’s prices can tend towards the more expensive side. El Tesoro Blanco is a welcome exception.
This is a tequila chock full of flavor, combining hints of salinity and pepper with bursts of tropical fruits like mango, papaya and pineapple. You can read our full review here.
At $45, this is a tequila that you’ll want to savor all by itself.
Find El Tesoro Blanco at FrootBat.
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