words: Tim McKirdy
illustration: Sara Pinsonault
Published: May 1, 2025
Over almost 10 years of tasting and recommending tequilas at VinePair, we’ve watched the category grow and evolve, ultimately becoming one of the best-selling and most popular spirits in the U.S.
Admittedly, that momentum is starting to slow down, coinciding with greater spirits and alcohol consumption trends. And tequila, specifically, is facing something of a reckoning: Are there too many celebrity brands? Where is the “additive-free” labeling movement headed? And can distillers and agave growers find the delicate balance between supply and demand?
In truth, while things seemed so rosy, say, five years ago, these past few years have been sobering. All of which makes the record number of samples we received for this roundup all the more surprising and encouraging. And while overall consumption trends and post-pandemic corrections remain up in the air, this year not only marked the largest but also strongest field of samples we’ve ever considered. It also highlighted one clear reality: Tequila is evolving.
Case in point: In 2020, we received just one brand and sample that wasn’t bottled at the category’s minimum 40 percent ABV. This year we lost track of the number of expressions that exceeded that figure, whether produced as “still-strength” releases or tequilas bottled somewhere between 40 and 48 percent ABV. The upshot for those products (and drinkers) is more flavor, more complexity, more depth, and a more diverse and interesting category overall. What’s more, it flies in the face of the greater forces and trends that have propelled tequila in recent years, like cristalino and rosado bottlings that seemed, at worst, marketing ploys and, at best, aimed at bringing more consumers into the fold rather than offering more for engaged aficionados.
Tasting through all of this year’s submissions proved to be an enlightening experience. Whittling the vast number down to a select collection of favorites was a tough assignment, but with much deliberation and consideration, here are VinePair’s 30 best tequilas for 2025.
Why You Should Trust VinePair
Every year, VinePair conducts dozens of tastings for our “Buy This Booze” roundups, highlighting the best products across the world’s most popular wine and spirits categories.
As part of this work, VinePair’s tasting team and editorial staff sample thousands of bottles annually. This ensures we have a close eye on what’s new and exciting. Crucially, it also ensures we have the context needed to distinguish the simply good from the truly remarkable, whether from a quality or value-for-money perspectives — or both.
Ultimately, our mission is to offer a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking. Learn more about VinePair’s tastings and reviews department here.
How We Taste
We conduct tastings as our readers would: with full awareness of the producer and, crucially, the price of each product. As such, our tastings are not performed blind.
For this tequila roundup, all samples were poured in Glencairn glasses and given five minutes to breathe before tasting. We analyzed each tequila’s aromas, flavors, texture, and finish, while appearance did not factor into the equation unless there was a notable flaw or irregularity.
How We Compiled This List
In order to provide our readers with the most comprehensive and thoroughly tested list of the best tequilas to buy, VinePair invited producers, distributors, and PR firms working on their behalf to send samples for consideration. These bottles were submitted free of charge — producers didn’t pay to submit nor did VinePair pay for the products. All were requested with the clear understanding that submission does not guarantee inclusion in the final list.
Not only would such an agreement contradict our editorial ethics and samples policy, it simply wouldn’t be possible to include everything we received. For this roundup, we tasted 178 new submissions and also retasted around a dozen other bottles that were sent to VinePair over the prior 12 months.
During tasting, we assigned a score to each product on a 100-point scale based on the quality and intensity of its aromas, flavors, texture, and finish. We then reviewed all scores and compiled an editorially driven list that meets our criteria of 30 best tequilas to buy right now. It’s important to note that these are not the 30 highest-scoring tequilas we tasted during this exercise. Instead, this list showcases the best bottles across every price and for every scenario.
The Best Tequilas Under $50
Elevación1250 Tequila Blanco
With the word “Elevación” in its name, it might come as some surprise that this is a valley tequila. Its profile is green, herbaceous, mineral-rich, and will appeal to anyone who loves the pyrazines of a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, or, more obscurely, Carménère. There’s a roasted agave sweetness on the palate that balances everything out and makes every sip compelling.
Average price: $45
Rating: 91
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Click here to learn more about Elevación1250 Tequila Blanco
