Now that you’ve learnt a thing or two about the different types of tequilas and how they are made, it’s time to introduce you to some tequilas within each price range. Like with other spirits, you’ll find that there’s a wide variety of tequilas at very different price points; you can opt for no-frills cheap tequilas that are ideal for mixing, and on the other end of the spectrum you can find ultra-aged gourmet beverages. There is no simple answer to the question how much is a bottle of tequila? So much depends on the production process and the age. Maybe you’re looking for a bottle to gift for Christmas or a birthday? Or perhaps as a base for the perfect margarita? This brief guide will help you understand which tequila to use for any occasion, for any budget.
How Much Does a Good Tequila Cost?
Price Point: £20-£40
The Calle 23 Anejo Tequila comes out as one of the favourites in this price range among tequila experts. What’s most surprising about this tequila retailing at around £35/70cl is that the creator doesn’t have a background in tequila but in cognac. Calle 23 Anejo juxtaposes autumnal flavours of oak, dried fruit and cinnamon with the delicate sweetness of vanilla. It’s available at online spirit specialists, and Londoners may find it on the shelves of high-end chain stores such as Selfridges.
Towards the lower end of this price bracket, retailing at around £20 for a 70cl bottle, is Ocho tequila. It’s by far the best tequila at this price, developed by a restaurateur who spent years travelling to Mexico to source the best tequilas; eventually, he brewed his own and Ocho is the delicious result. This versatile tequila is ideal for mixing in cocktails and is also widely considered an ideal sipping tequila. Ocho is available at most online spirit specialists such as The Whiskey Store.
Price Point: £41-£70
Our next recommendation is the Kah Skull Añejo Tequila, particularly distinctive by its skull-shaped bottle. This tequila is a fine tasting añejo that breaks the trend of the limited flavours of spicy or sweet. Here, the notes you’ll detect are coffee, tobacco and bitter chocolate. It’s available from most web retailers and priced around £60-65 mark for a 70cl bottle.
For those with a sweeter palate who aren’t so keen on oakey and spicy tequilas, maybe try the Casamigos Reposado Tequila. This is the brainchild of actor George Clooney and model Rande Gerber. They could never quite find the right tequila for their tastes, so they decided to create one. It has pleasing caramel and vanilla notes. What’s more, for the uninitiated, there is no burn from the whisky barrel aging. It retails in the UK for around the £55-60 mark for 70cl at a range of web and retail stockists including Amazon.
Price Point: £71-£100
Now we’re beginning to enter into the territory of the expensive tequilas; the first of our choices for best tequila in this price range is the Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, retailing at around £90 for a 70cl bottle. The price alone determines that it is a sipping tequila and it has the honour of being the world’s first official extra añejo. The flavour varies year on year, but notes include cinnamon, cranberry, marzipan and bitter cocoa. It’s available from most online stockists in the UK.
Business Insider voted Alquimia Reserva de Don Adolfo Extra Añejo Tequila as the world’s best tequila. Sadly, it does not seem to have any UK suppliers, but you may be able to buy it as an import. The converted price rate puts it around £90 for a 70cl bottle. Often compared to a fine cognac, it’s a three-year aged top of the line tequila with notes of cinnamon, autumnal spices and herbs.
Price Point: £110-£150
If you’re serious about expensive tequila then you might consider Don Julio 1942, which comes in at around £129 for a 70cl bottle. Flavours include vanilla, chocolate, almonds and other nuts, making this a generally sweeter tipple than some others in our guide. Tequila connoisseurs also point out its supreme smoothness and satisfying texture. You can buy this from most online spirit specialists.
Producers of the Fortaleza Añejo pride themselves on sticking with traditional methods of distillation including using a volcanic stone wheel to crush the agave. Priced at around £130 for a 70cl bottle, this tequila has tasting notes of caramel and butterscotch for those with a sweeter palate. Order directly from their UK suppliers or from any good online alcohol stockist. It’s also available at Harrods.
Price Point: £150+
For the serious tequila drinker willing to spend to ensure quality, there are few tequilas better than a 7-year-old Gran Orendain Extra Añejo. Gran Orendain is a luxury brand, and this is the crème de la crème of their range. Triple distilled and aged for seven years, you won’t find many smoother than this. The juxtaposition of savoury and sweet notes is typically reminiscent of aged tequilas. Available from The Whiskey Exchange and other online spirit retailers.
If you’re willing to spend serious money, a 175cl bottle of Gran Patron Platinum Blanco Tequila will set you back about £550. However, this is over double the size of a standard bottle so it’s not quite as expensive as initially assumed; a 70cl bottle costs around £200. Triple distilled, it claims to be the world’s smoothest tequila with sweet flavours and a silky texture. Definitely a sipping tequila despite its silver label.
