If you want that smooth, complex, and mellow experience that reposado tequila offers, it’s going to be hard to find if you aren’t willing to spend more than $30. Hard, but not impossible! There are a lot of reposado tequilas out there under $30, but the vast majority of them are bad, we can think of ten that actually punch above their weight so to help deliver the best bang for your buck we’re naming them, and ranking them from worst to best.
Are you going to find a lot of additive-free tequilas that offer a world of complexities with every sip? Not really, but you will find some bottles that offer up a pleasing mellow experience that’ll go down a lot smoother than a cheap and affordable blanco. Just reserve these bottles for cocktails and shots rather than something you straight-sip.
Let’s dive into the 10 best reposado tequilas under $30.
Cazadores Reposado
ABV: 40%
Price: $23.99
The Tequila:
Kicking off our list is Cazadores, a brand that is readily available pretty much anywhere tequila is sold. It is the only diffuser-made (a bad word amongst tequila snobs) tequila on this list, but unlike other brands that utilize a diffuser, this tequila actually has quite a bit of flavor.
Produced at NOM 1487, Bacardi y Compañia, the agave is cooked and extracted via an autoclave and diffuser before being fermented in stainless steel tanks to the sounds of classical music. Yes, that last bit is something the brand is really proud of, and we suppose it certainly sounds appealing, but c’mon. You have to know that makes no difference to the end product.
Once distilled, the tequila is then rested for two months to a year in virgin American oak barrels to reach the reposado state.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Heavy wafts of vanilla and caramel over nail polish remover.
Palate: That vanilla from the nose is the primary note on the palate joined by caramel candies, a slight hint of pepper and cinnamon, and a
noticeable minerality.
Finish: Smooth oak on the finish, caramel, and an alcohol burn.
The Bottom Line:
Smooth and very vanilla forward, with a somewhat forgettable finish.
Astral Reposado
ABV: 40%
Price: $27.99
The Tequila:
If you like your tequila to lean on the vanilla side, while stiff offering some zestyness, Astral strikes that balance.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1607, Grupo Solave, and is made using stone cooked agave that is tahona crushed, twice distilled through copper pots, and aged for five months in American oak ex-bourbon barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A heavy dose of vanilla weakened slightly by some ethanol notes.
Palate: Peppery and zesty with some perfumed vanilla flavors, a touch of roasted agave, and a bit of floral honey.
Finish: A strong burn at the finish with some dull oak notes.
The Bottom Line:
With its sweet vanilla and peppery tones, Astral works best as a mixing tequila.
Corralejo Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $29.99
The Tequila:
You’ve no doubt seen Corralejo’s beautiful glittering sapphire bottle and wondered if it’s any good, so we’re happy to report that yes. Sometimes (not often) a bottle can telegraph quality before you even take a sip, and Corralejo’s reposado is one of those bottles.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1369, Tequilera Corralejo, using agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave before being roller mill extracted, double distilled and aged in American oak barrels for four months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A whiff of smoke hovers over a base of roasted agave and bright lime notes.
Palate: Cinnamon and vanilla dominates the flavor balanced out with raw green pepper flavors and oak.
Finish: There is a slight burn here, but the oak helps to mellow that out.
The Bottom Line:
A balance of dessert and vegetal tones that work excellently in a margarita or paloma.
Milagro Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $26.99
The Tequila:
For affordable tequila that punches above its weight, you can always count on Milagro.
Of Milagro’s expression, the repo is by far the brand’s masterpiece, so including it in this list was a no-brainer. This tequila is produced at NOM 1559, Tequila Milagro, with agave slow-cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, fermented in stainless steel tanks, and aged for 2-4 months in American white oak barels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Agave and oak dominate, rich confection-like notes pull you in and a hint of cinnamon lurks underneath the layers.
Palate: Unfortunately that sweetness doesn’t completely translate to the flavor, you get the roasted agave flavor and an overpowering bit of oak, but there is an ethanol-like body that weighs the whole thing down.
Finish: It ends with a burn and a small vanilla lift with a hint of zesty citrus.
The Bottom Line:
A bit harsher on the finish than other tequilas in this price range, but what you lose in smoothness you gain in nuance and complexity. A fair trade!
Espolòn — Tequila Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $22.99
The Tequila:
You may have clicked on this article thinking, “what else is out there besides Espolòn,” and that’s fair. Almost anybody who drinks tequila knows that this brand is pretty solid, but just because that’s well known, that doesn’t mean it should be left off this list.
And you may know that Espolòn is great tequila for the price, but you may not know that the brand’s absolute best expression is the reposado.
Produced at NOM 1440, Campari Mexico, the agave in this tequila is harvested at peak maturity before being autoclave cooked, roller mill extracted, and twice distilled in a stainless pot with a copper coil. For the repo state, the tequila is rested in American oak barrels for three months, mellowing it out to perfection.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Mellow and warm with a rich caramelized agave character.
Palate: Juicy pineapple and crushed black pepper. The more natural notes are backed by a rich caramel character.
Finish: Butter and oak, with a very pleasing finish.
The Bottom Line:
Espolòn reposado is tropical, zesty, juicy — and best of all versatile. Use this for shots and mixed drinks.
Olmeca Altos Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $25.59
The Tequila:
When it comes to blanco tequilas, Olmeca Altos goes down as one of the best brands for the money, so how does the repo stack up? Like its unaged counterpart, it’s pretty great for the price.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1111, Pernod Ricard Mexico, and follows traditional production methods like stone cooking the agave, and extracting the piñas with a tahona.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dusty grapefruit notes with a slight woody character.
Palate: More citrus on the palate, with hints of toasty caramel, creamy buttery, and a touch of dry lemon grass.
Finish: Smooth at first, but a subtle burn will build on the tongue the more you drink.
The Bottom Line:
While not quite as focused as its blanco counterpart, Olmeca Altos’ reposado offers smooth and mellow flavors for a price that is impossible not to be thrilled with.
Mi Campo — Tequila Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $26.99
The Tequila:
Mi Campo is a solid, workhorse tequila that is perfect for shots, big-batch margaritas, and more focused complex cocktails.
Produced at NOM 1137, La Cofradia, Mi Campo uses classic low and slow cooking methods before being roller mill extracted, open-air fermented among local citrus trees (it remains to be seen if this really makes a difference), and finished in oak wine casks, which give it a rich color and a sort of fruity vibe.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Very sweet, dominated by floral vanilla and rich deep cocoa notes.
Palate: Oak forward, there are some earthy pepper notes, but without bright citrus tones to balance it out, it comes across as a bit harsh. But there is a nice spicy kick to it that piques the curiosity and inspires repeat sips.
Finish: Oily on the finish with a nice vanilla kiss.
The Bottom Line:
Rich cocoa tones, sweet vanilla, a smooth finish — Mi Campo is a real crowd-pleaser.
Corazón Single Estate Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $22.49
The Tequila:
While it is from the brand’s lowest tier, Corazón’s Single Estate reposado is an absolute steal at this price point! Produced at NOM 1103, Tequila San Matias de Jalisco, this single-estate tequila is made using agave cooked low and slow, before being roller mill extracted and aged in American white oak barrels for 6-8 months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Warm and spicy at the nose. Alongside roasted agave and barrel notes, I’m getting a bit of sage and cardamom.
Palate: Juicy orange citrus kissed with soft vanilla tones, a hint of almond, and herbaceous notes of thyme.
Finish: Wet oak, but a blunt quality that falls off quickly. You don’t get to savor the flavors, unfortunately.
The Bottom Line:
Complex, nuanced, spicy and warm. One of the best tequilas in its price range.
Arette — Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $25.99
In our ranking of the best blanco tequilas under $25, we gave Arette blanco the top spot, and we came incredibly close to giving the brand’s additive-free reposado tequila the top spot again.
Produced at NOM 1109, Tequila Arette de Jalisco, the agave here is cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, fermented in stainless steel tanks, and twice distilled in a stainless pot with a copper coil.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rich blend of caramelized agave and vanilla contrasted by a bit of ethanol burn.
Palate: That burn is absent on the palate, instead what we have here is a bouquet of vanilla and black pepper, a hit of floral honey, and a grassy vegetal character.
Finish: The oak comes out on the finish, which is smooth and supple. Very easy to drink.
The Bottom Line:
A balance between dessert and grassy tones with a smooth and supple finish.
Cimarron — Tequila Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $29.99 (1 Liter)
The Tequila
Without a doubt, our pick for the best reposado tequila under $30 is Cimarron. The flavors are nuanced, complex, and ever-shifting, and the finish is easily the smoothest and most pleasing in this lineup. Also, its only $30 for a whole liter! You’re really getting a lot of bang for your buck here.
This additive-free tequila is made from single-estate agave that is autoclave cooked, roller mill extracted, mixed with well water, and rested for three to six months in American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spicy cinnamon, roasted agave, and just a bit of oak. There is a very mellow and pleasing quality to this inviting tequila.
Palate: The smell translates directly to the palate. Agave and cinnamon dominate with some caramel notes, a bit of brown sugar molasses, and some of that barrel.
Finish: Floral with a mix of vanilla and dry oak.
The Bottom Line:
Spicy and cinnamon forward with a smooth and supple finish, and the right amount of barrel characteristics. Cimarron is easily the best tequila in its price range.
