Are you the type of drinker who loves the bright, biting, and vegetal flavors of a good additive-free tequila? Then, you should be drinking high-proof tequila.
If you’ve never experienced a high-proof tequila, imagine your favorite tequila, but… more. It’s more biting, more agave-forward, with a stronger emphasis on the vegetal, grassy, fruity, and earthy flavors, with a more pronounced burn. With a high-proof tequila, you’re trading in smoothness and delicate vanilla qualities, but what you’re gaining is a more nuanced, complex, and natural-tasting spirit.
And while our favorites are all sip-worthy and drinkable straight, we think high-proof tequila is at its best when mixed into a cocktail. The way a high-proof tequila instantly elevates everything from ranch water to a margarita or paloma is a quick and easy way to level up your cocktails, so we’re shouting out our 10 favorite high proof tequilas and ranking them from good to great.
Let’s dive in!
10. Alma Del Jaguar — Nocturna Blanco 101 Proof
ABV: 50.5% (101 Proof)
Price: $64.99
The Tequila:
A fairly new brand on my radar, Alma Del Jaguar’s Nocturna offers a spicy, zesty, and naturally sweet additive-free tequila that packs a powerful punch. It’s also my favorite expression from the brand’s portfolio.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1414, Feliciano Vivanco, with single estate agave cooked low and slow, roller mill extracted, and mixed with local well water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Very spicy on the nose, I’m getting intense cayenne earthiness, black pepper, and a touch of salt water.
Palate: That spice makes way for warm citrus notes, floral honey, and a lot of agave.
Finish: Warm, long and mineral-rich with a spicy kiss on the aftertaste.
Bottom Line:
An ideal foundation for spicy-leaning cocktails.
9. Alto Canto — High Proof Blanco
ABV: 48% (96 Proof)
Price: $89.99
The Tequila:
A bit on the tamer end of the spectrum, I think Alto Canto’s High Proof Blanco is a great starter bottle for opening up your palate to the wonders of high-ABV tequila.
This additive-free blanco comes in at 96 proof and features a relatively smooth experience despite the higher alcohol content. The tequila is produced at NOM 1636, Tequila El Rocio, using agave cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona extracted, and mixed with natural spring water, which gives it some palpable minerality.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamy and a bit lactic with notes of rich cocoa and raw agave.
Palate: Suprisingly soft with a grassy green agave forward quality. As those initial flavors pass the palate, I’m getting some asparagus and green pepper with a tart green apple skin that hovers gently on the backend.
Finish: Buttery with a kiss of roasted agave that produces a gentle heat on the aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Buttery and mildly spicy. This is very agave-forward but still delicate. A great starter bottle that’ll help transform your cocktails without making you wince.
8. Cazcanes Blanco No. 9
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Price: $91.99
The Tequila:
Cazcanes’ Blanco No. 9 is a bottle that keeps appearing on our lists, and for good reason. This stuff is excellent. It’s highly vegetal, buttery, additive-free, and agave-forward. It hits all the tequila snob buzzwords, but most importantly, delivers big flavors.
Produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, No. 9 is made from autoclave cooked agave that is roller mill extracted, mixed with spring water, and fermented in stainless steel thanks before being twice distilled through a stainless pot with a copper coil.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich layers of roasted agave, leather, cocoa, and sweet pea flowers.
Palate: Vegetal and earthy, with notes of cracked black pepper, roasted jalapeño, and a touch of vanilla.
Finish: A mix of caramelized butter and zesty orange peel.
The Bottom Line:
It’s the sort of tequila that makes your mouth water, which makes it ideal for slow sipping or mixing in a high-end cocktail. If you go the cocktail route, we recommend not adding any heavily-sweetened ingredients, keep it to fresh lime juice and high-quality liqueur.
7. Don Fulano Fuerte
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Price: $52.99
The Tequila:
Clocking in at 100 proof, Don Fulano’s Fuerte offers a truly sip-worthy experience. This high-proof has a mellow finish but still boasts a full flavor experience that smacks the palate to attention. It’s a best of both worlds sort of tequila.
Fuerte is produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, from agave slow cooked for 28-32 hours that is then screw mill extracted, mixed with volcanic spring water, and fermented in open-air tanks for 72 to 96 hours.
This tequila is additive-free, so if that’s your jam, this doesn’t disappoint.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bit funky, but notes of rosemary, sage, wet grass, and jasmine help it from being off-putting. There is also some warm inviting agave present.
Palate: Lots of minerality and earthy tones, I’m getting fresh clay, raw coca, and a delicate sweet vanilla kiss.
Finish: A long and spicy finish that sticks to the tongue.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re much more interested in sipping your tequila than mixing it in a drink, Don Fulano’s Fuerte is a great candidate.
6. Tapatío — Blanco 110
ABV: 55% (110 Proof)
Price: $57.99
The Tequila:
Recently, we put a bunch of high-proof tequilas to the blind taste test, and Tapatío came in at number one for us. While it doesn’t top this particular list, we still think its an essential high-proof tequila, and considering it’s on the cheaper end, it’s an easy sell!
Produced at NOM 1139, at the distillery that shares the brand’s name, this tequila is made using agave harvested at peak maturity that is slow-cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with deep well water.
It is 100% additive-free.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: An herbaceous mix of rosemary and thyme with rich caramelized agave, and a light touch of mint.
Palate: Wonderfully warm and citrusy, with a bouquet of spicy anise, cinnamon, and cooked agave.
Finish: Oily and supple with a strong tongue-numbing spicy kick on the backend.
The Bottom Line:
A rich blend of chili spice, cinnamon, and agave-forward flavor, with a warm buttery finish. Perfect for sipping and mixing.
5. G4 — Tequila Blanco 108
ABV: 54% (108 Proof)
Average Price: $79.99
The Tequila:
It’s been a minute since I’ve sung the praises of G4’s 108, so allow me to say it for the people in the back: do not sleep on this tequila. If you see it at the store, pick it up. Don’t think twice.
This is one of the finest additive-free tequila brands in operation, and G4’s 108 proof helps to put what makes this brand so great into focus. A single slip will slap you in the face with bright agave forward flavor.
G4 is produced at NOM 1579, Destileria El Pandillo, from agave cooked in stone brick ovens for 22 hours. Once roasted, the agave is crushed with a metal tahona, mixed with rainwater, and twice distilled in copper pots.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Raw agave and wet stone on the nose. There is also a lot of heat, enough so that a big whiff will make your eyes water.
Palate: Juicy navel oranges, rind zest, and an intense roasted agave flavor.
Finish: Dry, but with a warm roasted nut quality.
The Bottom Line:
A dusty, zesty, agave-forward tequila that’ll deepen and enhance the flavors of your favorite tequila cocktail.
4. Tequila Ocho — Plata Puntas 108
ABV: 54% (108 Proof)
Average Price: $129
The Tequila:
Released this year, Tequila Ocho’s Plata Puntas 108 is the highest-proof expression the brand has ever produced. I’m a bit torn on this one, on the one hand, it’s very good, and not including it in this list would’ve felt wrong because of just how good it is.
On the other hand, I find it prohibitively expensive right now, and I imagine this $100+ price point will start to fall as soon as next year. Just remember, patience is a virtue!
Plata Puntas 108 is produced at NOM 1474, Tequilera Los Alambiques, with agave cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with deep well water. It is then fermented in open-air wooden vats, and twice distilled through a copper pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, dry earth and lime, with a hint of green olive.
Palate: Buttery and earthy, with a briny-olive flavor, and a lot of black pepper.
Finish: A nice warm heat with a touch of mint.
The Bottom Line:
Tequila Ocho’s Plata Puntas is ideal for margaritas and palomas. The way its earthy, green, and briney flavors cut through a cocktail is a quick and easy way to get more agave-forward flavor in your mixed drinks. But it’s a shame it’s so expensive, because it might hold people back from daring to mix it.
3. Fortaleza — Blanco Still Strength
ABV: 48% (92 Proof)
Average Price: $66.99
The Tequila:
The stuff of legends, Fortaleza’s semi-rare Blanco Still Strength is a must if you’re already a fan of the brand. In the intro to this piece, I mentioned that high-proof tequilas offer more and Fortaleza’s Blanco Still Strength perfectly exhibits that. This tastes a lot like the regular Fortaleza Blanco, but the flavors are much more intense and rich.
This tequila is produced using old-fashioned methods at NOM 1493, Tequila Los Abuelos, with agave slow-cooked in stone ovens and crushed with a stone tahona.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, vanilla bean, citrus, sea salt, and black pepper, with a bit of green olive.
Palate: Fruity with a mix of pear, lemon, and orange, a nice soothing herbaceousness, and a luxurious mix of caramelized agave and warm rich vanilla.
Finish: Buttery with a bit of pleasing bitterness on the finish.
The Bottom Line:
Bright, citrus-forward, and fruity, with a warm mix of agave and vanilla. Fortaleza’s Blanco Still Strength is one of the finest tequilas on the market, period. Use it to level-up your favorite tequila cocktail.
2. Wild Common — Tequila Blanco Still Strength
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Average Price: $85
The Tequila:
Don’t let the minimalist label fool you, Wild Common makes some seriously great tequila and its Still Strength Blanco is the brand’s best expression. Crafted by famed master distiller Chava, this additive-free tequila comes out of NOM 1123, Cascahuin, and is made using old-fashioned methods, including stone oven roasting for 72 hours and stone tahona milling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rush of orange rind, cinnamon, anise, and rich agave tones. Agave is a common note to find on the nose of a high-proof tequila, but I don’t think I’ve come across a tequila that offers a warmer representation of note.
Palate: I’m getting high minerality, some sea salt, white pepper, and a mix of citrus, anise, and honeydew.
Finish: A long warm finish with a wonderful silky mouthfeel and a lasting burn.
The Bottom Line:
Wild Common’s Still Strength Blanco offers big and bold flavors and can easily be your favorite if what you’re after is warm, agave rich tequila.
Perfect for slow sipping and mixing alike.
1. Cascahuin — Plata 48
ABV: 48% (96 Proof)
Average Price: $89.99
The Tequila:
Our top pick, Cascahuin’s Plata 48, is the finest high-proof tequila currently on the market. Its price might have you second-guessing on whether you should actually mix this into a cocktail, but as someone who has done it, let me tell you, it doesn’t come across like a waste of a great tequila.
Though, I’d strongly suggest you mix this into something like a ranch water, because you don’t need any added sweetness muddling up the nuance here.
This tequila is produced at NOM 1123, Tequila Cascahuin, with agave slow-cooked in brick ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with well water before being fermented in stainless steel tanks and twice distilled in a stainless pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rush of crushed black peppercorn and juicy citrus zest, with a touch of wet grass, and roasted agave.
Palate: There is a dessert-like quality to this tequila, I’m getting a lot of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, but also natural grassy and vegetal flavors. It’s incredibly well-balanced.
Finish: A mix of butter and zest. The flavors of Cascahuin 48 are incredibly intense, but the finish is surprisingly mellow and dare I say, smooth.
The Bottom Line:
A bouquet of sweet dessert-like tones and grassy natural flavors. Balanced, mellow, and full-flavored, Cascahuin’s Plata 48 is simply the finest high proof tequila you can buy right now.
