Last month we pitted affordable and expensive blanco tequilas against one another and it revealed that great flavor and quality don’t always run parallel to price. Yes, our favorite bottle from that ranking was one of the pricier ones. But it wasn’t the most expensive in our lineup and several of the affordable bottles punched way above their weight class.
That’s great news for budget-minded people who are chasing bottles that will provide them the best value for their money. So this time around, we’re tightening the price range, and instead of blanco tequila we’re putting the focus on reposado tequila. Since reposado tequilas are aged the price tags tend to be a bit heftier so it’ll be interesting to see how the affordable bottles (under $30) hold up against bottles double the price.
Let’s drink!
Methodology:
For this blind taste test, we rounded up a batch of our favorite affordable reposados, some newcomers, and bottles that are incredibly easy to find.
Here is our tasting class:
- Astral — Tequila Reposado
- Cambio — Tequila Reposado
- Cayeya — Blended Reposado
- Don Fulano — Tequila Reposado
- Espolón — Tequila Reposado
- Flecha Azul — Tequila Reposado
- Jose Cuervo — Tradicional Reposado Tequila
- Tres Agaves — Reposado
Part 1: The Tequila Reposado Taste Test:
Taste 1:
Nose: A light kiss of honey atop waves of caramelized agave.
Palate: I’m tasting white pepper and a hint of cayenne over a rich honey sweetness.
Finish: Nice and buttery with an oily mouthfeel and a touch of oak.
Taste 2:
Nose: I’m getting vanilla sweetness and the slightest tinge of alcohol harshness
Palate: An overwhelming rush of black pepper with notes of cheap vanilla and agave. There is a blunt aspect to the flavor here, it lands flat.
Finish: A harsh burn with a blunt oak finish.
Taste 3:
Nose: I’m getting some star jasmine, honey, and a touch of vanilla.
Palate: This one is really putting into perspective how flat the first two tastes here. I’m tasting an initial floral sweetness that shifts into grassy vegetal notes, raw agave, and a touch of vanilla.
Finish: A nice finish that combines caramelized agave and light oak. Really pleasant and savory.
Taste 4:
Nose: I’m smelling a heavy dose of white sugar covering ethanol. There is a noticeable cheapness to the smell here.
Palate: The flavor hits you like a sledgehammer, it’s blunt and harsh with a light sense of grassiness but no agave.
Finish: Flat and lifeless. Very alcohol-heavy.
Taste 5:
Nose: A bit of funk mixed with roasted agave, vanilla, and butterscotch.
Palate: A wonderful mix of chocolate, raisins, and cinnamon — almost like an oatmeal cookie.
Finish: Peppery and chocolatey with a lot of oak.
Taste 6:
Nose: There is a candy-like quality to the nose here, I’m getting a strong whiff of bubblegum and roasted agave.
Palate: A lot going on here, I’m getting a heavy green grass influence with some asparagus notes, flowers, butter scotch, and vanilla.
Finish: Heavy on the oak with a nice burning spice that stays on the tongue and builds in intensity between sips.
Taste 7:
Nose: Warm agave and vanilla, you can smell a bit of the oak on this one and fresh clay.
Palate: Surprisingly light and fruity, I’m getting. a lot of citrus mixed with caramel and vanilla.
Finish: A very mellow finish with some comforting oak notes.
Taste 8:
Nose: Chocolate and agave with a hint of alcohol lurking beneath.
Palate: Roasted agave, cracked black pepper, caramel and citrus dominate the palate here. It’s mellow but unimaginative. It doesn’t really take you anywhere.
Finish: A bit of a burn here with a blunt one-note oak finish.
8. Jose Cuervo — Tradicional Reposado (Taste 4)
ABV: 40%
Price: $23.49
The Tequila:
Out of all the pours I’ve tasted today this is the only one that I would describe as tasting burnt. The liquid was heavily perfumed, the flavors fell flat, and there was a harshness on the aftertaste that was downright off-putting. I hate to be so mean but this bottle is a straight-up skip.
The Bottom Line:
Harsh, flat, and artificial. Skip this one.
7. Astral — Tequila Reposado (Taste 2)
ABV: 40%
Price: $27.99
The Tequila:
While the nose didn’t win me over, I think the flavor offers a lot to work with here. Astral isn’t a great candidate for sipping but it had a pleasing warm spice to it and a nice balance of vanilla and agave that I think would work great in any cocktail.
Astral is produced at NOM 1607, Grupo Solave, and is made using agave cooked in stone ovens, tahona crushed, and twice distilled in copper pots. To reach the repo state, the tequila is aged for five months in single-use American oak bourbon barrels.
The Bottom Line:
A vanilla-forward subtly spicy tequila ideal for mixing.
6. Espolon — Tequila Reposado (Taste 8)
ABV: 40%
Price: $21.99
The Tequila:
Generally, you can’t go wrong with Espolon, for the price, it is one of the best bottles in its league but compared to the pricier options in this tasting, it couldn’t quite keep up. The flavor notes were a bit flat here in comparison, and while when mixed it’s mellow, peppery, and agave-forward, as a straight sipper, you taste its weaker aspects.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1440, Campari, using agave that is cooked in a low-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, mixed with well water, and aged for three months in American white oak barrels.
Espolón is produced at NOM 1440, Campari, using agave that is aged for three months in American White oak barrels.
The Bottom Line:
Great for mixing, but not quite as versatile as what we’ve ranked higher.
5. Flecha Azul — Tequila Reposado (Taste 1)
ABV: 40%
Price: $49.99
The Tequila:
Feel it feel it! Sorry, but Mark Wahlberg is an investor in Flecha Azul and anytime Mark Wahlberg is involved in anything (and he’s involved in a lot — from burgers to gyms, to tequila) I can’t help but bring up the Funky Bunch, even if its an incredibly dated reference.
Just because Mark Wahlberg is plastered all over the Flecha Azul website, don’t let his involvement dissuade you as this liquid is quality! Produced at NOM 1110, Tequila Orendain de Jalisco, Flecha Azul is an additive-free tequila made from agave cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, mixed with spring water, and aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels.
The Bottom Line:
Supple and smooth but with enough bite to remind you that you’re drinking tequila.
4. Tres Agaves — Tequila Reposado (Taste 7)
ABV: 40%
Price: $34.99
The Tequila:
Tres Agaves falls right in that monetary sweet spot for us — sub $40 — and in my opinion punches way above its weight. It was also named one of the Top 100 Spirits Of The Year by Wine Enthusiast, which is a great sign.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, and is made from agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, mixed with well water, fermented in stainless steel tanks, and aged for 9 months in Tennessee whiskey and Kentucky bourbon barrels.
It is certified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker and works well in cocktails and sipped neat.
The Bottom Line:
Light and fruity with a heavy barrel aftertaste that makes it an ideal candidate for cocktails and slow sipping alike.
3. Cayéya — Blended Reposado (Taste 5)
ABV: 40%
Price: $55
The Tequila:
Thanks to its chocolatey tones, peppery bite, and light barrel finish, Cayéya performed excellently in this lineup.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1424, Destiladora de Agave Azul, and is made from single estate harvested agave slow-cooked in brick ovens, mixed with well water, and aged for six months in a mix of French and American wood barrels.
The Bottom Line:
Agave forward with rich chocolate notes and a peppery finish. A fantastic sipper and mixer.
2. Cambio — Tequila Reposado (Taste 6)
ABV: 46%
Price: $59.99
The Tequila:
At above the typical 40% ABV, Cambio’s Tequila Reposado packs a powerful punch on the palate and an undeniably interesting flavor that has me excited to explore this expression further. This was my first time trying the brand so I’m excited to see how it competes against pricier bottles.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1605 from single estate harvest agave that is slow-cooked in brick ovens, tahona extracted, mixed with well water, and fermented in open-air fermentation tanks. To reach the reposado state, the tequila is aged for a month in Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels and then for an additional five in French Oak chardonnay casks.
It is certified additive-free by tequila matchmaker.
The Bottom Line:
Fragrant, agave forward, and spicy with a strong barrel-influenced finish that sticks to the tongue in the best way.
1. Don Fulano — Tequila Reposado (Taste 3)
ABV: 40%
Price:
The Tequila:
Here it is, our top pick! Don Fulano’s additive-free reposado tequila was hands down the winner of today’s taste test thanks to its shifting and nuanced flavors. Its agave forward, floral, with a light vanilla influence and a great oaky finish.
Produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, from highland agave that is cooked for 28 to 32 hours, screw mill extracted, and fermented in open-air tanks for 72 to 96 hours. Once twice distilled the tequila is aged for 8 to 11 months in French Limousin oak casks.
The Bottom Line:
A single sip introduces your palate to a bouquet of flavors from floral honeyed sweetness to complex vegetal notes. Easily one of the best bottles at its price point.
The Big Takeaway:
There weren’t a lot of surprises here, the bottles that cost more generally performed much stronger, with a few exceptions. The real test is to see how our top four here perform against truly expensive reposado tequilas. But that’ll have to wait for another day.
