Tequila price tiers aren’t that difficult to navigate. Bottles that hit between the $30 and $50 range will generally get you in the sweet spot. It’s enough money to spend on a bottle to get some real quality without totally breaking the bank. Having said that, it’s those bottles under sit just under $100 that truly take the experience somewhere special. These unique expressions provide the brightness, the bite, and the complex vegetal tones of agave without the sort of additives that wring out all the character in service of “drinkability.”
To help you navigate the world of truly great tequila — the type that you sip or mix in a premium cocktail after a long day or break out to impress your friends — we’re shouting out the absolute best bottles of tequila you can find for under $100. Expect blanco, reposado, and añejo tequilas. If it’s under $100 and great (keyword: “great”) we’re going to talk about it.
Let’s be clear about this list — it’s a celebration of the best. Since every one of these bottles is a winner, it was tough to rank them, so take comfort in knowing that no matter where you land on this list, you’re going to leave the store with something worth bragging about. Still, we did rank them because… it’s more fun that way! Let’s drink.
10. Volcan de Mi Tierra Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $59.99
The Tequila:
Until very recently my only experience with Volcan de Mi Tierra was the brand’s exclusive bottle-service-only XA blend, which we gave a full review here. I loved that bottle and I love the philosophy of the brand, but I’ve only been lucky enough to drink the reposado on a few occasions and it has lingered in my mind as much or even more than the XA.
From NOM 1523, Agrotequilera de Jalisco, Volcan harvests its agave from the volcanic soil of the Tequila Valley and utilizes stone and brick oven cooking, tahona extraction, wood fermentation tanks with champagne yeast, and various rests in French oak barrels, American white oak barrels, and cognac casks for 135 days.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey and agave on the nose with a hint of tropical fruit.
Palate: Stone fruit and citrus with strong oak notes and vanilla. Very flavorful!
Finish: I’m getting some peach and dark berries on the finish, vanilla, caramel, and smooth oak.
The Bottom Line:
Volcan de Mi Tierra offers a fantastic bouquet of shifting flavors with a beautiful finish that pulls you in for sip after sip.
09. Tepozan Blanco
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $44.99
The Tequila:
At just under $50, Tepozan Blanco probably belongs in our “Best Tequila Under $50” list, but when I wrote that article I hadn’t yet tried this brand and now that I have, it’s almost criminal that a bottle of tequila this good goes for under $50.
Hailing from NOM 1584, Tequila El Tepozan, this blanco is made from estate-grown mature blue agave that was hand cut and harvested and fermented with natural yeast and volcanic filtered well water with absolutely no additives. Its purity at its finest, made in small batches from ingredients straight from the land, the way tequila should be!
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave and a pleasing earthy dustiness. It’s noticeably natural.
Palate: A big kick from this tequila, it hits the palate with a prominent spicy splash with cooked agave on the forefront with some earthy black pepper notes and some minerality.
Finish: Bright and vegetal. There is an astringent vibe to the finish here, not unlike bourbon, but with a much brighter and less sweetened profile.
The Bottom Line:
A pure-tasting blanco tequila that punches well above its price point.
08. El Tequileño Gran Reserva Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $53.99
The Tequila:
El Tequileño’s Gran Reserva Reposado is a multi-silver-award winning tequila, pulling in accolades from the International Spirits Challenge, Spirit Selection, and TAG Global Spirits as well as a gold medal at the Spirits Business Awards Tequila and Mezcal masters last year — the hype is warranted.
The only brand currently in production at NOM 1108, Jorge Salles Cuervo y Sucesores, El Tequileño’s Gran Reserva Repo is aged for 8 months in American oak barrels and blended with a touch of Añejo for an additive-free aged tequila that brings forth mellow flavors and a natural sweetness that makes it incredibly easy to sip over rocks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Incredibly fruity, tropical notes on the nose that brings to mind banana and mango with some sweet caramel hovering over it.
Palate: Vanilla and oak with a silky smooth buttery mouthfeel, it leaves your palate feeling wet. Truly savory.
Finish: A quick finish that dissipates quickly. The faintest hint of cinnamon dominates the after taste but it fades fast. If you like to savor the flavor, this one doesn’t stick around long enough, but nothing is stopping you from reaching for another sip. Maybe that’s its magic!
The Bottom Line:
Incredibly pleasing on the nose with a buttery lip-smacking mouthfeel and vanilla-forward flavor worth savoring.
7. Tequila G4 108 Blanco
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $58.94
The Tequila:
Hailing from NOM 1579, Destileria El Pandillo, and produced by four-generation (hence the name) master distiller Felipe Camarena, this 108-proof tequila — not to be confused with G4’s flagship blanco — is one of the brightest bottles I’ve ever tasted.
The agave here is cooked in stone brick ovens for 22 hours, crushed in a metal tahona, and relies on a split of natural spring and rainwater to finish before being twice distilled in copper pots.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Prominent agave and minerality. There is a spikiness that presents itself on aroma alone, you know what you’re getting into before it hits the palate. A good whiff made my eyes water.
Palate: Like a slap in the face, this is strong tequila. It hits you with a strong agave punch with bright notes of citrus bouncing off the palate. If you love agave, you’re not going to find a tequila that tastes more like it than this.
Finish: A bit nutty with a dry almost harsh finish in the best way possible. It burns in the chest and raises your body temperature.
The Bottom Line:
This tequila is no joke, it’s bright, highly agave focused, and hits the senses like a slap in the face. It also spits in the faces of additive-heavy tequilas. This is purity at its most dangerous and deeply enjoyable.
6. Don Fulano Añejo
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $89.99
The Tequila:
Don Fulano’s Añejo is straight-up incredible. Made from a mix of tequilas aged in French limousine and Nevers ex wine oak casks for 30 months, this añejo is produced by famed Master Distillers Enrique Fonseca and Sergio Mendoza, referred to simply as ‘E. Fonseca’ and ’S. Mendoza’ on the Dun Fulano website, which speaks to the power and renown.
Don Fulano is produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, and utilizes screw press extraction and natural spring volcanic rock water, Maduro and Pinto agave sourced from the Atontonilco highlands, and open tank fermentation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spicy cinnamon and baked fruit. A hint of orange zest hovers above the sweeter characteristics.
Palate: Dry but sweet, prominent vanilla and rich chocolate flavor mingle with floral honey and woody notes.
Finish: Sweet and pleasing but with a sort of leathery ruggedness that gives you that characteristic bite tequila is loved for. Hints of mint linger nicely on the aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Perfect for slow sipping and savoring but not so mellowed out that it lacks bite.
5. Cierto Tequila Private Collection Blanco
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $89.99
The Tequila:
Cierto is a hot brand in the tequila space right now and I’ve recently acquired the company’s full portfolio of private collection expressions, and I have to say — overall it’s pretty astounding. It’s also incredibly pricey so only the Blanco hits that under $100 threshold!
Hailing from NOM 1146, Tequileña, is made from single estate Blue Weber agave and utilizes screw and roller mill extraction, natural spring water, and copper pot distillation. With the legendary team of Master Distillers Enrique Fonseca and Sergio Mendoza behind it, Cierto on paper sounds a whole lot like Don Fulano, coming from the same distillery and the same masterful craftsmanship. It’s been a minute since I’ve had Don Fulano’s blanco, but I’d be very interested to taste them side by side.
Of the lot, Cierto’s Blanco is my least favorite, which is really saying something for how high up in this list it sits, especially when compared to the more complex and characterful reposados that follow. The brand deserves a full review, and it’ll come soon!
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Herbaceous, floral, and citrusy, Cierto’s blanco is incredibly pleasing on the nose and inviting.
Palate: Vegetal, with prominent agave and citrus notes and a hint of dusty black pepper on the backend. One of the brightest blancos I’ve tasted in recent memory.
Finish: Smooth with a gentle kick of smoke at the finish.
The Bottom Line:
Cierto lives up to its hype, simply one of the finest blanco tequilas you will ever taste. It’s pure and direct with a focused bouquet of flavors that always gives you something new to latch onto.
4. El Tesoro Tequila Añejo
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $71.99
The Tequila:
El Tesoro is the stuff of legends, but take this review with this caveat — I love El Tesoro’s extra añejo, but when I taste the regular añejo, I long for the complexity of the extra-aged variety. Unfortunately for the brand, that extra añejo is going to cost you well over $100, so we’re going to have to go with the less-aged version for this list. Maybe I’m underrating it, but that extra añejo is one of my all-time favorites, so call me biased!
El Tesoro’s Añejo comes from NOM 1139, La Alteña, and is aged for two to three years in ex-bourbon American White Oak barrels, which give it a very pleasing and complex woody characteristic. .
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bouquet of vanilla, oak, and roasted agave. Very pleasing to the nose.
Palate: Very floral and herbaceous with a sweet and natural agave flavor with black pepper and shifting oak notes that taste different with each sip.
Finish: More agave with a sumptuous mouth-watering finish.
The Bottom Line:
Smooth, woody, and pleasant. The flavors constantly shift providing a journey of flavors that starts floral and ends earthy and roasted.
3. Tequila Ocho Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $54.49
The Tequila:
A single estate tequila from NOM 1474, Cía Tequila Los Alambiques, Tequila Ocho’s reposado is made from agave harvested from Los Alto de Jalisco at peak maturity between seven to 10 years, slow cooked in brick ovens for 48 hours, cooled for an additional 24 before the piñas are crushed in a roller mill and fermented for 100 hours in open air wood fermentation tanks.
The tequila is then aged in bourbon barrels for over eight weeks, resulting in a mellow tequila that is full of shifting flavors. One of the most interesting reposados in this price range.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave and prominent vanilla notes with a hint of oak. The nose doesn’t really express just how fruit-filled and colorful this tequila tastes.
Palate: The fruitiness is surprising, prominent notes of citrus, mango, melon, and pineapple dominate, with a spicy cinnamon and roasted agave body. The oak is well-balanced and doesn’t overpower.
Finish: Creamy, sumptuous, smooth, and round, with a mouthwatering savory almost buttery finish.
The Bottom Line:
Surprisingly fruity, supple, and smooth. Also — a crazy bargain buy at this price.
2. Mijenta Reposado Tequila
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $73.43
The Tequila:
In all honestly, I went back and forth between Tequila Ocho and Mijenta for the number two spot on this list, but ultimately, I’m going to have to give the silver medal spot to Mijenta for its shockingly easy drinkability.
Hailing from NOM 1412, Destiladora de Los Altos, Mijenta’s Reposado is a small batch spirit that is aged for six months in American white oak, French oak, and French acacia casks via specifications from tequila Maestra Ana Maria Romero.
The result is supremely smooth and flavorful, while still presenting as grassy, bright, and natural. Be warned that if you love oak notes, Mijenta’s reposado doesn’t present them very strongly. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but worth mentioning.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Inviting vanilla and honey tickle the nose and seduce the senses before your first sip.
Palate: A journey of roasted agave, floral honey, and a fruity medley of banana, citrus, and melon with notes of green grass and bell pepper.
Finish: Smooth and long with a kiss of spice on the back end.
The Bottom Line:
Pleasing to so many senses with its golden hay appearance and sleek glass bottle, it looks delicious, smells delicious, and tastes delicious with a pleasingly oily mouthfeel and a bouquet of bright flavors.
1. Fortaleza Tequila Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $56.99
The Tequila:
This isn’t the first time we’ve sung the praises of Fortaleza. When it comes to reposado tequilas under $100, this is sort of the gold standard. It took number one in our double blind taste test of reposados and routinely lands on many tequila experts’ favorites lists, for good reason, it’s great!
Produced at NOM 1493, Jalisco’s Tequila Los Abuelos, this additive-free tequila is made using deep well natural spring water and weber agave from the tequila valley that is stone crushed by a volcanic stone tahona, fermented for four days in open air wood fermentation tanks, twice distilled in copper pots, and rested in re-charred white oak barrels for seven months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, vanilla, caramel, and oak.
Palate: Herbaceous with a bright and zesty citrus tone, sweet vanilla that warms the palate and waters the mouth. I’m getting a bit of all-spice in there on the aftertaste.
Finish: Smooth, round, balanced, and oak centric with a long and warm finish that is worth savoring.
The Bottom Line:
Not only the best reposado but one of the best bottles of tequila you’re going to buy for under $100. Ever. Tequila at its finest.
