Having written about tequila at Uproxx for a number of years, I’ve become the go-to person in my friend group (and family group chat) for . This is harder than it sounds, because while I’d like to recommend bottles that I think are the “ ,” tastes vary between people. So more often than not, I’m making my recommendations based on a few things.
First, I ask myself, how often does this person drink tequila? Because if the answer is rarely, then I’m not going to suggest something bright, , and biting — I’m more likely to suggest something that has a bigger vanilla influence, something that will go down a lot . Then I ask: what’s the venue? If this is a bottle to bring home, the answer is easier, if the person is at a bar or in the middle of dinner at a restaurant, my answer is going to be different, because while there are hundreds of tequila brands out there, at local bars and restaurants, there is a group of usual suspects. So to help you find the best tequila at your local watering hole or the next time you’re sitting down for dinner at your favorite restaurant, we ranked the most likely bottles you’ll come across.
So tequila nerds, don’t come for me talking about how I didn’t include Fortaleza or [insert your favorite additive-free brand here]. This is a list based on common bottles that are more often than not stocked at most bars. Let’s drink! 10.
Espolon — Tequila Reposado 40% Espolòn is where you should start. A well tequila will often be .