Best budget tequilas under $30

El Ultimo Agave reposado
Olmeca Altos reposado

I usually make cocktails with blancos/silvers, but some budget reposados can be sipped as well.

If you happen to have Suerte in your market, it's usually priced well, and takes it up another notch.

Hornitos Plata is my favorite.

https://internetwines.com/products/sauza-hornitos-silver-plata-tequila

shawn474 wrote: »

I have really liked the camarena tequila. Good for sipping and mixing in my opinion

This is made from a diffusor process, basically blasting young agave pinas with chemicals in order to extract the sugars. It is a very non-traditional process that produces a product with an un-natural flavor profile.

CH46E wrote: »

Hornitos Plata is my favorite.

https://internetwines.com/products/sauza-hornitos-silver-plata-tequila

Same answer here...made from a diffusor.

This is one of my favorite cheapie tequila's.

I love margaritas! They are even better when listening to latino music on a beach...

CH46E wrote: »

jdjohn wrote: »

shawn474 wrote: »

I have really liked the camarena tequila. Good for sipping and mixing in my opinion

This is made from a diffusor process, basically blasting young agave pinas with chemicals in order to extract the sugars. It is a very non-traditional process that produces a product with an un-natural flavor profile.

CH46E wrote: »

Hornitos Plata is my favorite.

https://internetwines.com/products/sauza-hornitos-silver-plata-tequila

Same answer here...made from a diffusor.

I really know nothing of Tequila processing. Vodka.... yes. But I know I can drink a lot of Hornitos Plata and 1800 Silver with no hangovers or nasty taste. By no means am I a Tequila pro. I dont drink it straight anyways. Only in Margaritas!

I'm a big tequila nerd...got into it heavy about 10 years ago. My wife is into as well, which makes it easier to fund as a hobby. Two years ago, we went on a week-long guided tour trip in Jalisco (around Guadalajara), where 95+% of all tequila is made, and visited 8 small-batch distilleries. The distilleries varied in production methods, going from old-school brick ovens, and mules pulling volcanic millstones to crush the agaves, to modern autoclave ovens, and roller mills (adapted from use for sugar cane/rum production). Some distilleries do fermentation from wild air-born yeast in old wooden vats, and others use their own proprietary yeast in stainless steel tanks. Stills varied from small copper pot stills to huge column stills.

Larger producers like Cuervo, Sauza, and Herradura use a diffusor process for many of the their products, but they also have autoclaves and roller mills as well for certain products.

Patron uses a blend of old-school and modern methods, but to their credit, do not use a diffusor. Of course they produce in large batches, so instead of just one or two copper stills, they have like 10 or 12 going.

Irrenhaus wrote: »

Casadores Añejo. You will need to look but can be found on sale for $29.99

Cheers

Do you know if this is a fairly new label? I think this might be the tequila that I used to buy for margaritas, etc, but stopped being able to find it. If this is what I’m thinking it might be, I’m going to agree with @Irrenhaus. Hard to beat for the $$.

jdjohn wrote: »

Just...no. The brand Cazadores has changed distilleries over the years, and the current incarnation from NOM 1487 is made with a diffusor. The older, vintage bottles from NOM 1128 are desirable, but very rare in 'the wild' at this point.

Jody, I'll agree with that "Just...no".

Barbara and I purchased a bottle of Cazadores about two weeks ago just to make margaritas. It was recommended by the store manager. We did not like it. This is coming from two people who went through "TEQUILA CONVERSION" about a year ago after some lessons from Jody.

We put the Cazadores away to use later. We got the Don Julio Reposado out and sipped some to compare and then we made new margaritas. No comparison. Don Julio Reposado has become our favorite.

A 375ml bottle of Don Julio Reposado can be purchased for about $30 for those special sipping occasions.

Tequila Matchmaker https://www.tequilamatchmaker.com/en is the best website (they have an app as well) for information on different brands. If you search on a particular brand, and look at 'Production Details', and then 'Extraction', you can see if a diffuser was used. You can also apply filters on their entire database to show a comprehensive list of brands that use a diffuser.

Brands are not required by law to disclose whether or not they use a diffuser, so the TM database has been built from the ground up by people who inquire directly or visit the distilleries.

Another aspect to consider in tequila is the use of additives. It is perfectly legal, and within regulations, for brands to use a very small amount (2%, I think) of additives such as glycerin, coloring, or flavoring. Of course these all impart a fake taste that I personally don't like...I like the authentic taste of the cooked agave. Again, producers are not required to disclose the use of additives. However, some brands want to distinguish themselves, and have gone on record to say they are "additive-free". You can filter on that as well in the TM database.

I am a self-proclaimed tequila snob, but people should obviously drink what they like.

audioluvr wrote: »

jdjohn wrote: »

I am a self-proclaimed tequila snob, but people should obviously drink what they like.

You should start a "Tequila for snobs" discussion. Actually I think we have one like that on here somewhere.

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2515415#Comment_2515415