Blanco, Reposado, Añejo: A Tequila Cheat Sheet for the Home Bar

Confused by tequila labels? Here's how the aging works, what to sip versus shake, and three go-to bottles we never run out of.

Tequila has more category labels per square inch of bottle than almost any other spirit. Once you know what they mean, the choice gets simple.

The non-negotiable: 100% agave

If a bottle doesn't say "100% agave" on it, it's a mixto — meaning the producer can mix in up to 49% other sugars (usually corn or cane). Mixtos are responsible for most "I had bad tequila once" stories. Stick to 100% agave and 90% of your problems disappear.

The three styles, by aging

Blanco (a.k.a. Plata, Silver)

Bottled within 60 days of distillation, no oak aging (or very minimal). Bright, peppery, herbaceous, with the actual taste of cooked agave coming through. Use it for: margaritas, palomas, and any cocktail where you want bright flavors. Sip it: only with a top-shelf bottle.

Reposado ("rested")

Aged 2–12 months in oak barrels (often used bourbon barrels). Smoother than blanco, with vanilla and caramel notes layered on top of agave. Use it for: sipping, old-fashioned-style tequila drinks, and "fancy margaritas" where you want more weight. The most versatile of the three.

Añejo ("aged")

Aged 1–3 years. Heavily oak-influenced — vanilla, butterscotch, baking spice. The agave is still there but takes a back seat. Use it for: sipping neat, alongside a cigar, or replacing whiskey in cocktails. Generally too valuable for cocktails like a margarita.

Extra Añejo

Aged 3+ years. Closer to a single-malt scotch in feel. Gorgeous, expensive, sip-only.

3 bottles we never run out of

Espolòn Blanco — ~$25

The best bang-for-buck blanco on our shelf. 100% agave, clean, makes excellent margaritas, looks great on a back bar.

Cazadores Reposado — ~$28

Smooth, balanced, doesn't taste "young." Equally happy in a cocktail or in a glass with a single ice cube.

Don Julio 1942 — ~$160 (special occasion)

If someone asks "what's the best sipping tequila under $200" — this is the answer. Caramel, butter, cinnamon, finish that lasts a minute.

How to taste tequila like it's a real spirit

1. Use a small wine glass, not a shot glass. Surface area matters.
2. Smell with your mouth open, the way you would with whiskey.
3. Sip a small amount, hold it on your tongue for 5 seconds before swallowing. The first sip wakes up your palate; the second is where flavor opens up.
4. No salt, no lime. Those are for masking bad tequila. Good tequila doesn't need either.

If you only buy one

Get a Reposado. It's the most flexible — handles every cocktail in the home bar handbook and is also drinkable neat. Espolòn or Cazadores both qualify, and either lasts longer than you'd expect once you stop ruining them with bad mixers.

Looking for a starter set? We can build a 3-bottle blanco / repo / añejo flight you can taste through at home — just message us with your budget.