Don Julio 1942
Don Julio is by far my favorite tequila brand all the way around (although I stay away from the Blanco which is surprisingly bad). 1942 is arguably the best bottle of tequila ever made. Its the bottle I’ve gifted the most for special occasions. It’s not cheap ($125) but when I splurge, this is the bottle I buy. Its incredibly smooth with a slight oakiness and virtually no burn. I like it best neat (straight with no ice at room temperature).
Don Julio 70
Sticking to the Don Julio theme, this bottle was released on the 70th anniversary of Don Julio which was in 2012 (the 1942 bottle above was the first year Don Julio started distilling tequila). This bottle was one of the first to be distilled in white oak barrels leading to a clear color for an añejo that has since then been replicated by other tequila makers. I remember being in Mexico when this was first released and coming across the bottle and being blown away by the beauty of it. I expected it would be gimmicky but I was completely wrong. When you see the clear color you don’t expect such an amazing smoothness and sweetness. I can drink this all day long when its chilled.
Herradura Ultra
While Don Julio popularized the trend of the clear añejo, Herradura perfected it. Its hard for me to admit but when given the option I will pick Ultra over Don Julio 70 although you can’t go wrong with either. It has a similar taste to the 70 but it has an extra oakiness and smoothness that makes it amazing. Both of these bottles are a great bang for the buck (~$65) compared to some others on this list.
Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia
It’s borderline blasphemous to include a Jose Cuervo bottle in a list of best tequila’s but this bottle really redeemed the brand at the high end of the market. This was released back in 1995 and I had serious reservations but man was I surprised. Its a very unique and full body tequila with a strong oaky flavor.
Casamigos Mezcal
Yes this is not a tequila, its a mezcal but I had to include this in the list. Mezcal is not known to be a sipping spirit because it usually has a very overpowering taste but I was completely blown away by the smoothness of this mezcal. Typically tequila made by celebrities sucks (i.e. Cabo Wabo) but the entire Casamigos lineup is quite good. And this mezcal is the best of their lineup in my opinion. The signature mezcal smokiness comes through but is much more subtle with a very smooth finish. If your a fan of the mezcal taste (not everyone is) this is the mezcal to sip.