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“The tequila market is booming, no doubt about that,” says Wine Enthusiast Spirits Reviewer Kara Newman. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., tequila sales rose 8% in 2023 versus the previous year, she notes.
While 2024 stats have yet to be released, “some pundits suggest tequila may knock vodka out of the top spot, and it’s certainly giving American whiskey a run for the money,” Newman adds. “It should be interesting to see what happens in the year ahead.”
Tequila drinkers are spoiled for choice these days. There are thousands of options on the market, from popular bottles to mix into a margarita or Mexican martini to celebrity-owned brands and boundary-pushing bottles that have been “smoked,” rested in former coffee barrels and use other innovative techniques. It seems there’s an ever-constant influx of tequilas debuting on U.S. liquor store shelves, including a surge of “premium” bottles intended for savoring slowly.
But this year, Newman set her sights on reposado tequila, the slightly aged versions that spend two months up to one year in wood barrels. This is why the bulk of the bottles that made it to Wine Enthusiast’s list of Top 100 Spirits of 2024 fall under that category. “Reposado was a 2024 focus category, and the Top 100 is compiled exclusively from tastings done throughout the year,” she says.
Smooth Selections for Straight Sipping
Some purists staunchly believe that reposado is the ideal sipping tequila because barrel-aging smooths out some of the tequila’s natural peppery notes and amplifies honey flavors, without hiding the character of the agave.
The reposado tequilas that made it to this year’s list achieve this flawlessly—and represent some of the best in class. The picks span from splurge-worthy selections finished four months in French oak barrels that once held Napa Valley Chardonnay to more affordable soft and silky versions that are proudly additive-free and donate a portion of proceeds to protect wild jaguars in Mexico and the U.S.
“What this top crop of tequilas has in common is nuance and complexity,” says Newman. “Keeping in mind these are barrel-aged spirits, the best ones harmoniously integrate agave with flavors derived from oak. And the true standouts keep a light enough hand on the oak that flashes of fruit, wildflowers, even zesty, savory tones peek through.”
Newman points to Mijenta Repo as a prime example. “You can detect tropical fruit like pineapple and coconut, and the finish includes touches of ginger-y spice and a delicate puff of smoke,” she says. “It would be a treat to sip and would mix into a stellar margarita.”
Curious which bottles made this year’s top picks? Check out the 10 best tequilas of 2024 below.
Casa Obsidiana Tequila Reposado
It’s impossible to ignore the sculptural, sea-green ceramic bottle, with a vaguely humanoid shape that requires beheading to pour the golden and bright liquid. That accomplished, the complex aroma suggests bell pepper, agave and a hint of vanilla. The bracing palate opens with graphite, menthol, black pepper tingle and a hint of peat-like smoke, smoothed with toasted almond and finishing long. Finished four months in French oak barrels that once held Napa Valley Chardonnay. 95 Points — Kara Newman
$250 Total Wine & More
Mayenda Tequila Reposado Double Cask
This pale-gold tequila is bright, with a mild aroma and coconut hint. The light, complex palate shows oak and delicate touches of incense and cinnamon, finishing long and drying with faint almond and a white floral waft. Rested for six months. 95 Points — K.N.
$72 Total Wine & More
Alma del Jaguar Tequila Reposado
With a golden hue and mild almond aroma, this soft, silky repo suggests flavors of buttered brioche sprinkled with sea salt, leading into a lip-smacking butterscotch hint on the exit shored up with gingery snap. Donates to and fundraises for organizations that protect wild jaguars in Mexico and the U.S. Additive free. 94 Points — K.N.
$69 Total Wine & More
Lagrimas del Valle Tequila Reposado
Look for a pale straw hue and lively aroma featuring jalapeño and dried oregano. The lean and spicy palate opens with lots of fresh and pickled jalapeño flavors. Lemon peel acidity makes the mouth water, winding into a big, bold, citrusy and peppery finish, with a feather-light herbaceous accent. Palo Verde Rancho Unico 2022. Name means “tears of the valley.” 94 Points — K.N.
$71 Total Wine & More
Dulce Vida Tequila Reposado
Inspiro Tequila Rosa Reposado
Look for a golden hue and distinctly zesty, savory aroma. The spicy-sweet palate shows hints of banana bread spiked with dried cherry and cayenne. Cinnamon red hots and roasted jalapeno heat provide a long and distinctly warming finish. Aged in rosé wine barrels. 93 Points — K.N.
$77 Total Wine & More
Cambio Tequila Reposado
Aged a total of six months in a mix of white Bordeaux, white Burgundy and Chardonnay barrels, this golden tequila offers a zesty, slightly funky aroma that suggests sun-dried tomato and a waft of smoke. The drying palate opens with a tinge of ripe banana coupled with savory-smoky black pepper, sage and torched rosemary. No additives. 92 Points — K.N.
$59 Caskers
El Patriarca Tequila Reposado
Expect a honey hue and vanilla aroma, with a smoky hint. The bold, rich palate opens with butterscotch and cayenne zing, finishing long and mentholated, with a final burst of vanilla cream. Aged in French oak for eight months. 92 Points — K.N.
$53 Internet Wines
Cazul 100 Reposado Reserve
This reposado has a straw hue and bold honey aroma accented with a hint of strawberry. The palate opens with lively ginger sparks, then toasted coconut sweetness slides through to the elongated, warming finish, plus a final fruity waft. 92 Points — K.N.
$43 Total Wine & MoreMore Tequila Coverage
- Shoot, sip or mix? The right way to drink tequila.
- Here's a step-by-step, beginner’s guide to tequila.
- Is it time to leave tequila alone?
- Following a Mexican police raid, the fight over additive-free tequila heats up.
- Love tequila and mezcal? Drink in these other agave spirits.
- From splurge-worthy to budget-friendly, here's a list of the best tequilas at every price point.
In the shop
Riedel Tequila Glass (Set of 2)
In Stock | $39
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Last Updated: December 17, 2024
