According to recent market research, tequila has seen significant growth in bars and restaurants across the country over the last couple of years. On Facebook, many know me by the name Lou Agave. Its an easy-drinking bottle, ideal for upgraded cocktails (think, Aejo old fashioneds) or sipping on the rocks. Give it a try! It would be a handy reference when shopping. Adolfo Murillo of 'Alquimia' said "I have always worked hard to stay true to the tradition of tequila and the way it was meant to be made, so if my bottles say 100% agave, it does not mean "99%, because the CRT says it's ok". Please check on CABAL tequila- spoke with them personally at an event and they claimed to be additive free! This is most pronounced with the Rosa, which spends a month in un-charred Napa Valley Cabernet French white oak barrels, giving it a beautiful pink hue and notes of ripe fruit and cherry on the . It makes sensewith its sweet, smooth taste, tequila is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in margaritas and other yummy cocktails as well as sipped straight or over ice. Each tequila has its own "flavor fingerprint," and each person has his or her own flavor preferences. This is an unpretentious, no-nonsense tequila with nothing added, just 100% blue Weber agave. In fact, many brands add artificial sugars or sweeteners to their tequila, which may taste good at first, but will leave you with a nasty hangover the next day. The app can support any agave spirit, including mezcal. 2009-2022, S2F Online, Inc. - Taste Tequila and Tequila Matchmaker are property of S2F Online, Inc. I'd rather have the 'natural color' after aging, and blend it that way with the other batches, without ANY colorings. El Tesoro may be owned by Beam Suntory, the Japanese company responsible for Suntory Whisky, but this tequila is still made from traditional methods and local agave. Murillo also made a great point, saying he would lose his USDA Organic Certification, if he added any other ingredients, including color. I love your reviews? Bartenders and master distillers reveal 27 of the best tequila brands to buy. Thank you for all the info. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. The name, Johnson explains, was inspired by his Polynesian background. Patrn is the world's number one super-premium tequila brand to receive the verification. After all, taste is a personal and a subjective thing, but I wonder as so many 'crossover' drinkers are coming to aged tequilas, if many of these consumers fail to recognize their preference is for the familiar and pleasant flavors associated with oak, and have no problem accepting this, even if it's artificially colored and flavored. When you taste too much vanilla, and we call that a 'vanilla bomb', that often means extra vanilla extract powder was added. There are . Espolns collection also includes a reposado, aejo, reposado chardonnay and aejo cristalino. Thankfully for you, we're breaking down store-bought tequila brands and ranking them from worst to best to help you find the perfect bottle for your taste preference and budget. 1- either stick with a producer who makes aged tequilas to YOUR liking, regardless if it's heavy caramel, vanilla, overly smooth and overly sweet, very dark and rich, oily and very oaky without caring if they are obviously manipulated or not. You have to train yourself to make an educated decision. Consider that mission achieved, plus they've built quite the celeb following! This amazing additive-free liquid is produced using only the As much as I love Tequila Matchmaker, I sadly have to use Distiller for my mezcal. Danos also won the Gold Medal in the 2019 Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Tasting Competition, and the Double Gold and Gold in the 2018 SIP Awards. Thank you for the clarification. Blancos are also usually cheaper. Grover, would you consider adding a score column to the list in the future? 21Seeds Tequila, $31+. Look for bottles labeled 100%, which denotes that it was made with 100% natural sugars from the agave plant. (ICYMI, Hornitos means "little ovens" in Spanish!) Excited to be launching the World's Most Awarded Tequila - Cierto! 1800 Agavales Altos Avion Casa Noble Casamigos Cazul . So when a brand says "we are 100% additive free" there is no way you can prove it. Syrup, or "jarabe", is a mixture of different ingredients, primarily for the purposes of creating a sweeter product. However, section 6.1.1.1 states that the products defined in 5 sections, including 4.36.1, allows for edulcorantes, colorantes, aromatizantes y/o saborizantes permitidos por la Secretara de Salud (sweeteners, coloring, aromas and flavors allowed by the Health Secretary.). There wont be any need to link to this version of the list. To compensate for a light hue, it seems a large number of suppliers are placing caramel color into their aged reposado tequila or anejo tequila, although I know a good amount of quality brands, that although impossible to prove, appear not to use any additives, including colorings. In 2020 we launched our Tequila Matchmaker Additive-Free program for brands and distilleries that want to be super transparent about their production processes and their non-use of additives. Can anyone recommend some of the sweeter non additive, non Blanco tequilas? Pasote and El Tesoro de Don Felipe are both listed as an additive-free distilleries, but their respective XAs are not marked as Additive-free. With a clean and complex mouthfeel, its ideal for sipping neat. https://tastetequila.com/2017/the-lowdown-on-tequila-additives/, In that story, and right after that claim is an asterisk, which states (at the bottom): Although it can be hard to taste for sure as these people are pros, and can add them in strategically in a very subtle way, I will say that in my opinion you would be VERY surprised to know the huge percentage of brands that must be using some additive in their tequila. Tired of Standing? Pick Up Some of These Gloves First El Jimador Tequila Silver Price: $16-$30. The brand offers blanco, reposado and aejo varieties as well as pre-made margaritas, mixes and canned cocktails. These are often referred to as a Mixto, where colors and flavors are added prior to bottling. Keep up the great work, I know I greatly enjoy the content. Dano (yep, there's actually a Dano behind Dano's Dangerous Tequila) works with one of . I contacted Jose Cuervo, Cazadores and Sauza to ask about any additives in their 100% agave tequilas to see what they'd say. The additive-free spirit retails for $125.99 and is currently available for presale on ReserveBar. Espoln Tequila, $32+, Funnyman Kevin Hart teamed up with Juan Domingo Beckmann, an 11th-generation tequila maker, to create Gran Coramino. One percent today, with condensed additives are enough to change things. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time This incredible distillate features notes of olives, herbs, earth and grass. Is there a list of the tequilas that have been tested are NOT additive-free? While we may be used to drinking clear tequila, many expensive tequilas are more caramel in color, due to being aged in wooden barrels. This crystal-clear . Fortaleza Blanco. Vivanco (NOM 1414) -7 brands. Made from blue agave plants in Mexico, Clase Azul Reposado Tequila features notes of spice, cream soda, apple cider, jasmine, cinnamon and honey. This is one tequila brand youll want to display prominently on your bar cartand savor every last drop of! We go into detail about that here: https://tastetequila.com/2017/the-lowdown-on-tequila-additives/. (Rule number one: Never buy tequila that . Popular Brands. Plus, Revel offers a Reposado and an Aejo expression of the Avila, as well as the Blanco (linked below). So keep in mind the above mentioned brands that 'claim' to be 100% additive free may be just that, and most are high quality and fine tasting brands that I enjoy myself. The ultra-premium highlands tequila uses all the beverage buzz words, like small batch production, and distilled in handmade copper pot stills. But beyond the hype, its a smooth, easy to drink option; naturally sweetened with the rich aroma of mature agave plants, with a clean finish. 74.95. In fact, the brand is named for the breathtaking underground water systems that are unique to this region. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Everything is made in with 100% blue weber agave and is confirmed all-natural and additive-free for a tequila that goes down smooth and silky. Vanilla and Cocoa powder (chocolate) are also considered a type of oak extract, and although vanilla is not part of the 1% group, vanilla is something that can occur naturally in a barrel, but it is naturally 'subtle'. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. When it comes to celebrity tequila brands (or just premium tequila, for that matter), rock and roll legend Sammy Hagar is the original. "Bribon is a solid tequila for its price," says Fallon. Hiatus uses a ground-to-glass method which combines traditional methods and modern technology, produced by master distiller, Luis Trejo Rodrguez at La Cofrada. According to 'THEM', these brands are 100% ADDITIVE FREE. There are brands that have actually admitted to me that they use coloring to match each 'batch', so as to keep consistency between runs. The big problem is that additives aren't required to be disclosed, although I believe they should be, even if it's 1%. Reuters There is a "proper" way and no, it's not in a shot. JAJA is proudly additive free. The idea: to create an ultra premium, ultra-smooth tequila at an accessible price point. This is a fantastic resource and will be a great help in my future purchases and recommendations. Want to know more? Additive-free tequilas do not require salt or lime to enjoy. Average Price: $115. Blanco tequila is the ideal choice for margaritas, says Eduardo "Lalo" Gonzlez, co-founder and master distiller of LALO Tequila and grandson of Don Julio Gonzlez of the iconic Don Julio tequila brand. It's funny because if you were, or still are a whiskey/scotch, bourbon, cognac, or brandy drinker, I feel you are more likely to 'accept' overly oaky aromas and flavors as normal, as you enjoy this profile. The tech side is easy, the admin side is not! Jessica Alba, Tinx, Jojo Fletcher and Kristin Cavallari are just a few famous faces that are mega fans of theiraward-winning varietiesCucumber Jalapeo, Valencia Orange and Grapefruit Hibiscusbut we have a feeling this isjust the seed of something bigger, flavor-wise. 9 Things You Should Know About 818 Tequila. You can taste the additives in Kirkland tequilaThe best option is to not buy what doesnt disclose. Another best-selling brand, Don Julio launched in 1942 and was named after Don Julio Gonzlez, the brand's first Jimador. This tequila pulls soft notes from the barrels like caramel and vanilla, as well as sweet, tropical fruity flavors like pineapple, and works well with the herbaceous flavors of the tequila, adds Sylvi Roy, bar manager at Twelve in Portland, Maine. Thats why I stick to and fully endorse the products from NOM1146 . 1) No, some blancos definitely contain additives. Your email address will not be published. I understand that this is an opt-in program, so may other brands may be additive free, but they have opted not to be added (IDK what they would not. They were. Look for a tequila producer that uses 100% blue agavesome companies add other flavors that distort the flavors, and you can really taste the difference, says Roy. Eduardo Orendain of 'Arette' said "we are 100% additive free, and we don't use caramel and yes we do have color consistency problems because of this, where some batches are lighter or darker than others." I respect people that want quality and are not cutting corners, and promise they will never use any additives. The Aejo variety is aged in American oak bourbon barrels for up to three years, which results in a nice blend of warm agave and oak flavors. This list is awesome! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Tequila Matchmaker, our free app for iPhone and Android, can detect your own individual "flavor fingerprint" and match you with tequilas that are right for you (and then tell you where to find them.) When mixed together, both vodka and tequila can be a good option with coke zero. So what do you think? Avoid these tequila brands: . In addition to auditing the production, we ask a lot of questions and perform a sensorial analysis throughout various stages of the tequila-making process. You can enjoy them neat, over ice or mixed into a cocktail. August 4, 2021. The more tequilas you taste and really scrutinize, the easier it gets to pick out additive flavorings. I even contacted ones that some people feel are definite abusers. I want to teach others what I know about ALL Agave spirits, keeping it simple and fun! This saddens me that this is all being done all in the name of profits vs integrity & honesty. If you're still going for corn-based alcohols (not just whiskey, bourbon and rye, but some gins and vodkas, too), pick ones made with non-GMO corn. Our organic processes does not include any additives, which some tequila brands use to manipulate color, flavor, aroma, etc. Choose from blanco, reposado and aejo for sipping solo or creating incredible cocktails. I don't agree, but if that's true, people need to start thinking differently. This 'adulteration' let's the tequila taste like something it's not, and adding sweeteners for example, will 'mask' the use of young agave plants that would have low brix (sugar) levels. W/ additives. And, it gets smarter the more you use it. Sauza, $20+, Cenote is an ultra-premium tequila inspired by the beauty of the Yucatan Peninsula. Certain producers like Felipe Camarena wouldn't dream of doing any of this, and Camarena told me "it's about credibility, not about promises from the producer". Casa Noble Blanco is a tequila brand that uses local agave, particularly estate-grown agave. Kristopher DeSoto was on a mission to create a more robust and expressive tequila than the kind usually found on U.S. shelves and he succeeded. Making tequila requires thoughtful consideration of both legal and technical factors defining the spiritand many choices in the production process can have a tremendous impact on the final distillate. When it comes to flavor, Rodriguez says tequila can range from smooth and mellow, to a warmer and bolder profile. If Casamigos is what you serve at your party, Clase Azul is what you break out for the select few invited to stick around after the crowd leaves. After speaking with these brands and tasting all the tequilas mentioned, the list below are brands that passed my own personal test, and taste 100% additive free. DO NOT get fooled by the 1% rule, as this may not sound like a lot, BUT IT IS!! This tequila is great on its own or with a splash of soda. This year's offering of . The Tequila: I lean toward clean, unaged agave spirits for most of the year, however, spring is a nice time for reposado and aejo. 2. We later learned that additives were indeed being used in blanco tequilas and that a loophole in the NORMA made this possible. In the world of spirits, tequila is currently having a moment. Blending of different barrels at the end before bottling, plays a major role in tequila making, and remember that although they use the barrels multiple times, they may also be blending with a fresh 'new' aged barrel of tequila as well, as this really is an art. The usual list is G4, Terralta, Pasote, Fortaleza, Cascahuin, El Tesoro, Tapatio, Siete Leguas, Olmeca Altos, and a few others. For a similar experience at a more casual price point, we like the Roca Patrn Reposado, which is a lighter, more buttery take on the bold and robust Burdeos. The more expressions I try, the more sensitive I become to artificial flavorings. Two questions: Interestingly, another brand that is 100% additive-free told me "rarely will a distiller commit to never using color, because sometime in the future, there could be a day that some tequila comes off the barrels lighter, and distillers would rather add a couple drops of organic caramel coloring instead of jeopardizing a stock of tequila that has inconsistent color on the shelf." This is for Mixto junk as well as 100% agave. Smooth. We like what the brand is doing with the no-for-profit S.A.C.R.E.D too, which re-invests 100% of proceeds from merchandise and a portion of tequila sales back into the local Mexican communities where agave spirits are made to identify and support vital needs. The margarita has always held a place in our hearts as an excellent sunny-day drinkmainly because it's refreshing and super simple to make. Silver tequila is great to drink on its own, but its great for mixed drinks as well. Nathan. Avoid flavored and colorful alcohol, which can contain additives, high fructose corn syrup (made from GMO corn), food coloring and more. Thank you so much for putting this together and committing to keeping it updated! They are a reality, and remember it's legal, but only up to 1% of total volume, on additives of: caramel color, oak extract, glycerin and "sugar-based syrup" (like agave nectar), but not necessarily ONLY from agave. Break this one out for the most special of occasions. Love my Cimarron. This is called the rectification stage, before bottling. It's simply sneaky in many ways, to alter or attempt to make 'better' an 'unbalanced' or 'rough' sub par spirit, or to make it look or taste more aged than it is.