Tequila is growing so fast as a popular spirit in the U.S. that it’s head-spinning — and not the good head spinniness you get from a nice tequila buzz. New expressions are always hitting shelves. The agave-based spirit is so popular that it’s evolved into a whole new category called “Agave Spirits” — a sort of catch-all for all the spirits that are made with agave but don’t fit into the narrow parameters to legally be called either a “tequila” or even “mezcal.”
See? Head spinning.
Very quickly, to be called “tequila” legally, the spirit in your bottle has the be made with Blue Weber agave in Jalisco, Mexico. So a Blue Weber agave spirit that’s made in, say, Baja California or Chiahuaha cannot be called “tequila” by law. Likewise, “Mezcal” needs to be produced in the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Puebla, and Zacatecas with any type of agave plant (though there is pushback on those regional rules these days). But what happens if you ferment and distill an agave product in California, Texas, or outside of one of those Mexican states?
You get “Agave Spirits.” And yes, we know, the name leaves a lot to be desired.
This begs two questions: Are there any good agave spirits out there? Do they even begin to stand up to classic tequilas? That’s where a blind taste test comes in. Our lineup today is the following bottles:
- Revel Avila 100% Puro De Agave Blanco Triple Distilled
- Don Julio Tequila Blanco
- Nashville Barrel Company Barrel-Aged Agave Spirits
- Revel Avila 100% Puro De Agave Reposado Triple Distilled
- Camarena Tequila Reposado
- Tequila Cazadores Reposado
For this blind taste test, I’m focusing on blanco and reposado “agave spirits” and “tequila” only. Adding a Mezcal would be super obvious thanks to the smoky factor (moreover, Raicilla is a subgenre of agave spirits/tequila from Jalisco, so I’ll save those for another day too). Instead, I’ve selected good, standard tequilas and shuffled them amongst the agave spirits with the same vibe and aging, making this much more 1:1 in the blind tasting.
When it comes to the ranking, this is all about taste. There’s nothing extraordinary or next-level in this lineup. The prices are generally in the middle ground to a little pricey ($75 is the peak). Still, the overall agave vibe of these spirits is where the true depth falls and that’s what I’m looking for. Let’s dive in!
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Part 1: The Tasting
Taste 1
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is classic blanco with a nice mix of soft orange sweetness, a hint of white pepper, and touches of juniper berries.
Palate: There’s a clear sense of white pepper powder and roasted agave next to a dash of lemon pepper.
Finish: The finish is short and slightly sweet thanks to the citrus with a distinct peppery buzz at the very end.
Initial Thoughts:
This was nice. I honestly cannot tell if it’s “tequila” or not because it tastes like perfectly fine blanco tequila.
Taste 2
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a lightly roasted agave vibe that leads directly into lemon oils, white pepper, and a hint of grapefruit pith.
Palate: The agave lurks in the background as hints of lemon pepper and maybe a touch of sourness lingers on the palate.
Finish: The end is short-ish and has a watery-proofed vibe that’s bolstered by clear white pepper and lemongrass on the finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This was pretty good but a little light. Again, it tasted like a perfectly fine blanco tequila.
Taste 3
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is leathery and full of whiskey caramel and vanilla with a counterpoint of star fruit and blood orange.
Palate: The palate leans into bourbon vanilla pods and salted caramel that’s countered by an orange tobacco vibe next to cinnamon bark and a good dusting of white pepper and dry roasted agave.
Finish: That caramelized agave and vanilla lead back to a leatheriness on the finish that’s well-balanced and long-lasting.
Initial Thoughts:
This is leaps and bounds better. It’s really good with a sense of sweet aging that’s perfectly balanced with the roasted agave spirit below.
Taste 4
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a bit of barnyard funk on the nose that leads to black pepper and a sense of floral hibiscus, maybe even sandalwood.
Palate: There’s a light toffee sweetness and butteriness that moves with clear sandalwood incense before veering into the fertilizer aisle of a garden shop.
Finish: The finish is very earthy and swings back toward the woody oak and a hint of sweet toffee next to light pepperiness.
Initial Thoughts:
This was interesting but not necessarily good. I’m on the fence.
Taste 5
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sweetness that attaches to the lightly roasted agave on the nose with a hint of vanilla and caramel lurking in the background.
Palate: The palate leans into the roasted agave with freshly cracked black pepper and clove berries mingling with a touch of vanilla tobacco and a mildly sweet butterscotch mid-palate.
Finish: The finish leans away from the agave toward the vanilla and butterscotch for a sweet and slightly peppery finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty damn good. It’s clearly built and has a lovely balance of agave and aging.
Taste 6
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is classic repo tequila with hints of spice, roasted agave, and white pepper with a sweet edge — think rock candy.
Palate: There’s a sense of dry dill and aloe vera plants next to more white pepper.
Finish: The end is very thin and peters out toward an almost cardboard vibe.
Initial Thoughts:
This starts off strong but falls off a cliff by the end.
Part 2: The Ranking
6. Tequila Cazadores Reposado — Taste 6
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $20
Tequila:
This tequila is made with 100$ Blue Weber Agave. The hot juice spends two months resting in new American oak barrels before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This felt like a cheap but fine mixing tequila.
5. Revel Avila 100% Puro De Agave Reposado Triple Distilled — Taste 4
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $75
The Agave Spirit:
This 100% Blue Weber Agave Spirit (fair-trade, organic, sustainable) is distilled in the state of Morelos (south of Mexico City). The agave spirit is aged for 12 months in new American white oak barrels before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was funky — that barnyard nose and earthy body as a lot. It wasn’t bad though, just different. I can see it working in cocktails or highballs pretty easily.
4. Don Julio Tequila Blanco — Taste 2
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
Tequila:
This is classic double-distilled tequila. It’s bottled unaged and with a fair amount of proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This was good but felt like a solid shooter or mixer more than anything else.
3. Revel Avila 100% Puro De Agave Blanco Triple Distilled — Taste 1
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $55
The Agave Spirit:
This is Revia’s same triple-distilled agave spirit from Morelos that’s left unaged. The spirit goes into the bottle as-is with a good dose of proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This was pretty nice overall. It was still a standard blanco but had a touch more depth. That said, I’d still focus this on cocktails or shooters over slow sipping.
2. Camarena Tequila Reposado — Taste 5
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $21
The Tequila:
This tequila from the Southern Highlands of Jalisco is fairly modern. The twice-distilled juice goes into oak for 60 days before it’s proofed down with deep well water and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This was tasty. I’d still say this makes a great cocktail over it being a sipper. That said, I can see drinking this over a lot of ice with a squeeze of lime and not being made about it.
1. Nashville Barrel Company Barrel-Aged Agave Spirits — Taste 3
ABV: 55.87%
Average Price: $69
The Agave Spirit:
This is a 100% Agave Spirit that’s distilled in Mexico. That hot juice is then sent up to Nashville, Tennessee, where it’s loaded into used whiskey barrels. After four-and-half months, the barrels are batched and bottled 100% as-is without proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This was by far the best sip of the panel. It was deep, balanced, and tasted like a quintessential reposado product. I didn’t for a second think it wasn’t “tequila.” I like this as a sipper over a rock but really look forward to making some easy tequila cocktails with it.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
These were all very close in taste, texture, and vibe. Tequila is “tequila” thanks to generations of tradition in Jalisco and there’s no taking that away. Still, great agave spirits go well beyond “tequila” and it’s pretty exciting that we’re starting to see more and more.
Also, these all ended up being pretty equal flavor-wise. There really wasn’t that much difference between the tequilas and agave spirits bottles. There wasn’t some huge loss in quality between the two.
What does it all mean then? I think it’s time to try an Agave Spirit the next time you’re in the mood for tequila, you might be pleasantly surprised.