Greatest Reposado Tequilas Below $60, Blind Examined & Ranked
Final month we pitted inexpensive and costly blanco tequilas in opposition to each other and it revealed that nice taste and high quality don’t at all times run parallel to cost. Sure, our favourite bottle from that rating was one of many pricier ones. However it wasn’t the most costly in our lineup and several other of the inexpensive bottles punched manner above their weight class.
That’s nice information for budget-minded people who find themselves chasing bottles that may present them the finest worth for his or her cash. So this time round, we’re tightening the worth vary, and as a substitute of blanco tequila we’re placing the deal with reposado tequila. Since reposado tequilas are aged the worth tags are typically a bit heftier so it’ll be fascinating to see how the inexpensive bottles (beneath $30) maintain up in opposition to bottles double the worth.
Let’s drink!
Methodology:
For this blind style take a look at, we rounded up a batch of our favourite inexpensive reposados, some newcomers, and bottles which might be extremely straightforward to seek out.
Right here is our tasting class:
- Astral — Tequila Reposado
- Cambio — Tequila Reposado
- Cayeya — Blended Reposado
- Don Fulano — Tequila Reposado
- Espolón — Tequila Reposado
- Flecha Azul — Tequila Reposado
- Jose Cuervo — Tradicional Reposado Tequila
- Tres Agaves — Reposado
Half 1: The Tequila Reposado Style Take a look at:
Style 1:
Nostril: A light-weight kiss of honey atop waves of caramelized agave.
Palate: I’m tasting white pepper and a touch of cayenne over a wealthy honey sweetness.
End: Good and buttery with an oily mouthfeel and a contact of oak.
Style 2:
Nostril: I’m getting vanilla sweetness and the slightest tinge of alcohol harshness
Palate: An amazing rush of black pepper with notes of low cost vanilla and agave. There’s a blunt facet to the flavour right here, it lands flat.
End: A harsh burn with a blunt oak end.
Style 3:
Nostril: I’m getting some star jasmine, honey, and a contact of vanilla.
Palate: This one is actually placing into perspective how flat the primary two tastes right here. I’m tasting an preliminary floral sweetness that shifts into grassy vegetal notes, uncooked agave, and a contact of vanilla.
End: A pleasant end that mixes caramelized agave and light-weight oak. Actually nice and savory.
Style 4:
Nostril: I’m smelling a heavy dose of white sugar overlaying ethanol. There’s a noticeable cheapness to the odor right here.
Palate: The flavour hits you want a sledgehammer, it’s blunt and harsh with a light-weight sense of grassiness however no agave.
End: Flat and lifeless. Very alcohol-heavy.
Style 5:
Nostril: A little bit of funk combined with roasted agave, vanilla, and butterscotch.
Palate: A beautiful mixture of chocolate, raisins, and cinnamon — nearly like an oatmeal cookie.
End: Peppery and chocolatey with a whole lot of oak.
Style 6:
Nostril: There’s a candy-like high quality to the nostril right here, I’m getting a robust whiff of bubblegum and roasted agave.
Palate: Quite a bit occurring right here, I’m getting a heavy inexperienced grass affect with some asparagus notes, flowers, butter scotch, and vanilla.
End: Heavy on the oak with a pleasant burning spice that stays on the tongue and builds in depth between sips.
Style 7:
Nostril: Heat agave and vanilla, you may odor a little bit of the oak on this one and contemporary clay.
Palate: Surprisingly gentle and fruity, I’m getting. a whole lot of citrus combined with caramel and vanilla.
End: A really mellow end with some comforting oak notes.
Style 8:
Nostril: Chocolate and agave with a touch of alcohol lurking beneath.
Palate: Roasted agave, cracked black pepper, caramel and citrus dominate the palate right here. It’s mellow however unimaginative. It doesn’t actually take you wherever.
End: A little bit of a burn right here with a blunt one-note oak end.
8. Jose Cuervo — Tradicional Reposado (Style 4)
ABV: 40%
Value: $23.49
The Tequila:
Out of all of the pours I’ve tasted at present that is the one one which I might describe as tasting burnt. The liquid was closely perfumed, the flavors fell flat, and there was a harshness on the aftertaste that was downright off-putting. I hate to be so imply however this bottle is a straight-up skip.
The Backside Line:
Harsh, flat, and synthetic. Skip this one.
7. Astral — Tequila Reposado (Style 2)
ABV: 40%
Value: $27.99
The Tequila:
Whereas the nostril didn’t win me over, I feel the flavour presents lots to work with right here. Astral isn’t a fantastic candidate for sipping nevertheless it had a delightful heat spice to it and a pleasant stability of vanilla and agave that I feel would work nice in any cocktail.
Astral is produced at NOM 1607, Grupo Solave, and is made utilizing agave cooked in stone ovens, tahona crushed, and twice distilled in copper pots. To succeed in the repo state, the tequila is aged for 5 months in single-use American oak bourbon barrels.
The Backside Line:
A vanilla-forward subtly spicy tequila excellent for mixing.
6. Espolon — Tequila Reposado (Style 8)
ABV: 40%
Value: $21.99
The Tequila:
Typically, you may’t go unsuitable with Espolon, for the worth, it is without doubt one of the finest bottles in its league however in comparison with the pricier choices on this tasting, it couldn’t fairly sustain. The flavour notes have been a bit flat right here as compared, and whereas when combined it’s mellow, peppery, and agave-forward, as a straight sipper, you style its weaker features.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1440, Campari, utilizing agave that’s cooked in a low-pressure autoclave, curler mill extracted, combined with properly water, and aged for 3 months in American white oak barrels.
Espolón is produced at NOM 1440, Campari, utilizing agave that’s aged for 3 months in American White oak barrels.
The Backside Line:
Nice for mixing, however not fairly as versatile as what we’ve ranked greater.
5. Flecha Azul — Tequila Reposado (Style 1)
ABV: 40%
Value: $49.99
The Tequila:
Really feel it really feel it! Sorry, however Mark Wahlberg is an investor in Flecha Azul and anytime Mark Wahlberg is concerned in something (and he’s concerned in lots — from burgers to gyms, to tequila) I can’t assist however deliver up the Funky Bunch, even when its an extremely dated reference.
Simply because Mark Wahlberg is plastered all around the Flecha Azul web site, don’t let his involvement dissuade you as this liquid is high quality! Produced at NOM 1110, Tequila Orendain de Jalisco, Flecha Azul is an additive-free tequila produced from agave cooked in stone ovens, curler mill extracted, combined with spring water, and aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels.
The Backside Line:
Supple and easy however with sufficient chunk to remind you that you simply’re consuming tequila.
4. Tres Agaves — Tequila Reposado (Style 7)
ABV: 40%
Value: $34.99
The Tequila:
Tres Agaves falls proper in that financial candy spot for us — sub $40 — and for my part punches manner above its weight. It was additionally named one of many High 100 Spirits Of The Yr by Wine Fanatic, which is a good signal.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Faucet, and is produced from agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, curler mill extracted, combined with properly water, fermented in chrome steel tanks, and aged for 9 months in Tennessee whiskey and Kentucky bourbon barrels.
It’s licensed additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker and works properly in cocktails and sipped neat.
The Backside Line:
Mild and fruity with a heavy barrel aftertaste that makes it a great candidate for cocktails and gradual sipping alike.
3. Cayéya — Blended Reposado (Style 5)
ABV: 40%
Value: $55
The Tequila:
Because of its chocolatey tones, peppery chunk, and light-weight barrel end, Cayéya carried out excellently on this lineup.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1424, Destiladora de Agave Azul, and is produced from single property harvested agave slow-cooked in brick ovens, combined with properly water, and aged for six months in a mixture of French and American wooden barrels.
The Backside Line:
Agave ahead with wealthy chocolate notes and a peppery end. A incredible sipper and mixer.
2. Cambio — Tequila Reposado (Style 6)
ABV: 46%
Value: $59.99
The Tequila:
At above the standard 40% ABV, Cambio’s Tequila Reposado packs a strong punch on the palate and an undeniably fascinating taste that has me excited to discover this expression additional. This was my first time attempting the model so I’m excited to see the way it competes in opposition to pricier bottles.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1605 from single property harvest agave that’s slow-cooked in brick ovens, tahona extracted, combined with properly water, and fermented in open-air fermentation tanks. To succeed in the reposado state, the tequila is aged for a month in Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels after which for a further 5 in French Oak chardonnay casks.
It’s licensed additive-free by tequila matchmaker.
The Backside Line:
Aromatic, agave ahead, and spicy with a robust barrel-influenced end that sticks to the tongue in one of the simplest ways.
1. Don Fulano — Tequila Reposado (Style 3)
ABV: 40%
Value:
The Tequila:
Right here it’s, our prime choose! Don Fulano’s additive-free reposado tequila was arms down the winner of at present’s style take a look at because of its shifting and nuanced flavors. Its agave ahead, floral, with a light-weight vanilla affect and a fantastic oaky end.
Produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, from highland agave that’s cooked for 28 to 32 hours, screw mill extracted, and fermented in open-air tanks for 72 to 96 hours. As soon as twice distilled the tequila is aged for 8 to 11 months in French Limousin oak casks.
The Backside Line:
A single sip introduces your palate to a bouquet of flavors from floral honeyed sweetness to complicated vegetal notes. Simply among the finest bottles at its value level.
The Huge Takeaway:
There weren’t a whole lot of surprises right here, the bottles that price extra typically carried out a lot stronger, with just a few exceptions. The actual take a look at is to see how our prime 4 right here carry out in opposition to really costly reposado tequilas. However that’ll have to attend for one more day.
