I love Tequila. The tequila landscape has rapidly changed over the last few years and there are now so many more tequilas available when you walk into your local liquor store. Today, it is easy to be overwhelmed when standing in the tequila aisle. I want to offer you 6 Blanco Tequilas that will help you navigate the choices available, give you confidence when you stand in the tequila aisle and help you find the right bottle for your taste and budget.
What is Blanco Tequila?
Blanco tequila, also known as silver or Plata, (the names are interchangeable) is the purest form of tequila. It is unaged or only aged for up to two months usually, but not always, in stainless steel tanks. It is perfect for cocktails but many of them can be enjoyed straight as well. Blanco tequila is very complex and enjoying it straight is much like enjoying wine, there are various notes and characteristics for your palette to recognize and savour.
Let’s dive into 6 tequilas I reccomend to get you started on your tequila journey.
1. el Jimador: Balancing Budget and Taste
el Jimador has the truly authentic taste and characteristics one would expect from a silver tequila. It is double distilled and zero barrel-aged before it is bottled giving it a crisp citrus character. It is nowhere near as smooth as triple distilled, so I would not recommend sipping this straight, but it will add the bold flavour you are looking for in your tequila cocktails. At $40 a bottle it is on the lower end of the price scale but you can buy this with confidence for a party or as a gift or simply to enjoy some Friday night Margaritas at home.
2. Espolòn: Vibrant, Balanced and Smooth
Espolòn was my personal 2024 discovery of the year. To be honest, I first bought it because it came with a free glass etched with their fascinating label. I loved this tequila on the first sip. I enjoy Espolòn Blanco both in a margarita and straight. For the $45 price it is incredibly smooth and can be sipped or shot without that unpleasant burn you get from the cheaper tequilas. The flavour, to me, is less traditional but no less tasty. As you enjoy Espolòn, you are going to get the agave aroma but it has more of a vanilla bean and burnt pineapple kind of finish to it. I love this tequila and recommend it for all occasions.
3. Gran Centenario Plata: Beautiful inside and out
Gran Centenario Plata is one of my favourite tequilas. First of all, the bottle alone is spectacular. Second, you will notice, after admiring the bottle, that the blanco tequila inside is not clear. This is because Gran Centenario Plata tequila is rested in American Oak pipónes (large wooden barrels) for an average of seven weeks. Because of this, you will experience subtle wood notes and an incredibly smooth taste. This is a very unique Blanco Tequila well worth the $43 price tag. I love it in my margaritas and straight up in a shot glass. This Tequila is a must try to expand your tequila palette.
4. Hornitos: Classic and Traditional
I didn’t start enjoying tequila at home until a few years ago. Before that, the only time I had tequila was on holidays in Mexico or Hawaii. The traditional tequila taste always takes me back to that tropical beach feeling. Hornitos Plata takes me to the beach with every sip. The flavour is traditional agave-forward with bright herbs and citrus. Hornitos is an absolute go to for all your favourite tequila cocktails. At $44 a bottle you cannot go wrong. I keep a bottle of Hornitos stocked at all times.
5. Teremana: Spirit of the Earth
Dwayne ‘the rock’ Johnson is the founder of Teremana Tequila. His passion for life and for tequila is evident in every bottle. One of my favourite features is the calorie count on the back label: 96 calories per 1.5 oz. Teremana Blanco is smooth, fresh and delicious. If you taste this tequila beside any of the previous tequilas in this article you will absolutely notice the difference. You will even notice a difference in your cocktails. At $58 it is a little more than el Jimador or Hornitos but it is money well spent. That little jump in price gets you a big jump in quality.
6 .Tres Generaciones: A Rich History and Unmatched Smoothness
If you want a real treat, something spectacular, then you will want to pick up a bottle of Tres Generaciones Plata. I have never used this tequila in a cocktail, I sip it straight and enjoy the unmatched smoothness. Tres Generaciones Plata is an un-aged, crystal clear tequila that is triple-distilled. The taste is incredible. It is the kind of bottle you keep in your den and don’t want to share. At $74 a bottle it is beginning to move toward the higher end slightly, however, this is a tequila you sip and savour and not free pour into a margarita. Treat yourself to a bottle of Tres Generaciones Plata and experience a whole new world of Tequila.
Conclusion
The next time you are standing in the tequila aisle you now have six great choices you can buy with confidence for any occasion. Please enjoy regularly and responsibly.
OMH