The best tequilas for sipping

Not all tequilas are meant for sipping, and not all tequila is made the same. While the ingredients are constant — all tequila is made from fermenting the heart of the agave plant, the piña — the way it’s aged and for how long is where a lot of the flavor comes from.  

There are three main types of tequila: blanco, reposado and añejo. Blanco is what you’ll typically use in cocktails. As most blancos, like Casamigos Blanco Tequila, are unaged, it has a clear, crystal appearance, notes of citrus and pepper, and offers up a crisp, clean note that doesn’t overpower lime juice or any mixers you’ll be using. Reposado and añejo, on the other hand, are aged. Reposado is only aged between 2-12 months in oak and can be a good beginner sipper, with light notes of vanilla and honey.   

An añejo like Don Julio Añejo Tequila or Don Julio 1942 is your best bet. The reason añejo is so beloved by tequila and whiskey fans alike is because it’s aged 1-3 years in oak, which offers up flavors of baking spices, caramel and butterscotch, and changes the consistency, making it smoother and richer, and ideal for sipping. Also, look out for extra añejo which is aged for more than 3 years and cristalino: while it looks like a blanco, it’s made by filtering añejo with activated charcoal to remove any color. 

To start off, make sure you have the right glass. While you could sip out of a shot glass, look for glasses you may sip whiskey from. A rocks glass works in a pinch, but the traditional glass is a small clay cup called a copita — and a sherry glass with its wide base and tapered edge is often used by professionals for tastings. The wide base will allow you to swirl the liquor without spilling, and the thinner end will help to focus the aromas to your nose.  

Keep in mind the temperature of the tequila. Sipping tequila is traditionally served neat at room temperature, as cold is a numbing agent, and serving it chilled will mute many of the tasting notes you’re looking to enjoy. 

Start by rinsing your palette to prepare it: Take a very small sip of tequila and work it around your mouth before swallowing. Now that your mouth is calibrated to the high ABV, take a sip just large enough to taste the tequila, and exhale, letting your breath waft out the volatile alcohol compounds, leaving you with the heart of the drink on your palette. Take note of what you’re tasting. If you’re having an añejo, can you sense the flavors from the oak?