10 Tequila Brands To Shake Up This Margarita Day
You may have steered clear of tequila since your uni days but we’re here to prove that the spirit isn’t all about slamming shots. Perfect as the base for cocktails or sipping on its own, the agave-based spirit is as versatile as your botanical gins and spiced rums. Read on for our edit of the best tequila brands to sip this weekend and beyond.
To celebrate National Margarita Day, we’ve rounded up The Handbook Team’s favourite tequila brands worth shaking up. Happy sipping!
Storywood Tequila
Built on a love of tequila, Storywood Tequila is the brainchild of Michael Ballantyne, who after spending a prolonged period in his mother’s hometown of San Miguel De Allende, Mexico, soon turned his hand to bringing this journey to life by creating a tequila with a punch. Fast-forward seven years and the brand is one of the UK’s favourites.
The tequila is made from a ten-year-old mature 100% blue Weber agave, harvested from the lowland region of Jalisco and coupled with natural springs from Volcan de Tequila. There are a few iterations now, from the caramel-y Speyside 7 CS to the Sherry matured cask, Sherry 7 CS.
Mijenta Tequila
Inspired by Mexican folk tales and traditions is Mijenta, the sustainable, small-batched tequila brand from the Highlands of Jalisco.
In their portfolio, they have two tequilas on offer. The Blanco offers up a distinct flavour profile, offering up notes of fresh fruit, spices and vanilla. The reposado is fragrant with notes of bergamot, honey, preserved fruits, and orange blossom flowers and is great for shaking up into an Old Fashioned.
Clase Azul
It’s hard not to get excited about a tequila brand that’s this good-looking. Although on the pricier side, this Mexican spirit brings together the country’s best artisan experts and artists to create a tequila that out-stages every other on the market.
Not only is the bottle a literal work of art you won’t want to throw away once it’s finished, but the tequila itself is also hard to beat. You can pick up a bottle of this from Harvey Nichols and we guarantee you’ll win over any tequila drinker you pass.
Patrón
A crowd favourite, Patrón still reigns as champion for producing some of the smoothest, most natural tequilas out there. With eight tasty tequilas in its portfolio, it’s the Silver Patrón bottle that mixes up the best Handbook-approved Margaritas. Clear in colour, it’s smooth and sweet with a light peppery finish.
Mix up their signature Margarita, made with Patrón Silver, Citrónge Orange Liqueur, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and a wedge of line and kosher salt for garnishing the glass.
Teremana
There’s not much Dwayne Johnson hasn’t done in his time but launching this celeb-owned drinks brand is up there as one of our favourites. Crafted in a small Mexican town, at the top of the peaks of the Jalisco Highland mountains, Teremana Tequila is bright, fragrant and aspires to honour the land from which it came.
With both a clear and lightly coloured tequila to choose from, there’s one for every tequila lover. The Blanco is light with bright citrus flavours and a smooth finish, while the Repusado holds notes of oak and vanilla with a rich finish.
Hugely sustainable too, the brand takes 100% of the leftover agave fibres and turns it into natural compost which is then used as an organic fertiliser for the agave fields. In all, helping to reduce their carbon footprint and give back to the land that helped produce the product.
El Rayo
Although designed to mix up with a classic tonic, El Rayo is still worthy of a place on this list because it also makes a great addition to any Margarita base. The all-natural spirit focuses on using just water and the best blue agave to create a tequila with a kick.
Opt for the Plata for a subtle citrusy hint or try their Reposado iteration and be greeted with warm notes of honey-kissed vanilla.
818
A brand new entry in the UK market for you to get your hands on, Tesco has become the first UK supermarket to stock 818 Tequila, the premium tequila brand founded by Kendall Jenner.
Named after Kendall’s Calabasas area code, 818 Tequila Blanco boasts flavours of agave and vanilla, complemented by undertones of tropical and citrus fruit.
Try it out on its own or mixed into a range of cocktails, like a Spicy Margarita or Tequila Mule.
www.drink818.com
El Jimador
Tequila is an art that takes time to produce and El Jimador prides itself on the fact that it indeed does take years to craft the perfect bottle. Made using 100% blue agave, this tequila brand has three profiles in its portfolio, but for the classic Margarita you’ll want to grab a bottle of the Blanco.
For something a little more full-bodied, try the Añejo. Its rich dark amber colour evokes notes of vanilla, hazelnut, and cinnamon.
Vivir Tequila
Another Handbook tequila brand favourite is Vivir Tequila. Set up by two friends, Vivir uses 100% agave produced from Weber Blue Agave that’s grown for nine years on a family-owned distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. It’s combined with volcanic spring water to create a tequila that’s full of flavour and doesn’t need to be washed down with salt and lemon.
For the perfect Margarita, try the classic Tequila Blanco. Expect a clean, floral finish in every sip.
Cazcabel
From the classic fresh, crisp blanco and oak-aged reposado to playful coconut, honey and coffee flavours, Cazcabel ticks all of the tequila-loving boxes. Inspired by the mystic figure Don Cazcabel from the Jalisco Mountains, the tequila uses harvested piñas from the diverse and rugged landscape that surrounded him.
Celebrate in style and order in their Margarita kit, complete with a bottle of Blanco, Cointreau, a lime squeezer, Groovy Food Co. Agave Nectar and Maldon Sea Salt.
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