When you pay over $100 for a bottle of tequila or mezcal, what are you paying for: the liquid inside, or the decanter that houses it?
Often it’s both. Ceramic decanters and hand-painted stoppers do not come cheap. But where do you go if all you care about is the quality of the spirit? That’s why we’re taking the decanters away.
Nine agave spirits — six tequilas and three mezcals — were tasted blind by three leading independent spirits writers. Take away the label and the price, does the liquid live up to the hype, and does it justify the money? The only way to find out was to remove every preconception, good or bad, from the equation.
This is the first in a series of category deep-dives for the Tasting Notes library, each covering some of the best-known and best-selling liquids in its category, all at a price point of at least $100. Agave felt like the obvious place to start.
The Agave Blind Tasting Results
9. Don Julio, 1942
Price
$175
One of tequila’s most recognizable names, Don Julio González founded his eponymous house in 1942. This expression was released six decades later to mark that anniversary, and it remains one of the best-selling tequilas in its category.
Commercial success did not translate into panel enthusiasm. Millie Milliken (50) and Neil Ridley (59) both found it exceptionally sweet, Neil calling it “thin and uninspired.”
Joel Harrison offered some hope for 1942 enthusiasts with his score of 80: “A good wallop of spirit belies the sub-40% ABV, and this certainly has young agave spirit and decent wood notes.”
8. Clase Azul, Gold
Price
$350
Clase Azul México is famed for its ornate decanters, hand-crafted by Mexican artisans — work that helps keep traditional skills alive and brings money into local communities.
But that craftsmanship costs. Officially a joven, Gold is a blend of unaged plata, a reposado matured in French oak, and an eight-year-old extra añejo, and at $350 it sits at the luxury end of the range.
It drew the widest spread of scores in the tasting: 56 from Millie, 69 from Neil and 77 from Joel. Millie was the most direct: “The palate is overwhelmingly sweet — vanilla essence, runny caramel, and quite a bit of viscosity.”
7. Acosta Tequila, Reposado
Price
$200
A newcomer to ultra-premium tequila, Acosta ages its expressions in ex-cognac French oak barrels and promises no added sugar in any of its tequilas.
This reposado spends nine months in French oak, and the cask influence was picked up by Neil (70): “There’s a tannic, dry backbone that hints at French oak, leading into the finish: a bold, dry pepperiness that dominates.”
Millie (65) found it too hot for its strength, while Joel (73) pointed to the prominence of orange oil on the palate. At an average of 69, it was one of the most tightly scored expressions of the tasting. Just eight points separated the panel.
6. José Cuervo, Reserva de la Familia
Price
$200
José Cuervo is the world’s best-selling tequila, and until 1995 this expression was held in the owning family’s private reserve. Cuervo claims it as the original extra añejo. The best? The scores suggest not.
Millie (60) was left underwhelmed by dominant wood on the nose and an unbalanced palate. Joel (82) and Neil (78) found more to enjoy — the former noting a “whiskey-like” richness on the palate, the latter its “complexity and richness.”
5. Clase Azul, Reposado
Price
$200
The flagship expression from Clase Azul, and one of the most recognizable ultra-premium tequilas in the world. It is often held up as the epitome of style over substance. That is not how our tasters saw it.
Millie (83) gave it her highest score of the entire tasting, pointing to an “abundance of greenness on the nose.” Neil (85) called it “well rounded and integrated.” Joel (72) marked it down for a lack of agave on the palate and a “disjointed” finish.
4. Clase Azul, Guerrero
Price
$400
The first of three mezcals in the top four, Clase Azul Guerrero is a joven made from wild papalote agave.
Its funk was what registered first. Millie (82) opened her note with “cheese, funk, and some greenery,” and Neil (88) found the smoke well judged, calling the whole “well balanced, and nicely integrated” — his joint-highest score of the tasting. Joel (74) was the outlier, hunting for bright fruit and finding a farmyard character instead.
3. Del Maguey, Tobalá
Price
$125
Del Maguey pioneered single-village mezcal, and its Tobalá comes from Santa María Albarradas, where wild Agave potatorum is hand-gathered from high-altitude canyons.
You will notice the absence of an ornate decanter here, and a comparably modest price. Neither made a difference to the panel, which was unanimous on quality — the three scores separated by just five points.
Joel (84) gave it the highest mark, describing an “excellent, bright, herbal expression.” Millie (79) said it showed “character and nuance,” and Neil (82) found it more complex than a young mezcal has any right to be.
2. The Last Drop, Extra Añejo Tequila, Release No. 40
Price
$2,300
The highest-scoring tequila of the tasting was this extra añejo from The Last Drop Distillers. At $2,300 a bottle, you would expect the very best.
Joel was won over, awarding it 96 — the highest individual score of the tasting. That put it within a whisker of the top spot, only to be pulled back by Millie (80) and Neil (83), who were not quite as enamored. Millie found “lovely highs” before a “spiky finish” brought her mark down.
As the tasting repeatedly showed, price is no guarantee of position.
1. Del Maguey, Pechuga
Price
$230
Del Maguey takes top spot with a winning average of 87. Pechuga is best known for its third distillation, in which wild mountain apples, plums, plantains, pineapple, almonds, and rice go into the still with a skinned chicken breast suspended above the liquid.
Did the chicken make the difference? We will never know. Joel (94) welcomed the higher strength and the gentle burn that came with it. Millie (80) called it a mezcal “that shows much more than just smoke,” and Neil (88) judged it “a very well-balanced mezcal with a direct, upfront approach.”
How Our Blind Tastings Work
In conjunction with sister title, The World of Fine Wine, we follow a single-blind protocol in which the identity of the distillery and/or bottler is concealed. Three tasters — typically one recognized specialist and two experienced generalists — assess the spirits independently, entering their notes and scores directly into the Tasting Notes portal.
To protect the integrity of the process, tasters do not confer, and scores and comments cannot be altered once submitted. Notes and scores are attributed individually and published in full.
