This page is not intended to promote drinking.
This is my old webpage of tequila ratings and commentary, which was
created between Sept. 1999 and Mar. 2001. I have decided to re-post the
page because it is one of the more comprehensive tequila rating pages
that I have seen on the web. (I have even been contacted by one tequila
manufacturer who requested that I rate their tequila on this page.)
Since the ratings and prices were originally posted, tequila prices
have risen significantly. In many cases, prices have doubled. For
example, when I was building my collection, Herradura's products selled
for $20-25. Recent prices on the same tequilas are over $40. I have
left the price and rating data unchanged, but added in parentheses
current (Nov. 2007) prices for some tequilas, according to one online
website. The "quality per dollar" calculations are likely out of date,
as they are based on old prices, and relative prices among tequilas
have probably changed significantly.
Below I have posted my original tequila page. I may decide to make
changes. If I do make changes, they will be indicated with this (blue)
font. My collection is much smaller than it used to be. I have still
been drinking tequila occasionally, but have not bought any new in
several years.
The price of tequila is rising quickly. Apparently the supply of blue
agave has been exhausted, and so there isn't much more tequila in the
pipeline. Compare the prices I paid for my tequilas (listed in the
table below) to current prices. Internet Wines & Spirits sells a nice selection.Wally's Wine & Spirits (LA) seems to have good prices and selection. Prices for some of the tequilas have gone up by more than 50%! This CNN story (Tequila prices are rising!) gives some details.
Most people have a very bad impression of tequila because when they
think tequila, they think "Cuervo." That is the absolute worst tequila,
and it's strange to me that it's so popular. This page lists the
various tequilas I have, as well as some comments on their flavors, and
sometime a corresponding story. I have about 30 different varieties.
Each tequila I've tasted is ranked (from 1 - 5 stars). The price per
750ml bottle is also listed. The (R/p)*100
column then gives the "stars per dollar," so it takes into account both
taste and price. This is analogous to a marginal utility per dollar
rating (for those of you who are consumer theory students). If you're
interested only in taste, just look at the stars; if you're interested
in price alone, look at it; but if you're interested in both, look at
the (R/p)*100 column. Higher numbers indicate better taste for the
dollar. There are no cheap, gross tequilas here (e.g., Cuervo Gold).
These are all 100% agave tequilas, the only ones worth drinking.
Comments are added occasionally, and are color-coded: purple (3/9/01);
white (7/2/00);
yellow (1/14/00);
green (9/26/99); black (original page version)
RATING SCALE
***** = Excellent.
**** = Very good.
*** = Good.
** = Might not ruin your stomach.
* = Don't be stupid!
|
Brand Name |
Type |
Rating |
Price per |
(R/p)x100 |
Comments (2007)
|
Archived Comments (see timeline and color code above) |
| 1921 Reserva Especial | Anejo |
** |
$63 | 3.2 | This is extremely expensive. I don't like it, though. It's got a very pronounced alcohol sting. I would strongly recommend against buying this or any other 1921 tequila. I'd be interested if anyone disagreed with my assessment of this. | |
| Casa Noble | Gold, triple distilled |
*** |
$55 | I bought a bottle of this in M'ville. It's a new brand. | ||
| Casta Oro | Reposado |
** |
- | - | I tried a shot of this at Taco Mac in Atlanta; I wasn't too impressed. | |
| Cazadores | Reposado |
** |
$28 ($50) | 7.1 | This stuff is okay, but not worth the money; Hornitos is much better. For some reason, this stuff is highly recommended by the guy at Shannon Liquor in Atlanta. I won't take his advice in the future. | |
| Centinela | Anejo |
** |
$31 ($78) | 6.5 | Average... I need to go ahead and drink some more of this. I haven't really taken it seriously because I have so much other stuff. | |
| Chamucos (+) |
|
$45 | Bought this in K.C. | |||
| Chinaco (+) | Silver
(+) Reposado Anejo (+) |
****
|
$27 ($57) $32 ($60) $35 |
14.8 15.6 14.3 |
This probably my favorite brand, considering just taste. | This is excellent tequila. The reposado now takes on special meaning because of the unusual circumstances surrounding dinner with my friend Paige on 11/21/98 at The Chimes in Baton Rouge. It was an interesting weekend. Anyway, all of these are great! Chinaco tequila is an experience everyone should have. But it's probably not a good first tequila to try. It has a very "spicy" flavor. |
| Corralejo | Reposado |
** |
$26 | I had some of this, and it was okay. | ||
| Cuervo Reserva del Familia | Anejo |
** |
$76 ($399) | 2.6 | Cuervo's stuff is usually pretty bad. I noticed a "carmely" taste, and it looks extremely dark. I bet they've faked it; it's way too pricey, too. I don't know why everyone seems to like this. I am SO SICK of Cuervo! Why does everyone think that this shit defines tequila! The new restaurant in M'ville (a.k.a., a slice of hell), Amici, has Cuervo as their tequila. I just don't understand. Why is it so hard for people to understand: 100% agave good, Cuervo crap! | |
| Don Eduardo | Silver Anejo (+) |
|
($48) | |||
| Don Julio (+) | Silver Reposado (+) Anejo (+) |
**
|
- $45 ($65) |
- 6.7 |
This is okay, but a little pricey. I tried the Silver at Taco Mac; there are better silvers. I must say that I don't like their bottle. It would have a nice shape, but it's too "perfect." I drank some of this at Amici. They've got the best tequila in town, though it's a limited selection. I did buy a bottle of Don Julio silver, but I haven't opened it yet. | |
| El Mayor (+) | Anejo |
|
||||
| El Tesoro de Don Felipe (+) |
Silver
Reposado Anejo (+) Paradiso 5 yr. (+) |
*****
|
$25 ($46) $37 ($51) $30 ($56) $100 ($149) |
20.0 10.8 16.7 4.0 |
This may be my favorite brand considering taste and price. | The price of the anejo is now about $51, but I found a bottle of reposado in K.C. for $30! This is excellent tequila (all of them). Very good buys. When I went to Kansas City last June for my 10 year high school reunion, I was wanted to buy something to drink for the evening. I saw the Paradiso bottle, which I'd read about, but never saw it either in Baton Rouge or Atlanta. Even with the $100 price tag, I thought, "what the hell, I don't have any real premium tequilas." I'm glad I have it, but it has a very strong, complex flavor. It doesn't let you relax because there's so much going on in there. |
| Gran Centenario | Silver Reposado |
-
|
$22 ($57) $22 ($60) |
- 11.0 |
I finally tried the reposado; it's okay, but nothing special. Now I've been drinking quite a bit of this. I'm going to up it to 3 stars, next time I make changes. I've just started a new bottle of this. The reposado is still good. I tried to buy another bottle of the silver, but mistakenly bought a counterfeit bottle! | |
| Herradura | Silver
Reposado Anejo Suprema |
-
|
$22 ($49) $25 ($51) $35 ($61) $270 |
- 16.0 8.6 1.4 |
This is still pretty damn good! | The anejo is now about $48. I originally tried these at a bar in Tulsa. I didn't really remember how they tasted. I was visiting Dr. John Ivey; we were shooting the tequila. Since then, I've been drinking the Reposado, which they call "Gold." I do like it. (By the way, Buffington's in Milledgeville sells this stuff now. I haven't tried the Silver since the night in Tulsa. I'm going to buy a bottle of the Suprema if I can find someone (a liquor store) to order it for me! I think Buffington's charges $4 per shot of this, which is better than the $4.50 charged for Hornitos at The Brick. I really like this stuff. That's maybe the only reason one should venture into Buffington's. Open only a few months, and I'm already so damn sick of that place. (Except for this one waitress... she's cute.) I tried the Suprema in Las Vegas at a conference in June 2000. I had one shot, which cost $25. The stuff reminds me a lot of El Tesoro Paradiso. Both have a very strong flavor. This certainly isn't worth buying a bottle, though it is good. |
| Hussong's (+) | Reposado |
|
$40 ($44) | Haven't tried it yet. | ||
| Jose Cuervo Tradicional | Reposado |
*** |
$30 | Can you believe I own this, after I trash Cuervo so much? This is maybe the best cheap tequila to use for margaritas! Don't waste a $60 bottle mixing it. | ||
| Lapiz (+) | Anejo |
**** |
$39 | 10.3 | I had a shot of this at Taco Mac. It was my first one, and pretty good. I finally bought a bottle, drank it, and liked it. I need to get another bottle of this. I really like it. I forget who makes this, but I'd like to see if they offer other varieties. I just got a new bottle of this, but haven't opened it yet. | |
| Patron (+) | Silver (+) Reposado (+) Anejo |
***
|
$31 ($56) $42 ($60) $37 ($67) |
9.7 7.1 8.1 |
Available almost anywhere! But it's by no means the best. | Patron Silver was the first tequila I ever drank. I will always remember the first bottle. It was consumed computer-side in April 1998 when I lived in Baton Rouge. This, along with the Porfidio Silver (the second bottle I ever had) were instrumental in the beginning of the era of drinking while on the telephone. I feel a little bad that such a sentimentally important tequila doesn't score better on the ratings. I haven't drank any of this stuff in so long. I need to do some just to commemorate Baton Rouge. |
| Porfidio | Silver 3d (+)
Reposado Anejo (+) Single-bl. Barrique |
****
|
$25 $80? $26 $76 $415 |
16 19.2 6.6 1.2 |
Some have accused Porfidio of faking it. (It has been alleged that they were selling 'mixed' tequila instead of agave.) I thought it was great stuff; you can't find it anymore. | These are excellent tequilas. Porfidio Silver was my second bottle of tequila. The prices listed here (for the first two) are in Baton Rouge. I tried a shot of the Barrique in Grand Cayman for $25. Taco Mac offers it for $76 per shot! I drink a lot of the anejo; it's excellent. I drank a bottle of Porfidio Silver Triple Distilled when we went to New Orleans in June. I bought a second bottle on my way back. This is good stuff. |
| Reserva del Dueno (+) | Anejo |
*** |
$37 | 8.1 | Again I've changed the rating on this. I gave it another star. Still on the same bottle...but it tasted pretty good the other night. It's */p rating has been upped from 5.4. I think it may be inconsistent from bottle to bottle. This stuff is finally gone. I don't plan on buying another bottle, though. It wasn't all that memorable. | |
| Sauza Commemorativo | Anejo (mixto) |
* |
$20 ($29) | 5.0 | I drank a little of this a few nights ago (mid-December). It wasn't as "craptabulous" as I had remembered it, so I've upgraded it from 0 *s to 1 *. I think I took the bottle of this crap over to my friend Tammy's house so that I don't have to drink beer there. I haven't drank any in months, and I can't say that I miss it. This is the only non-100% agave I have. This crap is long gone! Thankfully. | |
| Sauza Galardon (+) | Reposado |
*** |
$32 | 9.7 | I recently found a bottle of this, still only $32. This is supposedly "rare" stuff; it tastes pretty good. I've been through a few bottles of it. Thinking of it right now reminds me of Herradura gold. I think they may be very close to the same drink. | |
| Sauza Hornitos | Reposado |
*** |
$18 $20 ($35) |
22.2 15.0 |
I used to rate this very highly. I don't like it so much anymore. It has a definite alcohol sting. | Without doubt: THE BEST FOR THE MONEY! I haven't been drinking much of this lately at home, but I do drink it if I go to The Brick. I don't know if it's that I'm getting sick of this or what. Maybe I've had too much, but next time I update this page, Hornitos gets demoted to 3 stars! I'm still rather tired of Hornitos. I still drink it often, though, mainly when I go out in Milledgeville. They have a new bottle design and a slightly higher price, but as promised, it gets demoted to 3 stars! |
| Sauza Tres Generaciones | Anejo |
*** |
$31 ($60) | 9.7 | A little pricey, but it's not bad. I don't have anymore of this. I wouldn't buy another bottle either. It's really not worth the money. It may not even be 100% agave. | |
| Sauza Triada (+) | Anejo |
**** |
$43 | 9.3 | This is new, and pretty good. I especially like the story the manufacturer gives. They say that, somehow, they have balanced fire, sun, moon, and water, in the creation of this tequila. I'm not sure what exactly that means. I just finished my first bottle of this. I want more of this! The damned sun and moon have been so far out of balance for me lately! I got a new bottle of this--finally! | |