The Best Tequilas for Margarita Making in 2024

An enduring classic with a nearly 100-year history, the margarita was the most popular cocktail in the U.S. for 2023, according to research agency CGA’s NielsenIQ cocktail tracker. While it’s a relatively easy drink to make, not all are created equal. Of course, the easiest way to separate a sensational offering from the disposable variety is to use the best tequila for margaritas.

But here’s the catch: The best sipping tequila isn’t necessarily the best choice for a well-balanced cocktail. The same goes for the best bourbon for an old-fashioned or the best vodka for a martini. So we set out on a quest to find the best margarita tequila for every palate.

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Our top overall pick is the Tequila Ocho Plata. It gives the classic drink a peppery, herbal kick while still maintaining a surprising brightness—and it’s also affordable.

Related: We Tasted Hundreds of Whiskeys. These Are the World's Best

The Best Tequila for Margaritas at a Glance

• Best Overall Tequila for Margaritas: Tequila Ocho Plata
• Best Cheap Tequila for Margaritas: Tapatio Blanco
• Best Tequila for Spicy Margaritas: Ghost Blanco
• Best Tequila for Ultra-Smooth Margaritas: Roca Patrón Silver
• Best Tequila for Sweet Margaritas: Maestro Dobel Diamante
• Best Tequila for Balanced Margaritas: Laneta Blanco
• Best Tequila for a Dessert Margarita: Flecha Azul Reposado
• Best Tequila for Cooling Margaritas: El Tesoro Blanco
• Best Tequila for Robust Margaritas: Quintaliza Reposado
• Best Tequila for Citrus Margaritas: Don Julio Primavera Reposado
• Best Tequila for Sophisticated Margaritas: ArteNom 1579
• Best Tequila for Batanga: El Tequileño Blanco Tequila

Best Tequila for Margaritas in 2024

Best Overall Tequila for Margaritas: Tequila Ocho Plata

Tequila Ocho Plata is the Platonic ideal of margarita-ready tequilas. It has a touch of peppery spice and herbal fortitude, both of which anchor the sweeter, sour tones introduced through modifiers.

It also maintains an enviable shine in cocktail form, keeping everything vibrant and flavorful at the same time. At a relatively reasonable price point, you won't hesitate to use it for large batches of mixed drinks. And trust us, you'll want to!

Best Cheap Tequila for Margaritas: Tapatio Blanco

“My favorite tequila to use is Tapatio Blanco,” says Beaudoin Vallières. “It’s simple, very earthy, and very well balanced. It’s great for the price, and we always keep it in the back of our bar.” It also has a slight minty aftertaste that refreshes the palate long after each magical sip of margarita.

Best Tequila for Spicy Margaritas: Ghost Blanco

If you’re looking to add a kick to your margarita, this is the juice for you. Ghost Blanco was designed by a Boston-based bartender specifically to spice up his cocktails and shots. It relies on the addition of ghost pepper extract to provide plenty of heat without being too bitter.

Best Tequila for Ultra-Smooth Margaritas: Roca Patrón Silver

“When making margaritas, I prefer blanco or silver tequila for their bright, grassy flavor notes that complement the overall profile of the cocktail,” Sanchez says. “Made using the ancient tahona method, which uses a large stone wheel to crush the agave in a pit, Patrón Roca Silver is one of the best tequilas for margaritas because it’s bright, fresh, and additive-free.”

Best Tequila for Sweet Margaritas: Maestro Dobel Diamante

Dobel Diamante is a meticulous blend of well-aged agave juice that’s been put through a special filtration system to make it clear. It retains a nutty mouthfeel and holds on to all the caramel and vanilla notes from the oak. And all those sweeter tones come out when used as the centerpiece of a traditional margarita recipe.

Best Tequila for Balanced Margaritas: Laneta Blanco

Agave nectar, earthiness, citrus, vanilla, and cinnamon are super common flavor notes for any respectable tequila. But few offer them all in such an even array as this entry-level Laneta Blanco. Use it to anchor any margarita recipe and enjoy a delicious And dessert alternately.

Best Tequila for a Dessert Margarita: Flecha Azul Reposado

Brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg—it’s all here to be tasted with Flecha Azul. And when crushed with the right amount of lime juice and triple sec, it’s an absolute delight to pick. Margaritas are often frowned upon after that food. But trust us, this is better than molten chocolate lava cake.

Best Tequila for Cooling Margaritas: El Tesoro Blanco

“I love the freshness of El Tesoro Blanco,” says Gabe Urrutia, bartender at Gramps in Miami, FL. “It’s sweet and herbaceous. It’s also distilled [no water added after distillation]”it really captures the true essence of the agave used. Finally, it has no additives and is affordable. Perfect in Tommy's margaritas.”

Best Tequila for Robust Margaritas: Quintaliza Reposado

“I personally always think a reposado is the best expression of tequila for a margarita; it’s usually the smoothest,” says Alli Torres, an award-winning bartender at Freehold Miami in Florida. “I love the multi-layered structure of the Quintaliza Reposado. It starts with roasted agave one way and ends with roasted coffee and rich chocolate notes another. It has a soft, sweet texture but is very peppery, which gives it a great kick in cocktails.”

Best Tequila for Citrus Margaritas: Don Julio Primavera Reposado

This truly unique special edition Don Julio Primavera Reposado from one of Jalisco’s most important producers is finished in European barrels flavored with wine marinated in orange peel. As you might expect, the tequila adds citrus zest. And there’s plenty of that when used in your margarita. But you’ll also notice an unexpected silkiness in the mouth.

Best Tequila for Sophisticated Margaritas: ArteNom 1579

Ah, so that's what you think of yourself as?herbaceous sipper. No problem—we do too. And we’re not just applauding your seriousness, we’re rewarding you with this incredibly nuanced ArteNom 1579 blanche. Mint, fresh-cut grass, soaked slate—yes, those are the kinds of tonality we’re talking about for your next margarita. And we’re not ashamed to use the word “tonality,” either.

Best Tequila for Batanga: El Tequileño Blanco

Green pepper, anise, and sweet agave are the distinctive tasting notes of this classic El Tequileño Blanco Tequila. And while they all work wonderfully in a margarita, here we recommend an under-publicized alternative: La Batanga.

You may not be familiar with the cocktail, but in reality city It is known that tequila is even more popular than the margarita and is almost always made with this exact expression.

How to Make Margaritas

Here are a few essential tips on making margaritas, courtesy of Gabe Sanchez, cocktail expert at Midnight Rambler at The Joule in Dallas, TX:

1. Don't use margarita mix; just use fresh lime juice!
2. When it comes to picking lemons, choose ones that are a bit larger; have a lighter green color; and have thin, smooth skins, as they will give you the best juice. You can tell if a lemon is good for juicing by its color and the pits in the skin. If you are unsure, roll it on a hard surface. It will work best if the lemon doesn’t hold up to the pressure of your hand.
3. When you're ready to make the margaritas, remove the lemons from the refrigerator beforehand to come to room temperature, then gently roll them on the counter before slicing them so they can juice more easily.
4. Don't be shy when shaking. I shake aggressively for a maximum of 20 shakes. If you hear the ice breaking early and the shaker freezing up, you can stop at 15.

Related: The Best Gin Brands to Drink in 2023

The Best Margarita Recipe You Can Make at Home

This basic recipe from Julio Bermejo of Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, California, doesn't use triple sec, so it's more accessible to the average, mostly unprepared home mixologist.

Contents

• 2 ounces blanc tequila
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ oz agave nectar
• Salt for the rim, optional

Instructions

1. Add tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar to a shaker full of ice.
2. Shake vigorously until shaker is frozen.
3. Salt the rim of a cocktail glass and add fresh ice or a large ice cube.
4. Strain the margarita into a cocktail glass and enjoy.

What We Look for in the Best Tequila for Margaritas

We look for refreshing, earthy, robust tequilas that stand out when mixed with the tartness of lime juice and the sweetness of triple sec. We also want it to be a pure expression of the category, free of additives as much as possible.

Then there’s the cost. Or rather, value. As with cheap whiskeys, you’ll find that this list covers cheap tequilas and other bottles… not. But overall, we just wanted to find the best tequila for margaritas, and this one proves it, no matter the price tag.

“When I think of a margarita, I like the cocktail to feel refreshing, so I always use blanco tequila,” explains professional bartender Christophe Beaudoin Vallières. Other categories, like añejo tequilas, can be too bold or add a sweetness that’s not needed. “Ultimately, you want a margarita that feels light but flavorful and balanced,” Beaudoin Vallières adds.

To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the best tequilas for margaritas. Below, you’ll find 15 excellent expressions that are uniquely qualified for the task based on the specific flavor profiles you’re looking to achieve.

Why You Should Trust Me

I drink an unreasonable amount of margaritas in any given year—always in moderation, of course. But beyond that, I also specialize in tequila production and tasting. I judge drinking competitions from coast to coast, sample hundreds of expressions each year, and rate and compare agave spirits for inclusion in articles I write as a journalist. For this challenging task, I’ve also enlisted the expertise of several award-winning bartender experts. They literally make margaritas for a living, so you can count on them to guide you from mediocre to sensational, as a professional imperative.