Best Tequila Under $50

Rising star in the Reposado Tequila game. Casamigos — roughly translated as "house of friends" — was founded by Rande Gerber in 2013 in partnership with actor George Clooney. You might remember Rande Gerber as the husband of model Cindy Crawford, but he is also a serial entrepreneur in the restaurant and Spirits business. The entire Casamigos line of Tequilas and Mescal are made the right way at the Productos Finos de Agave Distillery in Jalisco along with many other premium brands. That means the products are the "real deal." Sales have taken off and the brand is now owned by Diageo. Casamigos Reposado is everything that you expect in a rested Tequila. It’s made from 100% Weber Blue Agave raised in the red clay soils of the Jalisco highlands. The piñas are slow-roasted for three days in traditional brick ovens and crushed. Importantly, the agave juice is fermented for eighty hours using a proprietary blend of yeast strains … and yes, it’s a closely-held secret. It’s aged for seven months in “reconditioned” ex-Bourbon casks and bottled at 40% ABV.

It's all fun and games until The Rock enters the ring. Who doesn't like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson? Stone Cold Steve Austin might not be one, but we're fans. He's known for the spinebusters, Samoan drops, and people's elbows, as well as his numerous roles in massive blockbusters films, including Luke in the Fast and the Furious, the titular Scorpion King, or Dr. Bravestone in the recent Jumanji films. Now he's adding a premium Tequila to the list of his achievements, as he's teamed up with a family-owned distillery in the highlands of Jalisco, the cradle of the famous Mexican Spirit. The process of making the Spirit starts with The Rock punching the Teremana blue Weber agaves into a pulp... What? Then they're roasted in brick ovens, open-air fermented, and distilled in hand-made copper pot stills. It's all done by hand, just so you know. The Reposado then matures in ex-Bourbon barrels for a couple months for some of that delicious spicy complexity. 

Okay, sure, there are flowers, chocolate, and hearts, but nothing says Valentine's Day more than Tequila Liqueur. Agavero Tequila Liqueur is a distinctly Mexican Spirit with a fragrant aroma and luscious texture. In Spanish, the word “proximo” means “next” or “afterward.” Proximo Spirits is the exclusive importer for Agavera Camichines Distillers, located in the heart of Tequila country—Jalisco, Mexico. Agavera Camichines doesn’t translate directly, but the cultural meaning is “little fruit of the agave.” And … we think that’s pretty cool. Agavera Camichines is setting its sights high. The company was founded on the 1800 Tequila brand and they have greatly expanded over the last few years. They produce a wide range of Tequilas and Tequila-based beverages and have recently made use of their experience to branch out into a range of Vodka, Gins, and Whisky.  Agavero Tequila Liqueur was invented by Tequila master Lazaro Gallardo in 1857. He originally created it just for his friends and special occasions and kept the simple recipe a secret. But the people of Jalisco clamored for more, and he finally made it a commercial product, revealing the secret, but not the artistry.  Agavero Tequila Liqueur is made from a select blend of 100% blue agave añejo and reposado Tequilas that have been exclusively aged in new, medium-char French Limousin oak barrels … just like fine Cognac. Those Tequilas are blended and re-barreled with infused Damiana blossoms. It’s almost like making Gin or Saint Germain Liqueur from Tequila. But this is totally unique and emerges from the second cask as a distinctly Mexican spirit with a fragrant aroma and downright luscious texture. Discover more great Tequila under $50!    

Clean, pure, and steeped in traditional craftsmanship.    In a world of super-mega-conglomerates dominating international liquor distribution, Luxco stands out as one of the few larger, family-owned companies. But they have a large footprint. By our count they have 198 Spirit brands and variants across the full spectrum of adult beverages. If you have sipped at a bar or mixed cocktails at home you have had their products — from the classic Triple Sec to Rebel Yell Bourbon.    El Mayor is a full line of traditional Tequilas, including Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. Today we are focued on the Añejo, which is a super example of Tequila-making aged between eighteen and thrity-six months. We like the clean approach — using first-fill white oak cask with a medium char to age 100% agave nectar. It lets the real flavor of the Spirit come through. And the judges agree since they have a stack of recent awards to go with it — including a Platinum and Double Gold medals. Perfect for sipping neat. 

The Rock diving-elbow-drops a Tequila When one thinks of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, many things come to mind. It might be spinebusters, Samoan drops, and people's elbows. Or any of his roles in massive blockbusters films, including Luke in the Fast and the Furious, the titular Scorpion King, or Dr. Bravestone in the recent Jumanji films. What doesn't come to mind, is Tequila ― but that's about to change, as The Rock has teamed up with a family-owned distillery in the highlands of Jalisco, the cradle of the famous Mexican Spirit. We won't bore you with too many deets regarding the distillation process but we like to think that it all begins with The Rock punching the Teremana blue Weber agaves into a pulp. Then they're roasted in brick ovens, fermented, and distilled in hand-made copper pot stills. These folks are adamant about doing it all by hand, just like the gods of booze intended. Oh, and this one is Blanco, which stands for unaged.