For the past decade, tequila has been on an absolute tear in the United States. In 2017, there were just six brands selling over 1 million cases per year in the U.S. Last year, there were over a dozen. But according to new data from The Spirits Business (TSB), agave spirits sales could be slowing down.
While tequila is still growing in the U.S. — it was one of only two spirits categories to improve in the U.S. in 2024 — its margin of growth last year was much smaller than in years past. In 2023, tequila and mezcal grew by 5.7 percent by volume year-over-year, with a total of 31.6 million cases sold, while value increased by 7.9 percent to hit $6.5 billion.
Last year, 32.3 million cases of tequila and mezcal were sold in the U.S., an increase of just 2 percent year-over-year according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The spirits’ value also increased, though by just a fraction of how much it increased the year prior. In 2024, the value of tequila and mezcal surged by 2.9 percent to reach $6.7 billion.
But while the category at large experienced some success last year, some individual brands weren’t as lucky. Following four years of steady growth, volume of Jose Cuervo declined by 6.4 percent, but the hit wasn’t enough to knock the brand from the top spot. For the sixth year in a row, Jose Cuervo tops the list of the most popular tequilas in the world. In second place is Don Julio, which crossed the 4-million-case sales threshold for the first time last year, while Patrón rounds out the top three.
Check out the rest of the world’s most popular tequila brands below.
Established in 1994 and named for the farmers who grow, tend to, and harvest agave plants, El Jimador is produced from 100 percent blue agave grown in the lowlands of Jalisco. In 2024, the brand sold 1.3 million cases across silver, reposado, and añejo expressions, down from 1.6 million the year before. The 14.2 percent sales decline caused El Jimador to drop one ranking from its No. 9 position in 2023.
When looking at each of the top-selling tequila brands, none had a better year than Lunazul. The Heaven Hill-owned brand grew sales by an impressive 37 percent last year to hit 1.7 million cases. First launched in 2002, Lunazul Tequila is made from 100 percent blue agave, offering blanco, reposado, añejo, and cristalino expressions, along with Humoso, a smoky blanco.
First distilled in 1950 by Don Francisco Javier Sauza, Hornitos was created to celebrate Mexican Independence Day, which falls on Sept. 16. Currently owned by Suntory Global Spirits, Hornitos offers quite an extensive lineup, with plata, reposado, añejo, and cristalino expressions under its umbrella, as well as a number of flavored tequilas and RTDs. While the brand experienced a few years of growth in the early 2020s, case sales declined for the second year in a row in 2024, down 8.9 percent to hit 1.8 million cases.
For the past four years, Espolòn has been steadily growing its case sales, and 2024 was no different. Last year, the Campari-owned brand grew its case sales by 14.6 percent — the third largest jump among brands in the top 10. Produced in Los Altos, Espolòn is available in five distinct expressions, with the latest, Flor de Oro, launched for the first time in 2024 as a seasonal release.
Of each of the brands on the top 10 best-sellers list, Gran Centenario is the oldest of the bunch. Established in 1857, the brand was founded by Lazaro Gallardo, who is widely recognized as the first master distiller of tequila. Distilled in the highlands, all Gran Centenario expressions arrive in a gorgeous Art Deco bottle, which could have something to do with its popularity.
Easily one of the most famous celebrity tequila brands on the planet, Casamigos made a splash in 2017 when reports emerged that founder George Clooney sold it to Diageo for $1 billion. But despite sales growing by a whopping 2 million cases from 2020 to 2022, things slowed slightly in 2023, before dipping drastically last year. In 2024, Casamigos’ sales across its blanco, reposado, añejo, cristalino, jalapeño, and mezcal expressions dropped by 20.7 percent to 2.4 million cases, its lowest number since 2021.
Produced at Fábrica La Rojeña — Latin America’s oldest distillery — 1800 Tequila has a near-infinite number of expressions under its umbrella across standard, limited-edition, and ready-to-serve bottlings. The sheer number of SKUs available is likely a contributing factor to the brand’s impressive case sales, which in 2024 exceeded 2.8 million.
Founded in 1989, Patrón is easily one of the most recognizable tequila brands in the world. Produced from 100 percent blue agave, Patrón is available in over 15 distinct expressions, though its squat silver, reposado, and añejo bottlings are likely the most well known. Despite the brand’s ubiquity, case sales have been slumping in recent years, down 8 percent year-over-year in 2023, followed by another 11.8 percent decrease last year. In 2024, Patrón case sales measured just 2.8 million, the lowest number since before 2020.
Don Julio is practically synonymous with prestige, with its luxurious “1942” serving as tequila’s very first unicorn bottle. Founded in 1942 by tequila icon Don Julio González, Don Julio is available in numerous expressions in addition to 1942, with newer releases including Rosado and Alma Miel. The brand experienced tremendous growth in 2024, with case sales up 28.2 percent to hit 4.4 million — the first time Don Julio has crossed the 4-million-case threshold.
Can anything stop the dominance of Jose Cuervo? For the sixth consecutive year, the tequila brand has claimed the title of world’s best-selling tequila brand, though the tides could soon turn. In 2024, Jose Cuervo’s case sales experienced a 6.4 percent decline, dropping to 8.9 million from 9.5 million the year before. While it’s still 1 million more cases than the brand was selling in 2021, it is the first time sales have dipped below the 9 million case mark in three years.
The article The 10 Most Popular Tequila Brands in the World for 2025 appeared first on VinePair.