We Asked 16 Bartenders: What’s Your Go-To Tequila? (2025)
Tequila is a category loaded with new shiny objects. Fresh bottles seem to hit retail and bar shelves every week, ready to entice consumers with some combination of pretty packaging, a cool story, and/or high-quality liquid. Each can evoke curiosity and excitement from an agave aficionado, since they carry the potential to become a new favorite. Finding a bottle that delivers on such prospective promise is always a thrill.
A reliable existing tequila favorite tends to prompt different feelings: familiarity, comfort, and warmth. These are powerful sentiments, and they can be powerful enough to compel a curious tequila lover to pump the brakes on chasing down the latest trendy bottle and simply sip on something they know will give them great pleasure.
For bartenders, having access to a go-to tequila bottle that consistently meets expectations in a drink is essential when they’re behind the stick. It can also be just as crucial when they’re at home and just want a pour of something they know is good. With that in mind, we asked 16 bartenders to name their current go-to tequila. Here’s what they had to say.
The Go-To Tequilas, According to Bartenders
LALO Blanco
Tequila Komos Reposado Rosa
Tequila Komos Anejo Cristalino
La Gritona
Mijenta Tequila Reposado
Tequila Tapatio Blanco 110
Arette Tequila Blanco
Mijenta Tequila Blanco
Don Fulano Reposado
Siete Leguas Reposado
Clase Azul
ElVelo Tequila
Cascahuín Tahona Blanco
Espolon Tequila Blanco
Gran Centenario Reposado
Esperanto Añejo
“LALO Blanco is smooth, clean, and fantastically easy to sip. In a world where the tequilas lining the shelves deliver tasting notes like ‘cotton candy’ or ‘grassy honey,’ LALO makes a daring return to the basics with notes of agave and pepper. It is simple and pleasurable neat or on the rocks. It is also wonderful in a Margarita. A LALO Margarita tastes like a Margarita: not bitter, bold, sweet, or astringent; just a lusciously balanced, luxurious refresher. It’s just a great go-to.” —Jason Male, bar manager, Slightly North of Broad, Charleston, S.C.
“My favorite tequila comes from Tequila Komos. I am partial to their Reposado Rosa and Añejo Cristalino. The Reposado Rosa is aged for two months in French oak wine barrels to achieve the beautiful rose coloring and rich mouthfeel, and it’s my favorite sipper. The Añejo Cristalino is aged for a minimum of 12 months in a combination of French oak wine barrels and bourbon barrels. It is also perfect for sipping, and it makes an amazing Margarita!” —Kathleen Calkins, beverage director, Halls Chophouse/Halls Catch, Nashville
“Our go-to is La Gritona. We love that it’s smooth, rested gently in whiskey barrels, and expertly crafted by women.” —Sophina Uong, owner/chef, Mister Mao, New Orleans
“I would pick Mijenta Tequila Reposado as a go-to. It’s rich and elegant in a cocktail but also delicious to sip on its own. There is a toasted coconut and baking spice element that I love, but the roasted agave still shines through. We use it in a cocktail with elote and cacao, and it’s one of my favorites to recommend.” —Meaghan Dorman, bar director and partner, Dear Irving/The Raines Law Room, NYC
“My go-to tequila has to be Tequila Tapatío Blanco 110. It shows great depth, with ripe cooked agave, pepper, and bright citrus notes that carry through in everything from a classic Margarita to a carefully stirred cocktail. As a higher-proof [tequila], Tapatio 110’s concentrated agave flavor stands up beautifully in cocktails without losing balance or complexity. It’s a tequila rooted in heritage and authenticity — the Camarena family has been crafting tequila for generations, staying true to traditional methods along the way. Their work delivers a tequila with the power and flavor to make it a standout behind any bar.” —Kalani Ben, director of outlets, Town and Country Resort, San Diego
“I am a big fan of Arette Tequila Blanco for my well tequila. It has always been a favorite. Apart from that, LALO tequila is a total steal for its quality. They’re really killing the game at the moment!” —Ivy Mix, co-founder, Speed Rack; co-owner, Whoopsie Daisy/FIASCO! Wine and Spirits, Brooklyn
“Mijenta Tequila Blanco has been a recent discovery for me, but it became my favorite go-to tequila almost instantly. Not only have the distillers created a quality product, they are equally dedicated to the ethos of sustainability and carbon neutrality. Mijenta is complex and different. It starts with the familiar green vegetal elements of a good blanco tequila, but then it gives you more, interweaving fruit-forward notes with jalapeno and peppercorn. It is magically sweet and spicy and buttery all at once. It gives you an idea of what a great tequila could be when you take quality ingredients and put them in the hands of a master, or in this case a maestra, like Ana Maria Romero.” —Mark Miller, food & beverage director, The Industrialist Hotel, Pittsburgh
“We love Don Fulano Reposado at our bar. It’s a very well-balanced tequila with lovely vanilla and orange notes, and drinks well alone or in a cocktail.” —David Correa, bar manager, High Cotton, Charleston, S.C.
“Choosing a go-to tequila is never easy, but for me, it has to be Siete Leguas Reposado. It’s the tequila I pour for guests who think they don’t like tequila, knowing they’ve likely never experienced one this refined. Siete Leguas Reposado offers a beautiful balance of cooked agave, ripe citrus, and a subtle hint of chamomile, all wrapped in a silky mouthfeel that lingers. Aging in former American white oak bourbon barrels imparts warm notes of vanilla and dried fruit, reminiscent of a well-aged tawny port. The nose retains the brightness of their Blanco, with added layers of roasted nuts and soft spice. Every sip reflects the care and consistency of master distillers who love their craft.” —Kyle Goodwin, bar manager, Brutto Americano, New Orleans
“There’s something magical about how tequila carries the essence of Mexico in every sip, whether it’s for celebration or reflection. For me, that tequila is Clase Azul. It’s elegant, smooth, and full of rich complexity. From its iconic ceramic bottle to the vanilla, agave, and oak notes, it elevates any cocktail or shines beautifully on its own.” —Alex Serena, beverages director, Telefèric Barcelona, Walnut Creek, Calif.
“El Velo Tequila has a higher proof at 44.5 percent ABV that lets the agave shine. It is also traditionally produced, so there’s nothing like diffusers or autoclaves involved in the process. It’s bold and delicious, showcasing a Valley tequila [a.k.a. lowland tequila] profile. I also love Cascahuín Tahona Blanco Tequila. It’s a family-owned palenque that dates back over a century. For this tahona expression, they use only traditional practices: The lowland agaves are first cooked very slowly in brick ovens, then crushed by a manually turned tahona, naturally fermented with bagasse in cement vats, and double-distilled in a combination of stainless- steel and copper pot stills.” —Lynnette Marrero, co-founder, Speed Rack; partner, Milly’s Neighborhood Bar, Brooklyn
“Any time a guest asks about my favorite go-to tequila, I always point them to the Komos Reposado Rosa. It is a beautifully rich and smooth tequila on its own, and the wide range of tasting notes also make for a superb cocktail, from a classic Margarita to an unexpected Negroni riff. Because it has been aged in French oak red wine barrels, it has an unmistakable pink hue which differentiates it from other reposados. The addition of red grape skins also imparts notes of dark cherry, plum, light florals, and chocolate.” —Paige Arundell, bar supervisor, Ambassador Hotel Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla.
“LALO is my go-to tequila for its purity and bold expression of agave. It delivers incredible depth and smoothness without the burn — bright, clean, and full of roasted agave flavor with a hint of citrus. It pairs well with my original cocktail Cat’s Paw, a rich, smooth drink that tastes like strawberry ice cream and carries the soft, nostalgic aroma of a cat’s paw. LALO’s natural citrus and peppery notes cut through the richness of coconut milk and the sweetness of strawberry syrup, keeping the drink from becoming cloying. Its pure agave character and clean fermentation process also lend a subtle floral and vegetal aroma that captures the gentle, earthy scent that inspired the name.” —Xuankai “Kai” Wang, head bartender, Wonderland Bar, NYC
“Espolòn Tequila Blanco is the bartender’s go-to for crafting bold, balanced cocktails that our guests can’t get enough of. It has a smooth, approachable flavor and rich agave character, so it delivers every time — whether it’s mixed into a handcrafted Margarita, a refreshing Paloma, or enjoyed over ice. Its versatility and consistent quality make it a trusted favorite.” —Thierry Perez, director food & beverage, Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs, Calif.
“Gran Centenario is my first recommendation when people ask me for a reposado. It doesn’t break the bank and it’s got all the flavor you could want or need. I find it competitive with other, much more expensive options. I love making an El Diablo with this tequila and I often use it as the Reposado in an Oaxacan Old Fashioned.” —James Watts, lead bartender, Hard Hat Lounge, Las Vegas
“Esperanto Añejo. This is a tequila you want to sip while having a nice conversation. Enjoy it neat or on the rocks. Vibrant, woody notes dominate this tequila from aging in American oak barrels. You’ll find delicate tones of vanilla and hints of sweet citrus fruit. A well-rounded añejo — intense on the aroma, smooth on the palate.” —Jairo Pastrana, food & beverage manager, Sheraton Houston Brookhollow Hotel, Houston
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