7 Best Añejo Tequilas to Drink Right Now, According to Experts

Patrón Añejo

One of the world’s most recognizable brands tequila, Patrón shows that a large-scale producer can do things the right way, as it has lately begun to tout its additive-free production process. Its reposado makes up the base of this robust tequila, which delivers notes of everything from cooked agave to toffee.

Aged a minimum of 12 months in white American oak barrels, Pereiro says the spirit is “one of my top recommendations.” He says that the aging process “captures agave’s depth while layering in gentle oak influence, always balanced and true to its roots.”

Milivojevic calls out its “warm vanilla and honey notes.” He says it’s “perfect for sipping neat or adding to classic cocktails, such as an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or Espresso Martini.”

Don Fulano Añejo

Not all añejo is aged exclusively in American oak barrels. Don Fulano proves that with elegance. French Limousine barrels and a blend of ex-wine casks are the primary vehicles to age its añejo, which Pereiro says, “highlights earthy, mineral tones.”

With a light copper-amber color that matches the bold Don Fulano logo on its label, it’s a luxury-leaning bottle with a matching price tag. Engaging flavor notes like allspice add depth to a tequila that’s ideally sipped neat or over a large ice cube.

Touches of citrus fruit and brown spice also shine through. Baked banana and creamy vanilla help create a veritable symphony of welcome flavors. It’s not hard to see why bartenders appreciate the complexity of Don Fulano.

Mijenta Gran Reserva Añejo

Mijenta’s Gran Reserva is aged up to 18 months in four types of casks: Cherry, Acacia, French oak and American oak. This tequila, says Pereiro, “brings forward bright agave with subtle spice.”

The time in the barrel is critical to reveal the proper character of an añejo, he says. “These tequilas remind us that aging should enhance, not mask, the voice of the agave plant.”

Mijenta’s Gran Reserva, delivered in a refined navy blue box and bottle, is “the perfect balance between agave characteristics and oak influence,” said Molly Horn, chief mixologist and spirits educator at Total Wine.

She says that it boasts “really nice floral notes and a subtle kiss of butterscotch” to complement classic roasted agave notes. With a lighter body than some añejos, Horn recommends to sip this on a warm summer’s night.

El Tesoro Añejo

Some producers push the boundaries when it comes to aging añejo, and El Tesoro is one of them. The producer ages its agave spirit for nearly three years (and between two and three regularly).

A previous winner of a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco Spirits Competition, this is a favorite of Derek Piva, executive chef at Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge. 

The tequila performs well in an añejo Old Fashioned, and it’s also a “beautiful slow sipper,” says Piva. “It nails the balance of sweet agave with pepper, oak, and floral tones, polished without smothering the agave.”

Fortaleza Añejo

Stone-milled agave from a single estate makes up Fortaleza’s luxurious añejo. While it can be enjoyed in a cocktail, many experts maintain that it’s plenty sippable on its own alongside a large ice cube.

Ivonne Gonzalez, mixologist at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, says the boom in suspect tequila labels makes it more important than ever to find an option that’s both easy-drinking and also stays true to craftsmanship and high-level taste.

Fortaleza might be allocated in similar fashion to buzzed-about bourbon brethren like Blanton’s, but “if we’re talking about splurging on something truly delicious, we need to start the conversation with Fortaleza Añejo,” says Gonzalez.

Its smooth finish and highly sippable qualities abound, says Gonzalez. She describes it as “complex and subtly sweet from aging, with delicate oak notes and lingering herbaceous, earth tones from the agave.”

It’s also a favorite of Tantai “Tan” Khantachavana, head bartender at BKK New York, who appreciates what he calls the “full-bodied and silky” nature of the spirit, complete with “earthy complexity.” 

It excels as a sipping tequila, he says, with “deep notes of baked agave, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch, with hints of dried fruit, cinnamon, and oak spice.”

Tequila Ocho Añejo

The best añejo tequilas don’t cut corners. They can emphasize the land and the harvesting process like more traditional terroir-driven spirits. Tequila Ocho emphasizes a dialed-in, single-estate production. 

Oscar Simoza, director of spirits at BCB3 Hospitality, has been a fan of Tequila Ocho as the company’s profile has grown steadily over the past several years. 

Tequila Ocho’s focus on the land, down to the specific field and soil culture in the dusty highlands, lends itself to a remarkable final product, he says. 

“Tequila Ocho truly embodies all the great concepts of a fantastic tequila, from its beautiful taste to its elegant, unpretentious bottling,” says Simoza. “It also really highlights the idea of what ‘terroir’ means for agave culture.”

Casa Noble Añejo

There’s a surprisingly luxurious and smooth nature to Casa Noble’s añejo that’s sometimes hard to find in bottles that sell around $50. But with a full body and light spice notes, its pleasant smoothness is complemented by an elegant, statement-making bottle.

It makes for a prime spin on the Old Fashioned at recently opened Cuerno in New York City, a northern Mexico-inspired steakhouse that boasts its own tequila cart that’s wheeled tableside. The tequila is a “standout,” says Ernesto Coronado, its beverage director. He says that it blends “richness with refinement,” thanks to lengthy aging in French oak.

That process “gives it layers of warm vanilla, dried fruit, and spice, while still letting the sweetness of the agave shine through,” he says. Coronado says it possesses the depth and complexity to hold its own against classic whiskey, which makes for an Old Fashioned with character and nuance.