More: Tequila Cocktails to Get Excited About, This is not the Jose Cuervo of your college spring break days. This high end tequila maker offers bottles for $200,000 a unit. This limited-edition añejo was created for the 60th anniversary of Don Julio. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, 12 Spiked Eggnog Recipes for Your Next Party, Holiday Cocktails to Drink This Christmas, Halloween Cocktails That Are Scarily Delicious, These NYC Christmas Bars Will Keep You Merry, Tears of Llorona No. At $299, this isn't something you're going to shoot or mix in a margarita. So sit back, grab a few of these bottles, and see for yourself why tequila is well on its way to becoming the next liquor to appeal to sippers worldwide. It's then aged for a minimum of three years in new American and French oak barrels. More: Facts Every Tequila Aficionado Needs to Know. Copper-pot distilled in Jalisco by Germán Gonzalez, each batch is aged in barrels previously used for Islay scotch, Spanish brandy, and Spanish sherry for an irresistibly complex flavor profile. Enjoy this list of the best expensive tequila brands, ranked by your votes! “A margarita is about the relationship of three ingredients: tequila, triple sec, and limes," she says. Herradura Seleccion Suprema Extra Añejo Tequila is made using agave harvested exclusively from the Casa Herradura estate. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Water is good for you. The unique barrels, made from wood indigenous to a forest in burgundy noted for naturally ingrained vanilla tannins, separate this tequila from the rest of the bunch. Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails. These bottles are meant to be savored one sip at a time. Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Clase Azul Extra Anejo is another one of the greatest expensive tequila brands. Their latest version, made from estate-grown blue agave, is aged for four to five years in ex-bourbon barrels for a complex flavor that brings out notes of chocolate and dried fruit in the tequila. ), tequila has assumed quite the party-drink reputation. According to the brand, it's "best served in a snifter, allowing for full appreciation of its flavors, aroma, and velvety finish.". It must be made in several regions of Mexico, mostly surrounding the town of Tequila, including Jalisco Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. The resulting juice is then fermented and distilled along with crushed agave fiber. Instead of sipping this high-end tequila, Volfson recommends trying it in a margarita. Made from 100% blue agave, this Jalisco tequila is aged in oak barrels for two years and then slowly filtered through activated charcoal to give it a crystal-clear look with the rich, nutty, toasted flavor of añejo. Reserva de la Familia was the world’s first extra-añejo tequila, and it's aged for a minimum of three years in French and American oak barrels. Each bottle of Clase Azul is its own work of art, hand-painted and hand-sculpted. But let's get serious: after a long day, you want the good stuff. Riazul's Añejo tequila is distilled twice and then aged for two years in Cognac barrels. Tequila: A type of mezcal made using at least 51 percent of the sugars of the blue agave, which is cooked, shredded or mashed, fermented, double distilled, and then, in some cases, aged in barrels. It's a favorite beverage of people all over the world, though it is most associated with Mexico and other countries in Central America because agave thrives in those places. At an estimated 3.5 million US dollars Tequila Ley .925 Diamante is the most expensive tequila in the world. The Buffalo Trace distillery, by the way, also produces the nearly impossible-t0-find Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, so you could say this robust and and creamy liquid is as close to Pappy tequila as you can get. This extra… Housed in a handmade black glass bottle, Espolòn's limited-edition Extra Añejo X is really made for sipping. Herradura Seleccion Suprema Extra Añejo Tequila is made using agave harvested exclusively from the Casa Herradura estate. El Tesoro has a long history with extra añejo tequilas—they introduced their first, Paradiso, in 1994, before the before the governing body for tequila styles, the Consejo Regulador de Tequila, had even created a classification for the style. It's aged in oak barrels for more than a year, giving it a natural golden brown color and a smooth taste. There are several well-known brands like Cabo Wabo, Patron, and Jose Cuervo that also made this list of the best expensive tequila brands. Beer brings cheer. Though these brands offer moderately priced tequila, they also have more expensive lines. 3 Extra Añejo Tequila, Milagro Tequila Barrel Select Reserve Reposado, Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia Extra Anejo. If you're looking for a tequila that you can enjoy on its own but won't feel guilty about mixing into a cocktail, this añejo is just what you need. "Tequila has come a very long way from its early harsh days and its blue collar palates," says Iñaki Orozco, who founded Riazul Tequila. It's made completely from estate-grown blue agave in Tequila, Mexico, and the brand's maestro tequilero finishes each bottle by balancing the majority of unaged platinum tequila with a hint of ultra-aged extra añejo (the result is known as a "Joven" tequila). It's aged for a minimum of four years in American white oak casks that formerly held Kentucky bourbon, and the resulting liquid has aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus. What began with just a blanco evolved into a line with reposado and this añejo version, which is aged for 14 months in American oak barrels. Clase Azul Extra Anejo is another one of the greatest expensive tequila brands. Reserva 44, Avión's "bespoke" extra añejo, is aged for 43 months in oak barrels and then aged for an additional month in specially selected "petite" barrels, which are rotated daily. "It grew in popularity, driving refinement, and a few pioneer brands have successfully positioned high-end tequila on par with Scotch and Cognac in terms of sipping appeal, especially in the añejo category. They only produce 100 bottles a year, so consider it a beverage to be enjoyed slowly! Barrel-aged for six years and featuring notes of vanilla, nutmeg, white peppercorn, and cocoa nibs. The system, Qui says, was created to eliminate the harsh alcohol smell some tequilas have, along with the harsh burn typically found on the finish of tequila (know as the "raspa") in Mexico. Patron kicked off the premium tequila movement, so it's no surprise that the brand is now offering one of the most expensive and aged extra añejos on the market. It garners a robust flavor that can hold its own against mixing from a 12-15 month aging in oak barrels and a subtle sweetness from baked agave. Vote up the top, most reliable High End Tequila companies. This high end tequila maker offers bottles for $200,000 a unit. Unlike most tequilas, Gran Patron Piedra ("piedra" is Spanish for "stone") is produced using a very traditional process of using a stone wheel (called a "tahona") to slowly crush the agave. It might sit pretty on your bar, but… ", The Distilled Spirits Council also reports that the super-premium category of tequila has seen a whopping 706% growth since 2002, and the trade association's spokeswoman Kelley McDonough says that the agave spirit is "no longer only associated with celebrations such as Cinco de Mayo or enjoyed in pre-batched frozen margaritas at a beach bar.". List RulesVote up the top, most reliable High End Tequila companies. Agave tequila grows differently depending on the region. Milagro's Select Barrel Reserve Reposado is distilled twice (first in a pot still, then in a column still) and rested for three to six months in American and French oak barrels, but the coolest part of this tequila might be the packaging. Ultra-Premium Ley .925 Pasion Azteca is one of the priciest top tequila companies. This white ceramic, hand painted decanter holds some pretty tasty reposado tequila. The best expensive tequila brands are made with different methods, but they all pack a tasty punch. Its name commemorates the year Don Julio González opened his first tequila distillery. The brand's Reposado Buffalo Trace was aged for 10-and-a-half months in barrels that previously held Buffalo Trace bourbon. Facts Every Tequila Aficionado Needs to Know, 12 Things Every Tequila Aficionado Needs to Know, 10 Rare Bourbons You'll Want to Get Your Hands on Immediately. Inside the bottle is a mini sculpture of an agave plant. The process leaves the spirit with a deeply toasted flavor and hints of vanilla that will entice even the most ardent whiskey fans. april fools pranks to play on your siblings. Hornitos tequila is a standard mid-shelf bottle, a great buy for any casual occasion where you aren't looking to spend much but don't want to sacrifice taste. Blue agaves grown in the highlands region are larger in size and sweeter in aroma and taste. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. Ranker may collect a commission from links on this page. Ultra-Premium Ley.925 Pasion Azteca is one of the priciest top tequila companies. What would normally be a rich liquid with barrel-aged flavors is actually light, floral, and sweet, with flavors of honey and butterscotch. Thanks to rowdy spring breakers and the misconception of Cinco de Mayo (Cinco de Drinko! A proprietary filtration system transforms the dark amber color the liquid takes on after the aging process (after three-and-a-half years in American whiskey and French Bordeaux barrels) back to a clear liquid. They only produce 100 bottles a year, so consider it a beverage to be enjoyed slowly! Casa Dragones is labeled as a sipping tequila—for good reason. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. But high end tequila can be sipped or mixed just like the rest of the best liquors. Its ridiculous smoothness will leave you wanting another sip tout de suite. The label was inspired by noted Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada and pays tribute to the classic Mexican art form of barro negro pottery. The red volcanic soil in the surrounding region is particularly well suited to the growing of the blue agave, and more than 300 million of the plants are harvested there each year. This uncommon Extra Añejo made from pure Weber blue agave takes a cue from some of your other favorite nightcaps for a truly singular sipping experience. While it's only "rested" for eight months (in used American oak barrels) after the distillation process, it's got a rich, sweet flavor and drinks as if it's been aged as long as something much older. Sam Dangremond is a Contributing Digital Editor at Town & Country, where he covers men's style, cocktails, travel, and the social scene. Agaves harvested in the lowlands, on the other hand, have a more herbaceous fragrance and flavor. Qui is the world's first platinum (clear) extra-añejo. George Clooney and Rande Gerber started Casamigos based on their love of sharing tequila at their neighboring houses in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Wine is fine.