We’re coming up on Cinco de Mayo, the day that commemorates a significant Mexican military victory. But it’s also a day that has become something of an international celebration of all things Mexican.
And that naturally includes the country’s signature sip — tequila (and by extension, mezcal, its smokier-tasting cousin).
The thirst for these agave-based spirits among Americans has grown substantially. Tequila and mezcal constituted a $6 billion market in the U.S. in 2022, based on supplier revenue, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Two decades ago, that market was less than $1 billion.
These days, consumers have more than their fair share of tequilas and mezcals to choose from (and by the way, tequila is itself a type of mezcal — though it’s generally referred to as its own category). There are different varieties based on how long the spirit has been aged (blanco is the youngest, extra añejo the oldest). There are celebrity-backed brands. And there are tequila-based ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages.
Weekend Sip surveyed the tequila and mezcal landscape to find five (as in cinco) newer or noteworthy options. Here are our picks — just in time for Cinco de Mayo.
The charitable tequila: Alma del Jaguar ($49.99-$59.99) is a tequila sourced from a famed Mexican distillery and is crafted using time-honored methods, but it’s about more than taste. As its name implies, this spirit was created to support jaguar conservation efforts — specifically, the brand donates to Northern Jaguar Project, which means a jaguar reserve in Sonora, Mexico.
The tequila with a sherry kick: Lobos 1707 Tequila ($49-$159) sets itself apart from others on the market by virtue of the fact it’s aged in Pedro Ximenez sherry wine barrels — the idea being that the tequila takes on some of the flavor of the sweet Spanish wine and has more complexity. The brand also offers a mezcal made with the same process.
The tequila with the name recognition: Patrón is the brand that largely established the idea of artisanal tequila in the U.S. a few decades ago, offering a more finely crafted version of the spirit than what was often available on liquor-store shelves. Over the years, Patrón has expanded its line with different expressions. Among the latest are its Ahumado line ($69.99-$79.99), which adds a note of charcoal smokiness to the flavor profile, and El Cielo ($129), which distinguishes itself by virtue of being distilled four times — a first within the tequila category, according to Patrón.
The tequila cocktail: The real reason many of us love tequila? No doubt, it’s because it goes into the margarita, the cocktail that remains America’s most popular. Finding a good bottled margarita can be a challenge, but Mi Campo tequila has come out with one — specifically, a Spicy Jalapeño Margarita ($13.99 per 375 ml bottle) — that hits the mark. Looking for options beyond the margarita? Mi Campo also offers a bottled Mango Mule made with tequila.
The celebrity tequila (and mezcal). These days, we can barely keep track of all the celebrity-backed tequilas and mezcals out there. But here are two that have especially caught our attention. On the tequila front, rocker Sammy Hagar made a name for himself with his Cabo Wabo brand, which he sold for $100 million in 2008. But he’s back in the game — with celebrity chef Guy Fieri as a partner — with a new brand called Santo ($53.99-$69.99) that is noteworthy for being additive-free, unless many tequilas on the market. And what about mezcal? Here we turn to Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul — the bad boys of television’s “Breaking Bad” — for their aptly named Dos Hombes mezcal ($59.99), which bills itself as a distinctively smooth version of the spirit.
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