The 10 Best Añejo Tequilas to Buy Right Now

If you’re in the market for the best añejo tequila, there are several factors to consider—even though the category is rigidly defined by law, there are differences in style, maturation, alcohol content, and even terroir to take into account when searching for this quintessentially Mexican aged spirit (we’ll dive even deeper into these differences below). The good news is that there are many excellent añejos out there for you, so we’ve put together this list to help steer you towards some of the best añejo tequila to buy in different categories. Happy hunting, and cheers.

Our Best Añejo Tequila Picks

Best Overall: Cazcanes No. 7 Añejo

Cazcanes is an excellent tequila brand that has been around for about a decade, but has been getting a lot more attention over the past couple of years. There’s a simple reason for that—it makes really good tequila, and this añejo is a stellar example of that aged category. The agave is cooked in an autoclave and fermented in open-air tanks, and after distillation the tequila is matured in used American whiskey barrels for 12 to 18 months. The result is a delicious añejo with notes of vanilla, maple, oak, and sweet cooked agave, and it’s one of the best you can find right now. $130

Best Single Estate: Tequila Ocho Añejo Barrel Select Old Fitzgerald

There are several single-estate tequilas on the market, but one of the best (and one of the first) is Tequila Ocho. The brand is now owned by Heaven Hill, which explains this collaboration. The 2023 vintage was released in two versions made from agaves harvested from two individual estates—Rancho Corralillos and Rancho Potrero Grande. Both were then matured for a minimum of 12 months in “recently emptied” Old Fitzgerald bourbonBourbonAn American whiskey made from at least fifty-one percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels, noted for sweet notes of caramel, vanilla, and spice. Rare, limited bottlings haveGo to Bourbon Glossary barrels, a premium wheated bourbon produced at Heaven Hill. The tequila has notes of toasted oak, sweet vanilla, and espresso beans on the palate—and if you have a chance, you should compare both versions to see how terroir affects the flavor. $160

Best For Cocktails: Loca Loka Añejo

This tequila brand was cofounded by a pair of Indian celebrities, actor Rana Daggubati and musician Anirudh Ravichander. Still, the tequila is obviously 100 percent made in Mexico, and the añejo expression happens to be a perfect choice to use in any cocktail which you’d consider swapping out whiskey, like an Old Fashioned. This is an additive-free tequila, according to the brand, that is aged for a year in American and French oak. Notes of vanilla, spice, agave, and caramel give it a depth and complexity that can stand up to any ingredients you throw at it. $59

Best Under $50: Suerte Añejo

Añejo tequila is usually more expensive than reposado or blanco, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some high-quality options that are also affordable. If you’re looking to spend less than $50 on a bottle, give Suerte’s anejo expression a try. This brand is gaining recognition for the quality of its tequila, which is made from slow-roasted agave that is crushed with a tahona stone. The añejo is aged for a year in American and French oak ex-whiskey barrels, but the maturation doesn’t obscure its intrinsic agave character. This might be a bit more than $50 in some markets, but it’s still worth picking up a bottle. $45

Best Splurge: G4 Anejo de Madera Día de Muertos 2025 Special Edition

G4 is a beloved brand that was founded by Felipe Camarena, part of a multi-generational family of tequila makers that are also behind some other excellent brands. This special edition comes out once a year to celebrate the Day of the Dead—and while the 2025 release is not cheap, it’s worth a splurge. This is an añejo that was aged for a year in George Dickel Tennessee whiskey barrels in the distillery’s cellar, which it has imbued it with rich chocolate and oak notes. There are four different versions available, each of which comes in a different collector’s box with colors and designs inspired by Día de Muertos. $266

Best Wine Cask Matured: Codigo 1530 “Cowboys and Dreamers” Special Edition Añejo

As any tequila drinker knows, there are whole a lot of celebrity-backed brands (too many, some would argue). One that actually makes some really good tequila is Codigo 1530, which counts country music legend George Strait as one of its founders. Codigo specializes in aging its tequila in barrels previously used to mature wine, and this limited release from last year was a fantastic example of that style. Cowboys and Dreamers was matured for two years in Napa Valley French oak Cabernet wine casks, giving it a rich, dark amber color and notes of caramelized sugar, red berries, and spiced nuts on the palate. $130

Best High Proof: Wild Common Añejo

Most tequila is bottled at 80 proof, the minimum strength allowed by law here in the U.S. But Wild Common’s añejo, which was first released last spring, clocks in at a much higher 94 proof (47 percent ABV). The tequila was aged for a year in ex-bourbonBourbonAn American whiskey made from at least fifty-one percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels, noted for sweet notes of caramel, vanilla, and spice. Rare, limited bottlings haveGo to Bourbon Glossary barrels and is bottled without the use of additives to enhance the flavor, so everything you taste comes from the interplay of agave and oak—and at that higher proof, there’s a welcome intensity on the palate and a bit of heat on the finish. $100

Best Organic: Pezuna Blanca Añejo

There are several different organic tequilas to choose from, if that is a deciding factor for you. One great option that is new to the U.S. market is Pezuna Blanca, and it looks like it will make a mark in this very crowded category as it expands nationally. The añejo expression, which is aged between 15 and 18 months, comes in a deep reddish-brown ceramic bottle that the brand says was inspired by the Mexican dish mole. Look for notes of spice, chocolate, grass, and deeply cooked agave on the palate. $84

Best New Release: El Tesoro Mundial Yamazaki Edition

El Tesoro, which is also part of the Camarena family’s group of brands, is one of the best widely available tequilas out there. It’s owned by Suntory Global Spirits, so it should have come as no surprise that this tequila aged in Yamazaki barrels arrived last year as part of the Mundial series. The tequila spent a full year aging in 12-year-old Yamazaki casks, specifically sherry and red wine barrels that were previously used to mature whisky. It has notes of ginger, milk and dark chocolate, raisin, blueberry, and pepper on the palate, and is hands down the best new tequila release of the past year. $185

Best for Sipping: Mijenta Añejo Gran Reserva

Mijenta does things a bit differently than most other brands when it comes to its añejo expression, and the result is a superior sipping tequila. This anejo is aged for 18 months in four different types of casks—American white oak, French oak, acacia, and cherry. Each lot is matured separately and then blended together, as opposed to a cask finish or moving the liquid from barrel to barrel. Look for notes of dried fruit, spice, vanilla, coffee, and cooked agave on the palate of this tequila built for sipping. $143

How We Selected Our Winning Añejo Tequilas

What is añejo tequila?

There are a few specific rules that define tequila as a category overall. It can only be made from Blue Weber agave, with production limited to five states in Mexico—Jalisco, where most tequila is produced, as well as Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. In order to be labeled as 100 percent agave tequila, it must be made from—you guessed it—100 percent agave, as opposed to mixto which can include just 51 percent agave (the rest is some kind of sugar). Finally, there are a few different categories that indicate how long tequila was aged, and “añejo” means that it spends between one and three years in a barrel.

How should you drink añejo tequila?

The short answer is however you like it—there is no wrong or right way to enjoy añejo tequila. That being said, it’s a good idea to at least taste it neat to really discover its character. From there, drink añejo tequila however you like—straight up or over ice, or in any cocktail you can think of where you can swap out whiskey, including classics like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

How did we choose the añejo tequila on this list?

We considered different factors when picking these añejos, with the emphasis being on taste. Because after all, despite a bottle’s availability or the hype surrounding it, that is the most important thing. Tasting añejo tequila involves a combination of sensations, including the nose, palate, mouthfeel and finish. And each category has different characteristics, so part of the process is to consider how an individual pick fits into its style overall. The bottles on this list represent the best anejos based on all of these options, providing a good overview of selections you can easily purchase in person or online that are good examples of each individual category.

Why should you trust us?

Jonah Flicker has been writing about whiskey and other spirits for over a decade, visiting distilleries around the world to meet the people behind the bottles and find out more about their stories. He is a judge for the John Barleycorn Awards and New York World Wine and Spirits Competition and leads private tastings, and his work has appeared in many national other lifestyle outlets besides Robb Report, including Esquire, Food & Wine, Men’s Journal, CNN, USA Today and more.

This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.

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