Tequila has taken quite a ride in terms of popularity over the years. It’s one of the most classic spirits the country has to offer and has run the gamut from a stereotypical party drink to a liquor sipped by the wealthy and famous.
As North America’s oldest distilled spirit, tequila was first introduced in the sixteenth century. The agave-based liquor is primarily made in or near Tequila, Jalisco, and is mostly made with 38% alcohol content.
It boasts several aromas like vanilla, caramel, and pepper. Its flavors can be described as earthy, semi-sweet, and spicy. You can drink tequila straight, on the rocks, as a cocktail, or margarita style.
The finest and most expensive tequilas in the world.
- Herradura 150 Anniversario Extra Añejo Tequila – $500
- DeLeón Leona Añejo Tequila – $979
- Fuenteseca 21 Years Old Vintage 1993 Extra Añejo Tequila – $1,000
- Clase Azul Ultra Extra Anejo Tequila – $1,700
- Patrón x Guillermo Del Toro Añejo Tequila – $1,500 to $2,500
- 1800 Tequila Colección Reserva Extra Añejo Tequila – $1,800
- Asombroso Del Porto Extra Anejo – $1,897
- Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio Tequila – $2,000
- AsomBroso Reserva Del Porto Expensive Tequila – $2,800
- Patrón En Lalique: Serie 2 Tequila – $7,500
- Clase Azul 15th Anniversary Edition – $30,000
- Ley .925 Ultra-Premium – $225,000
- Tequila Ley. 925 Diamante – $3,500,000
The Cost of Tequila
Perhaps the best thing about this spirit is its price range. You can get a good bottle for as little as 30 dollars, or you can dig deep for an ultra-premium bottle that’s well over a million dollars.
It solely depends on the buyer’s wallet. The tequila market has grown significantly in the past few years with premium and ultra-premium tequila gaining prominence over other alcoholic beverages.
Subsequently, the number of expensive tequila options has risen as a new generation of producers is raising the bar of tequila production to higher levels.
According to a report published by Nielsen, ultra-premium tequila now accounts for a hefty 38% of the entire tequila market. Predictions are that this number will continue to rise.
Industry experts expect that with its surge in popularity, tequila will outperform gin in the coming years. It’s already overtaken bourbon and rum to become the third-largest spirits category in the US.
Barrel-aged tequilas like Añejo and Reposado – which take more time and effort to produce – are the main players in the luxury tequila boom.
These luxury tequilas are taking a page from wine production and are being aged through unique barrel regimens, with a focus on terroir. More and more distillers have fixated on their production methods to craft something genuinely worthy of the “luxury” title and expensive price point.
The title “Extra Añejo” was created in 2006, and is also commonly used to describe distilled spirits found in the luxury tequila niche. It demands that the tequila be barrel-aged for at least three years.
Many of these ultra-premium bottles are in great demand not only because of the time that goes into producing the tequila they hold or because they are part of limited edition series, but because the bottles themselves are made with expensive metals and precious stones.
What Are the Most Expensive Tequilas in the World?
The world’s most expensive tequila comes in a showy vessel decorated with diamonds and platinum, which is the most expensive metal in the world.
However, many other producers are less concerned with what the tequila is bottled in, and more interested in playing around with the kind of wood they age the spirit in.
Some of the most expensive tequila is made from agave that’s aged for years in barrels imported from European countries.
This list contains the price tags of the most exclusive and expensive tequilas in the world. Many aren’t feasible for some people’s budgets.
Others are expensive but worth spending investing in if you’re truly passionate about your tequila. If you are looking to splurge on the most expensive tequila on the market, then look no further than these pricey bottles.
Herradura 150 Anniversario Extra Añejo Tequila – $500
Herradura’s Master Distillers created this 100-month aged extra añejo tequila in 2020 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the brand.
They used American white oak barrels for the aging process, which gave the tequila an aroma of vanilla and dried fruits while mellowing the raw agave taste.
This is one of the most accessible expensive tequilas due to its ability to be purchased in most places. However, in the future, it’s expected to become a great collector’s item.
DeLeón Leona Añejo Tequila – $979
Every tequila made by DeLeón hits the luxury price point. Its most expensive tequila is Leona.
What sets Leona apart is that it was carefully selected by DeLeón’s Master Distiller, blended from the best barrels of that year’s tequila production, and aged for a year in French Sauternes casks.
The rich amber-colored tequila has a noticeably complex character with its exotic aromas of ripe jammy fruit and smooth caramel undertones.
It comes in a bottle enclosed in a leather carrier that also contains a flask with the image of a python engraved on it.
Fuenteseca 21 Years Old Vintage 1993 Extra Añejo Tequila – $1,000
Fuenteseca’s Reserva is the longest-aged tequila currently available to purchase.
The agaves used for this particular tequila were planted in 1984, grown for nine years, harvested, distilled, and bottled in 1993.
Then, they were aged in a lowland climate for 10 years before being aged in high altitude for 11 years.
Because of the decades-long aging process that the agaves went through, once all the bottles are sold, there won’t be more available.
Clase Azul Ultra Extra Anejo Tequila – $1,700
Clase Azul has been producing high-quality tequila since 1997. Since then, the brand has gained a reputation for selling luxurious and expensive tequila, with their cheapest bottles costing around 100 dollars.
Coming in at 1700 dollars, the limited edition series Clase Azul Ultra Extra Anejo Tequila is one of their most expensive offerings. Only 100 bottles were released to the market, with half the bottles released in Mexico and the other half in the US.
This expensive tequila was made with hand-selected 100% Tequilliana Weber blue agave and aged for several years in Sherry oak barrels that came from Spain.
This unique, deep red-colored tequila is meant to be sipped slowly so that drinkers can enjoy its heavenly taste. It comes in handcrafted decanters made of 24-karat gold, silver, and platinum.
Patrón x Guillermo Del Toro Añejo Tequila – $1,500 to $2,500
This expensive tequila is the product of a collaboration between Patron and legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. The bright golden tequila is aged in a variety of oak barrels and blended to create nuanced notes of dark flavors.
The aroma is sweet with notes of dry fruit, nuts & vanilla. The taste is sweet, fruity & honeyed with an oak and agave finish.
The Patrón x Guillermo del Toro Liqueur comes in a skull-shaped crystal bottle with an orange liqueur that was made to enhance the flavors of the tequila in any cocktail.
1800 Tequila Colección Reserva Extra Añejo Tequila – $1,800
1800 Tequila, owned by the Beckmann family, is one of the most trusted brands in the tequila industry. The 1800 Colección is easily its finest and most expensive tequila with a price tag of 2,000 dollars per bottle.
The perfectly aged, limited-edition extra añejo tequila is handcrafted. Every few years, a different artist is selected to design the decanter for the super-premium, 100% blue agave product.
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The most recent bottle was created by Los Angeles-based artist Gary Baseman, who intricately designed it to tell the tragic love story between a Mexican warrior and a magical mermaid.
Asombroso Del Porto Extra Anejo – $1,897
Asombroso Del Porto Extra Anejo is an 80 proof tequila from Ricardo Gamarra’s personal collection. It’s Asombroso’s first double barrel-aged tequila.
Aged for 11 years in French Oak barrels, then re-barreled in premium port wine barrels imported from Portugal, Del Porto has a semi-sweet, yet oaky aroma, and silky smooth taste.
It comes bottled in a stunning crystal decanter modeled after one that Gamarra discovered in an 18th-century castle in Europe.
He worked with Italian artist Luciano Gambaro for over two years to recreate the decanter. Gamarra’s efforts proved profitable as each of these bottles cost well over 1000 dollars.
Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio Tequila – $2,000
Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio Tequila is aged for 10 years in French oak barrels. This exclusive and expensive tequila is distributed in batches of just 2,000 bottles per year, making it an extremely rare find.
Made from 100% agave, Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio is undiluted by minerals or contamination of a water supply, giving the tequila a clean taste.
Part of the price of this luxury tequila comes from the bottle itself, which displays images and letters engraved in real 21-karat gold.
AsomBroso Reserva Del Porto Expensive Tequila – $2,800
AsomBroso Reserva Del Porto is a brandy-like tequila made from 100% agave and mixed with a small portion of tequila aged for at least a decade in port wine barrels from Portugal.
Distiller Ricardo Gamarra used port wine barrels to give the tequila its uniquely sweet taste. This high-end, and limited-production tequila is perfect for any occasion.
Patrón En Lalique: Serie 2 Tequila – $7,500
Patrón En Lalique: Serie 2 is a crystalline bright gold extra añejo aged for 8 years in a combination of American oak, French oak, and well-seasoned sherry barrels.
The tequila is 40% alcohol, has an aroma of fruit, vanilla, and oak notes, a sweet and fruity taste, and long-lasting oak and agave finish.
Ultra-premium tequila meets legendary French crystal craftsmanship in this second release in the Lalique series. At 7,500 dollars a bottle, Patrón En Lalique: Serie 2 has gained entry inside the club of the most expensive tequila in the world.
Clase Azul 15th Anniversary Edition – $30,000
To celebrate 15 years of being in business, Clase Azul released a limited-edition run of 15 bottles each priced at $30,000.
The $450,000 earned from the sale of the collection was donated to the charity Fundación con Causa Azul A.C. What makes this collection so expensive is the amount of time, care, and artistry that it took to create it.
Clase Azul commissioned 15 Mexican artists to each design their own bottle, making each decanter different. The tequila is a blend of two ultra-aged tequilas combined especially for this collection.
The first was aged for 15 years in a sherry barrel from Spain. The second was aged for 6 years in a Port barrel from Portugal, then 5 years in an American White oak barrel.
Ley .925 Ultra-Premium – $225,000
In 2006, Tequila Ley created one of the most expensive tequilas in the world, one that the Guinness Book of World Records officially recognized for its hefty price tag of 225,000 dollars.
Ley .925 Ultra-Premium Tequila was made from the pure sap of the blue agave plant which after distillation was barrel-aged for 6 years. Only 33 bottles of the super-premium tequila exist.
The bottles themselves are responsible for the spirit’s hefty price tag, as they were made from both pure white gold and pure platinum with yellow gold.
Tequila Ley. 925 Diamante – $3,500,000
Listed on the market for a value of 3.5 million dollars, Tequila Ley. 925 Diamante is the most expensive tequila one could buy.
First sold in 2010, this premium extra añejo was made with qualitative 100% select agave, and barrel-aged for 7 years.
Jose Davalos Mejia designed the bottle, which is crafted from nearly five pounds of pure platinum, and encrusted with 4,100 perfectly white diamonds.
In total, it took 10 months to make the gorgeous bottle the ultra-pricey tequila is sold in.
The Total Cost of Tequila
Whether any of these tequilas fit your budget or not, it’s amazing to see the craftsmanship that goes into the process, and why the hefty pricetags exist. The reason some people are so passionate about tequila has to do with those various processes.
So, while you may not be in the market for any of the expensive bottles listed here, you can see why they exist, and why tequila has become something of an art form, as well as a popular spirit.
FAQ
Still curious about tequila and why some versions are so expensive? Let’s answer a few common questions.
What Is Tequila Made Of?
Tequila is made from the Weber blue agave plant that’s found in Mexico.
What Should You Mix With Tequila?
Tequila can be mixed with a vast array of sodas and juices. Commonly mixed with tequila are lime juice, lemon juice, club soda, and coconut soda.
How Many Calories Are in a Shot of Tequila?
One shot of tequila has 97 calories.
Does Tequila Have Sugar?
Pure agave tequila is low in sugar.
Is Tequila Gluten-Free?
Tequila that is 100% agave is gluten-free.
Is Patron Tequila?
Patron is a brand of tequila products.
Is Tequila Healthy?
Tequila is healthier than other alcohols because it’s carb-free, sugar-free, and low in calories.
Is Tequila KETO?
Yes, tequila that is 100% agave is Keto-friendly.
Who Makes Kirkland Tequila?
Fabrica de Tequilas Finos, a distillery in Jalisco, Mexico makes Kirkland tequila.
Who Owns Casamigos Tequila?
Casamigos is owned by Diageo PLC.
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