The best sipping tequila is the one that tastes like agave and nothing else. Here's how to choose a tequila worth sipping, how to sip it, and which CaliFino to reach for.
What makes a tequila good for sipping?
- 100% Blue Weber agave. Look for it on the label. Tequila without it, called mixto, can be up to 49% other sugars.
- Additive-free. Even 100% agave tequila can contain up to 1% caramel color, oak extract, glycerin or sugar syrup, unlisted. Those smooth over flaws but flatten the agave. Here's how to tell.
- Mature agave and patient production. Slow cooking, long fermentation and careful distillation show up in the glass.
- Aging that matches your taste. Unaged tequila is bright and peppery; aged tequila is rounder, with more oak.
How to sip tequila
- Use a small glass. A tulip-shaped glass or a traditional copita concentrates the aroma.
- Pour it neat, at room temperature. Cold dulls flavor. With añejo, a single large ice cube is fine.
- Nose it first. Hold the glass below your chin, then bring it closer.
- Take small sips. Let each one sit on your tongue before you swallow, and notice how the flavor changes into the finish.
- Skip the salt and lime. A good tequila doesn't need them.
Which CaliFino should you sip?
Every CaliFino expression is 100% Blue Weber agave from the Highlands of Jalisco, made at our own distillery with nothing added.
- Blanco: smooth enough to sip, versatile enough to mix. Cooked agave, sweet lime, fresh herbs, soft minerality and light pepper. For anyone who wants agave front and center.
- Reposado: where vibrant agave meets the warmth of oak. Six months in American oak: cooked agave, buttery spice, light caramel, toasted oak and honey. A great first sipping tequila.
- Añejo: rich character, smooth finish. Eighteen to 24 months in American oak: baked agave, rich caramel, toasted oak, roasted almonds and baking spice. For bourbon and whiskey drinkers.
- Extra Añejo: five years of patience, one extraordinary pour. Five years in American oak and one in French cognac casks: roasted agave, dark caramel, cocoa, fig and warm baking spices. For the special bottle. Read our extra añejo guide.
Start with a tasting flight
The best way to find your sipping tequila is side by side. Pour an ounce of each, youngest to oldest, and notice how the agave changes as the oak builds. Shop the collection.
Taste it for yourself →Shop the Collection
