3 Tequilas That Make the Best Margaritas

Additive-free blancos for your next margarita — shop them now on Sipsy.

Most tequilas marketed for margaritas are built for that purpose in the worst way: loaded with glycerin and sugar to taste smooth from the bottle, then completely lost the second you add lime. You end up with a sweet, flat drink that tastes like mix — not tequila. These three are what we actually reach for. Every one of them is additive-free, independently distilled, and priced like they don't know how good they are.

These three bottles are what we actually reach for. Every one of them is additive-free, independently distilled, and priced like they don't know how good they are.

Why Additive-Free Matters More in a Cocktail

The tequila industry allows up to 1% additives by weight — and brands aren't required to disclose them. Glycerin, sugar syrup, vanilla — that's what makes popular blancos taste suspiciously smooth straight from the bottle. In a margarita, those sweeteners stack on top of the triple sec and make the whole drink taste cloying and flat. Additive-free blanco stays bright, dry, and clean. That's what actually cuts through lime and tastes like a real margarita.

Additive-free tequila tastes the way agave is actually supposed to taste — bright, peppery, a little earthy, clean on the finish. Once you know the difference, you can't go back.

Featured in this video

Tierra de Ensueño Tequila Blanco - 750ml
01 Tierra de Ensueño Tequila Blanco - 750ml
From $64.99
Tierra de Ensueno is a highland blanco made in micro small batches with stone ovens, open-air fermentation, and a short rest in wheated bourbon casks — no additives, just agave, water, and yeast. The result is bright and layered: citrus rind, white pepper, buttery cooked agave, and a clean dry finish. In a margarita it adds complexity without competing — the kind of blanco that makes the whole drink taste more intentional.
Arette Tequila Blanco - 750ml
02 Arette Tequila Blanco - 750ml
From $25.99
Made by fourth-generation distillers at the same Jalisco distillery since 1986. No celebrity behind it, no additives in it. Arette is one of the most underpriced blancos on the market — consistently beating bottles at double the price in blind tastings. Crisp cooked agave, black pepper, lime, and real minerality from the volcanic terroir. That personality doesn't get lost in a cocktail. It shows up.
El Cristiano Silver Tequila - 750ml
03 El Cristiano Silver Tequila - 750ml
From $45.99
Made from 6-year-old Weber Azul agave, additive-free, and awarded a Gold Medal at the 2024 USA Spirits Ratings. The profile is earthy and round — cooked agave, mature fruit, a touch of honey butter and sage, with a clean soft finish. Versatile enough to sip neat and expressive enough to hold its own in a margarita. A reliable bottle that punches well above its price.

See More Amazing Tequilas Under $50

Additive-free. Curated by us. Delivered to you.
LALO Blanco Tequila - 750ml
LALO Blanco Tequila - 750ml
From $44.99
Siete Leguas Blanco - 750ml
Siete Leguas Blanco - 750ml
From $39.99
Tequila Ocho Plata - 750ml
Tequila Ocho Plata - 750ml
From $49.99
G4 Tequila Blanco - 750ml
G4 Tequila Blanco - 750ml
From $49.99
Don Fulano Blanco Tequila - 750ml
Don Fulano Blanco Tequila - 750ml
From $49.99
Volcán de Mi Tierra Blanco Tequila - 750ml
Volcán de Mi Tierra Blanco Tequila - 750ml
From $41.99
El Viejito Plata 42% Tequila - 750ml
El Viejito Plata 42% Tequila - 750ml
From $24.99
Humano Blanco Tequila - 750ml
Humano Blanco Tequila - 750ml
From $49.99
Shop All →

How to Make the Best Margarita With These

A great margarita is three ingredients and a little discipline. Fresh lime only — bottled juice kills it. Good triple sec, not sour mix. And one of these blancos.

The Classic (2:1:1)

2 oz blanco tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz Cointreau or triple sec

Combine in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 10–15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Salt the rim if you want — half-rim so people can choose.

The Spicy Version

Same recipe, but muddle 3–4 slices of fresh jalapeño in the shaker before adding everything else. Strain out the jalapeño. The heat plays off the pepper notes in Arette and Ensueno perfectly.

The Big Batch (for a crowd)

Multiply the 2:1:1 ratio by however many guests you have. Mix everything except ice in a pitcher, refrigerate, and pour over ice per glass when serving. Don't pre-dilute — keep the ice separate until you're pouring.

All three bottles are available on Sipsy with same-day delivery in LA and shipping nationwide. Order before 2pm and you're making margaritas tonight.