In the United States, there’s no liquor trendier than tequila. According to The Spirits Business (TSB), agave-based spirits overtook American whiskey value-wise in 2022 and surpassed it in terms of volume the next year. But despite the tequila category reporting several years of consistent double-digit growth, 2023’s sales figures indicate that things could be slowing down. As revealed by the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), tequila and mezcal sold 31.6 million cases combined last year — only a 5.7 percent volume increase year-over-year. Value grew as well, though only by 7.9 percent to reach a combined $6.5 billion. In such a flourishing category, it’s only natural that some brands continue to outperform others.
For the fifth year in a row, Jose Cuervo was the top-selling tequila brand worldwide, according to TSB’s recent Annual Brand Champions report. The Proximo Spirits-owned brand saw case sales increase by 3.3 percent year-over-year, swelling from 9.2 million in 2022 to 9.5 million in 2023. That’s over 6 million cases more than Don Julio, the second-best-selling brand, which reported 8.2 percent growth with 3.4 million cases sold in 2023.
While the No. 1 and No. 2 brands experienced a sales boost last year, the same could not be said for other large brands. Patrón saw its case sales fall by 8 percent, declining from 3.5 million in 2022 to 3.2 million in 2023. Diageo-owned Casamigos, famously founded by George Clooney, also reported a reduction last year with sales down 4.8 percent. Hornitos and El Jimador also reported losses of 6.6 and 8.8 percent, respectively.
Find out more about the world’s 10 most popular tequila brands below.
10. Olmeca Altos
Founded by bartenders Henry Besant and Dre Masso, Olmeca Altos is beloved within the industry, so it’s no surprise that it’s one of the world’s best-selling tequilas. Produced at Los Altos’ Destilería Colonial de Jalisco in partnership with Maestro Tequilero Jesús Hernandez, the lineup includes plata, reposado, and añejo. The brand enjoyed solid growth in 2023, with case sales increasing by 12.3 percent.
9. El Jimador
Established in 1994 and named for the farmers who harvest agave, El Jimador is produced from 100 percent Blue Weber agave from Jalisco’s lowlands. The brand produces silver, reposado, and añejo offerings, all distilled twice before they’re bottled at the estate.
8. Espolòn
Distilled in Jalisco’s Los Altos region, Espolòn Tequila was founded in 1998 by master distiller Cirilo Oropeza. Now owned by the Campari Group, the lineup includes blanco, cristalino, reposado, and añejo expressions. Of all the brands on this list, Espolòn reported the largest growth margin in 2023, with sales soaring 18.1 percent year-over-year.
7. Hornitos
Hornitos was born in 1950 to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. Crafted from 100 percent Blue Weber agave, Hornitos offers plata, reposado, añejo, cristalino, black barrel-aged, and lime-flavored expressions in addition to several ready-to-drink cocktails. While case sales increased steadily from 2019 to 2022, things took a turn last year for the Suntory Global Spirits-owned brand, with a 6.6 percent decrease year-over-year.
6. Gran Centenario
Packaged in eye-grabbing, artisanal glass bottles, Gran Centenario is the oldest tequila brand on this list with 167 years under its belt. The brand — which reported a sales increase of 2.5 percent last year — is currently owned by Proximo Spirits, which also controls category leader Jose Cuervo.
5. 1800 Tequila
1800 Tequila, which will turn 50 next year, is currently produced at La Rojeña Distillery, the oldest active distillery in Tequila. The brand produces a seemingly endless number of tequila and ready-to-serve expressions, which is likely a factor in its soaring popularity. Last year, case sales swelled by 9.6 percent to hit 2.8 million for the first time.
4. Casamigos
Casamigos is arguably the most well-known celebrity tequila on the market. Four years after its 2013 founding, Diageo purchased the brand for a whopping $1 billion, which only furthered its success. It now offers blanco, reposado, cristalino, añejo, and jalapeño-flavored expressions in addition to a mezcal joven. Despite case sales growing by 1 million year-over-year from 2020 to 2022, things took a dip by 4.8 percent in 2023.
3. Patrón
Ubiquitous on back bars around the globe, Patrón is one of the most famous tequila brands in the world. Still, its dominance could be weakening. Even with an impressive 3.2 million cases sold, the brand reported an 8 percent decrease in sales year-over-year for 2023. The tequila giant currently offers silver, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo bottlings, in addition to super-premium selections like El Cielo, El Alto, and the Gran Patrón line.
2. Don Julio
Founded in 1942 by tequila legend Don Julio González, the brand touts itself as the world’s first premium, luxury tequila. That reputation has been bolstered by the wildly popular and oft-mimicked Don Julio 1942, the category’s first true unicorn bottle. The Diageo-owned brand reported an 8.2 percent sales increase last year, with case sales hitting 3.4 million.
1. Jose Cuervo
It doesn’t seem like anything will be able to halt the powerhouse that is Jose Cuervo, which claimed the top spot on global sales rankings for the fifth consecutive year. Here in the U.S., the brand rose to prominence following the repeal of Prohibition, during which tequila was smuggled across the Mexican border. While undeniably linked with lower-end mixto varieties, Jose Cuervo does offer some traditional tequilas such as its plata, reposado, and añejo expressions, as well as the Reserva de la Familia collection.
*Image retrieved from monticellllo via stock.adobe.com
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