Best Blanco Tequila for Margaritas

Updated May 2026.

The IBA Margarita is 50 ml of 100% agave tequila, 20 ml triple sec, and 15 ml fresh lime. Blanco (plata / silver) is the CRT class that is unaged or only briefly rested — the usual mixer. Most US blancos print 40% ABV, so that 50 ml pour is about 1.13 NIAAA drinks before the liqueur. A US 1.5-ounce house pour is one drink. This is not a 2022 tasting of ten bottles.

Gold mixto plus caramel is a different Margarita. Related: tequila for margaritas, margarita alcohol, Cointreau vs Grand Marnier.

What the shaker actually needs

Part Spec
IBA tequila 50 ml 100% agave — typically blanco
Triple sec 20 ml. Cointreau US is 40%; generic triple sec 15–40%
Lime 15 ml fresh. 0.0% ABV
40% tequila drinks ~1.13 from 50 ml; 1.00 from 1.5 oz
Skip as “the blanco pick” Mixto gold labeled only “tequila”

Four IBA Margaritas are about 4.5 drinks from the tequila plus the triple sec. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. No invented MSRP. Pour math: margarita drinks.

Sources

  • IBA Margarita fetched: 50 ml tequila 100% agave, 20 ml triple sec, 15 ml lime.
  • CRT blanco class; 27 CFR 5.148. Cointreau 40% US (prior).
  • NIAAA December 2025.

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