Best Tequila for the Money

Updated June 2026.

“Best for the money” is store English, not a CRT class. Tequila is 100% agave or mixto under NOM-006 and Blanco, reposado, and añejo are the aging classes. Most US bottles are 40% ABV — one NIAAA drink per 1.5 ounces. A sticker under $30 or $50 that day is not a 2026 MSRP. This is not a 15-bottle ranking.

Additive-free is not a CRT class. Casamigos current NOM is 1609 (1416 is historical). Related: blanco under $50, additive-free tequila, tequila types.

Read class and NOM, not a listicle

What to read Why it matters
100% agave vs mixto Legal class
NOM four digits Distillery, not a score
Blanco / reposado / añejo Oak window
ABV Most US 40% — confirm
Shelf tag That day, not MSRP

A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks. Four pours are four drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Pour math: tequila drinks.

Sources

  • NOM-006-SCFI-2012; 27 CFR 5.148. CRT classes only.
  • Typical US 40% ABV. Additive-free is not a CRT class. No 2026 tasting or MSRP.
  • NIAAA December 2025. Casamigos current NOM 1609 not restated as 1416.

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