A strong tequila selection gives bartenders options: a blanco that brings freshness to a Margarita, a reposado with enough character for a spirit-forward cocktail, and a distinctive sipping pour that starts a conversation with guests.

For buyers looking to explore new bottles, the Bartender Spirits Awards provides a useful starting point. Its focus on the U.S. on-premise market brings the perspectives of bartenders and hospitality professionals into the judging process. These five award-winning selections include a 98-point Double Gold winner and four 95-point Gold medalists. They are a curated selection from the results, with serving ideas below offered as suggestions for your own bar trials.

1. Desnuda Blanco

98 Points | Double Gold | Tequila of the Year

Desnuda Blanco delivers the strongest competition result in this selection. Alongside its Double Gold medal, it earned Tequila of the Year and Best Spirit by Package at the 2026 Bartender Spirits Awards. Desnuda Tequila also received Tequila Producer of the Year recognition.

The BSA winner profile describes floral aromas and agave character, followed by a gentle palate and a balanced, clean finish.

For your bar: Consider testing it in a restrained Margarita or a tequila highball that allows its floral and agave notes to remain prominent. Its award recognition also gives staff a clear starting point when introducing the bottle to guests seeking a new premium pour.

2. Original Grit Tequila Blanco

95 Points | Gold Medal

Original Grit Tequila Blanco earned 95 points and a Gold medal. The judges identified mineral character, a supple mouthfeel, and peppery spice with clove accents—an appealing profile for bartenders looking to add texture and savoury detail to their tequila selection.

The brand’s story adds another talking point. Original Grit was developed by Wendy Kunkle, owner of Kemo Sabe, working with the Partida family and master distiller Leticia Hermosillo Ravelero.

For your bar: Try it in a classic Margarita or Paloma to assess how its mineral and spice notes interact with citrus. It is also worth tasting neat during staff training, so bartenders can explain the texture and flavour beyond simply describing it as smooth.

Explore Original Grit Tequila Blanco’s BSA profile.

3. Lobos 1707 Tequila Reposado

95 Points | Gold Medal

Lobos 1707 Tequila Reposado combines agave character with softer, sweeter flavour notes. Its 2026 BSA profile records a 95-point Gold medal and describes cooked agave and green pepper aromas, followed by delicate caramel and honey flavours and a cohesive finish.

That combination offers a useful direction for bars seeking a reposado with both savoury and rounded elements.

For your bar: Explore it in a reposado Margarita or a lightly sweetened tequila Old Fashioned. A neat or over-ice serve would also let guests compare its agave character with the caramel and honey notes identified by the judges.

4. Caton

95 Points | Gold Medal

Caton brings a fruit-led profile to this selection. Awarded 95 points and a Gold medal, the tequila’s BSA tasting notes highlight raisin and honey aromas with toasted nuances, followed by dark cherry and vanilla flavours. Orchard fruit and pepper carry through the finish.

For a buyer, that profile offers a reason to taste Caton alongside more citrus-led or pepper-forward tequilas and assess the variety it could bring to the backbar.

For your bar: Begin with a neat tasting, then trial it in a simple stirred cocktail that leaves room for its fruit and vanilla character. Keep sweeteners measured carefully so the finished drink retains balance.

5. Tequila Ocho Reposado

95 Points | Gold Medal

Tequila Ocho Reposado earned a 95-point Gold medal at the 2026 Bartender Spirits Awards. The winner profile describes agave aromas supported by toasted oak, with spice, cinnamon, and charred pineapple on the palate. Cinnamon persists through a lengthy finish.

The combination gives bartenders several flavours to explore while keeping agave at the centre of the tasting experience.

For your bar: Try it in a reposado Margarita, or pair it with pineapple in a cocktail developed around its fruit and spice notes. A neat pour is another way to introduce guests to its progression from agave and oak to a lingering spicy finish.

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Building a Tequila Selection That Works for Your Guests

These five bottles offer different directions for a tequila programme: floral freshness from Desnuda, mineral and pepper notes from Original Grit, rounded agave and caramel from Lobos 1707, fruit-led complexity from Caton, and agave, oak and spice from Tequila Ocho.

Use their BSA results to build a tasting shortlist, then assess each bottle against your menu, supplier availability, pour cost, and guests’ preferences. Taste them neat and in the drinks you intend to serve—the most useful addition is one your team can confidently recommend and consistently deliver.

Also Read:
Vozul Tequila: When a Brand Begins With a Voice
Casa México Tequila — Crafting Authenticity in a Maturing Market
Desnuda Tequila Makes Its Mark Through Purity and Intent in a Saturated Market