Discover the Best Jose Cuervo Tequila!

Discover the differences between Jose Cuervo bottles and decide which is Jose Cuervo’s best Tequila!

Jose Cuervo Especial Silver

Nose	Medicinal alcohol, nail polish, sour jalapeño
Palate	Alcohol, citrus zest, lime, mint, agave
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Cocktails
Similar to	Monte Alban Mezcal

There is something that you know about this tequila: IS NOT a 100% AGAVE TEQUILA, as it´s made using 51% agave and 49% other sugar sources such as sugar cane or corn.

Agave spirits are unique as they don’t give hangovers, but when they are blends of sugar sources things go south and you get a headache.

Hence, I suggest not drinking this in excess and only in cocktails.

The nose is absolutely terrible with a high medicinal alcohol aroma, with a strong hint of nail polish and something that smells like sour jalapeño. This could well be the worst smelling tequila ever.

On the palate, Cuervo Especial Silver (Review) is not that bad, the first sip has a taste of alcohol with moderate burn, followed by citric flavors, some earthy grassiness, vanilla and a tiny hint of agave.

The finish is short and moderately peppery, with a tad of mint with not too much burn.

Jose Cuervo Gold

Nose	Alcohol, nail polish, oak, caramel
Palate	Honey, black pepper, alcohol, wood
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Cocktails
Similar to	Sauza Gold

Jose Cuervo Gold (Review) is also made from agave and undisclosed sugar sources promising to give you a headache.

The nose brings me back to college and reminds me of the first time I got drunk and how I felt. There is a strong alcohol scent, along nail polish, with a tad of oak and caramel behind.

On the palate, I can taste some caramel sweetness on the first sip, that moves to a sharp alcohol bite, with strong peppery notes, oak and then settles into some sort of candy.

The finish is short, warm and peppery, with notes of cheap candy and wood.

Jose Cuervo Gold is not only bad, is one of the worst Tequilas and one that has given a bad reputation to tequila for its hideous taste and nasty hangovers.

This tequila is also made using a combination of agave and diverse sugar sources promising a bad hangover, hence I suggest avoiding it as the plague it is.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver

Nose	Mint, pepper, agave, grapefruit
Palate	Black pepper, grapefruit, agave
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Cocktails
Similar to	1800 Silver, Centenario Plata

Tradicional Silver is 100% agave so you can proceed to drink it knowing that you will still be alive the next day.

Actually, this is a good tequila and surprisingly good. This is the kinda Tequila you want to use in shots, Ranch Water, Margaritas, Batangas, or any cocktail as its flavor profile and price makes it good for such purposes.

The nose is pleasant, with a nice minty scent, with moderate agave presence, grapefruit and black pepper.

Flavor is peppery up-front, but as you let it develop grapefruit and agave appear, followed by an earthy and floral note.

The finish is short, with moderate alcohol bite, with a touch of mint, citrus and agave.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver (Review) can be drunk neat as it has bearable warmth but becomes better when served on the rocks as ice tunes-down the pepper making it easier to drink.

They all taste pretty much the same when drowned in fruity juices.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado

Nose	Cocoa, agave, alcohol, black pepper
Palate	Agave, black pepper, oak and alcohol
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Cocktails
Similar to	Jimador Repo, 1800 Repo

Tradicional Reposado is the same Tequila as Tradicional Silver but aged for 2 months in oak barrels. Therefore, this is also made from agave.

The nose has a nice note of cocoa powder, along agave, with a drizzle of black pepper and a bit of ethanol.

On the palate, Jose Cuervo Reposado feels a bit warm and peppery at first, but nothing terrible. As you keep drinking you get agave with a tad of oak spice.

Jose Cuervo Reposado (Review) is a pleasant surprise as it surpassed my expectations; which were too low, TBH. It has agave flavors with the right amount of oak with not much warmth or peppery notes.

This Tequila won’t win any real awards and is no something to enjoy neat, but it becomes acceptable when served rocks and can deliver a tasty cocktail.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Añejo

Nose	Agave, caramel, vanilla
Palate	Caramel, vanilla, oak
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Rocks
Similar to	1800 Añejo, Centenario Añejo

This tequila is the product of aging Tradicional Silver in charred American oak for at least a year and then finished in single malt Irish whiskey barrels.

Tradicional Añejo tastes like a whiskey from start to finish as it is rich in vanilla, caramel and oak notes with very little to no agave flavor to it.

It’s quite smooth and overly sweet, perhaps a little too sweet for me, but definitely not bad for those who want an easy and sweet tequila sipper.

Frankly, this is not my jam as I’d rather buy myself a bourbon but drinks nicely neat or rocks and is way smoother than any of the aforementioned Tequilas and cheaper than most añejo tequilas.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Cristalino

Nose	Agave, oak, cinnamon, apple
Palate	Herbal, mint, Splenda
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Rocks
Similar to	Herradura Ultra

This tequila is the same Tradicional Reposado just that filtered through charcoal making it a cristalino tequila.

These filtration process not only removes the hard edges from the tequila but also the characteristic amber hue of reposado Tequila.

The nose has a faint agave aroma, along hints of cinnamon and apple.

Palate delivers a herbal flavor, rich in mint and a high Splenda note making me think that this tequila has been artificially sweetened to make it more approachable.

If you are fond of adding artificial sweeteners to your latte you might find, but this is something I don’t recommend as the next tequila is also a cristalino but better tasting.

Maestro Dobel Diamante

Nose	Lemongrass, vanilla, agave
Palate	Agave, oak, black pepper
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Rocks
Similar to	Don Julio 70, 1800 Cristalino

You might know it but Maestro Dobel is made by Jose Cuervo. Dobel stands for Domingo Beckmann Legorreta the man calling the shots at the company, in case you wanted to know if Maestro Dobel is a real person.

The nose makes you think that Maestro Dobel is a strong and harsh tequila but the palate tells a different story.

It has a good body and Flavor is quite smooth and sweet nicely balanced with some peppery notes coming later to the party and a pleasant bite at the end.

It goes down easy and even though you can easily drink it neat it gets better when served rocks. I would not use it as a mixer in a market where you can find several blanco Tequilas at better prices.

Overall, Maestro Dobel is a solid option, offering great value for the money with a nice smooth taste making a great sipping tequila. This might well be one of the best tequilas ever created by… Jose Cuervo!

This is also a cristalino and one of the best Cristalino Tequilas.

Reserva de la Familia Platino

Nose	Agave, black pepper, alcohol
Palate	Agave, black pepper, earthy notes
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Rocks
Similar to	Patron Silver, Casamigos Blanco

Reserva de la Familia is Jose Cuervo’s premium line.

The nose is rich in agave, with a black pepper note, along a tad of alcohol but nothing too severe.

Palate, is smooth and sweet, with more agave flavor, a dash of black pepper and more of that earthy notes that makes it interesting.

The finish is moderate in length, with a bit of a bite but satisfying nonetheless making a good tequila.

It reminds me a bit of Patron Silver so you have an idea of what to expect from this Tequila.

This is an upgrade over the other Blancos I have mentioned, far from the best, but solid nonetheless with no harsh or off-putting notes.

Reserva de la Familia Reposado

Nose	Agave, oak, caramel, vanilla
Palate	Oak, caramel, vanilla, agave
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Neat
Similar to	Fortaleza Repo, G4 Repo

Good reposados are light on the wood and high in agave. This Tequila has it the other way around as the oak flavor overwhelms other notes leaving a strong oak taste behind.

Not a bad tequila, perhaps a bit of artificial vanilla flavoring trying to bring some balance to the oaky flavor, but drinks better on the rocks.

This tequila was crafted using three different types of barrels: heavy toasted American oak, lightly toasted American oak, and lightly toasted French oak, each of which helps impart different flavor characteristics.

Unfortunately the result is not that good, to be honest.

Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo

Nose	Roasted agave, oak, caramel
Palate	Honey, oak, agave, black pepper
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Neat
Similar to	Don Julio Ultima Reserva

The nose is rich in roasted agave, with hints of oak, caramel and just a whiff of alcohol.

Palate provides a blast of maple honey at first, well balanced against oak, agave flavor. There is a bit of black pepper coming late to the party.

The finish has a medium length rich in oak and honey making it a very good sip.

Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo (Review) Awarded with a Double Gold Medal at San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019 which is a solid recognition.

This is the only top-rated Tequila among the Jose Cuervo line-up as it breaks into the list of the best Extra Añejo Tequilas to buy.

Which is the best Jose Cuervo Tequila?

Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo is the best Cuervo

This tequila was launched to celebrate Cuervo’s 200th anniversary and you can tell that they put a lot of effort into it.

Which is the best Jose Cuervo for the money?

Maestro Dobel provides good bang on the buck

Maestro Dobel is a cristalino tequila, filtered through charcoal making it smoother than most tequilas in its class and is yet quite tasty making a solid “everyday tequila”.

Which is the best Cuervo for Margaritas and cocktails?

Tradicional Silver is the best Cuervo for mixing

This is a 100% agave tequila, with the right flavor profile to make any cocktail.

Which is the best Jose Cuervo for shots?

Tradicional Silver is the best shooter among the Cuervo family

Affordable, 100% agave and does not taste like rocket fuel. Those are the things you want in a shooter.

Which is the best Cuervo for sipping?

Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo is a nice sipping tequila

If you are not willing to pay top-dollar for a tequila the Maestro Dobel is your second best option. Dobel is a champ in terms of value.

Jose Cuervo Price guide and cheat sheet

Tequila	Price	Bottle Size	ABV	100% Agave
Jose Cuervo Especial Silver	$25	1 liter	40%	No
Jose Cuervo Gold	$25	1 liter	40%	No
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver	$25	750ml	40%	Yes
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado	$25	750ml	40%	Yes
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Añejo	$35	750ml	40%	Yes
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Cristalino	$37	750ml	40%	Yes
Maestro Dobel Diamante	$46	750ml	40%	Yes
Reserva de la Familia Platino	$63	750ml	40%	Yes
Reserva de la Familia Reposado	$85	750ml	40%	Yes
Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo	$193	750ml	40%	Yes

Jose Cuervo

Cuervo has been producing tequila since 1795 making it one Mexico’s oldest commercial distiller.

It all started when Jose María Guadalupe de Cuervo began selling Vino Mezcal de Tequila de Jose Cuervo after receiving the official charter from the King of Spain to produce and distribute tequila commercially.

It was until 1812 when La Rojeña distillery was founded. Jose Cuervo’s tequilas are produced at La Rojeña to this day, making it the oldest active distillery in Latin America.

The company exported its first barrels to California in 1852, and a few decades later Jose Cuervo became the first Tequila producer to start selling its product in bottles.

Jose Cuervo owns 1800 Tequila and… Bushmills!!!