10 Best Cheap Tequilas Under $30, According To Bartenders

If you know nothing about tequilayou know there are plenty of cheap ones bottles around. They are generally in the white (or silver or plata), but there are also cheap reposado purchases. The key is to find cheap bottles worth buying.

To find the economical bottles you should get, we called on the professionals. We asked a handful of well-known bartenders to tell us the best tequilas under $30 that belong on your home bar cart. Keep scrolling to see all the fresh, flavorful, agave-centric choices.

Arette Blanco

Federico Doldi, Director of Food and Beverage at Gansevoort Meatpacking At New York

ABV: 40%

Average price: $27

Tequila:

There’s only one winner in this competition for well-made, cheap tequilas: Arette Blanco. It’s great to mix but also extremely balanced and flavorful, with a price tag of around $25. What’s better than that?

Tasting notes:

The aroma and flavors of agave are present, accompanied by notes of pepper, ripe fruit and orange. For a blanco, it is surprisingly flavorful and balanced.

Cimarron Blanco

Dave Tyda, USBG bartender at BARCOA Agaveria in Phoenix

ABV: 40%

Average price: $28

Tequila:

Cimarron Blanco. It’s about $29 per liter. It’s made in the same distillery as premium tequilas like Don Fulano and Tears of Llorona. This is our well at BARCOA because, on the one hand, the peppery notes make an excellent margarita, and on the other hand, it is enjoyed on its own. Most tequilas aren’t drinkable, but we found one and we love it.

Tasting notes:

It starts with a nose of roasted agave, vanilla and sweet spices and evolves into a palate of sweetness of vegetal agave, cracked black pepper, vanilla and woody, earthy flavors.

Mi Campo Blanco

Tsuru Goto, catering manager at Company cafe At New York

ABV: 40%

Average price: $27

Tequila:

We like Mi Campo as a well-crafted, well-priced tequila. Both the Blanco and Reposado are economical. Mi Campo Blanco makes a nice blending tequila as it has great cleanliness and a Chardonnay finish that adds crisp orange and apple notes for the mid-palate and a touch of vanilla at the end.

Tasting notes:

A nose of cooked agave, vanilla, citrus oil and spices gives way to flavors of honey, candied orange peel, roasted agave and pepper on the palate.

Astral White

Matthew Frischmann, director of food and beverage at The Emilie Hotel in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average price: $25

Tequila:

We currently use Astral Blanco tequila in our mixed drinks. Astral is a well-balanced tequila that works great in cocktails because it doesn’t overwhelm or take over the drink.

Tasting notes:

Mineral water, agave, cinnamon, citrus and grass predominate on the nose. Sipping it brings you flavors of herbal sweetness, agave, cinnamon, orange peel and vanilla with a spicy, peppery finish.

Teremana Blanco

Loni Lewis, USBG bartender at Okan Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina

ABV: 40%

Average price: $29

Tequila:

Teremana Blanco, they do a lot for the bartending community, so I like to support them. It’s easy to mix and is an easily recognizable replacement for Casamigos if you don’t carry that brand.

Tasting notes:

Earthy, roasted agave flavors mingle with vanilla, cinnamon, and cracked black pepper. For a blanco, this is a great mixer and a good sipping tequila as well.

Espolón Blanco

Michael Challenger, head bartender at Nautilus Sonesta In Miami

ABV: 40%

Average price: $28

Tequila:

The inexpensive tequila that’s definitely worth sipping or mixing is Espolòn Blanco. This is a fantastic value tequila that belongs on any tequila fan’s bar. There’s a reason why it’s one of the most popular tequila brands on the market.

Tasting notes:

It offers a vibrant agave flavor with hints of tropical fruit and a peppery finish. It’s well-balanced and versatile, making it a great choice for sipping and mixing into cocktails.

Centennial Plata

Jazz Craft, beverage director at Proximity in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average price: $29

Tequila:

One of my favorite tequilas is Centenario Plata. This has long been a norm on both sides of the border. It uses high altitude agave, which is full and robust but also reflects some of the minerality of the soil.

Tasting notes:

Better in a blender than sipping tequila, there’s a ton of botanical, agave, vanilla, earth and spice flavors intertwining.

Lunazul Blanco

Corey Hayes, general manager and beverage director of Gala Bar and Muses In Miami

ABV: 40%

Average price: $25

Tequila:

Lunazul Blanco. This is great value for money for tequila. This is a legit tequila with earthy tones and a real vegetal note. I often go to this tequila as it is in the well and I don’t believe let alone trust some of the bigger brands. This brand is also on every one of my cocktail lists.

Tasting notes:

This tequila has a nice blend of flavors of pepper, vanilla, agave and fruit. The finish is long, warm and pleasantly spicy.

El Tequileño Blanco

David Ortiz, corporate beverage manager at Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar In Miami

ABV: 40%

Average price: $23

Tequila:

The best value tequila is El Tequileño Blanco. This is one of my all time favorites for blanco under $30 retail. El Tequileño Blanco is made traditionally by extracting the juice from the pina with a roller wheel and fermenting according to the old method with mixto, distilled in a copper pot and without additional additives.

Tasting notes:

Its flavor and profile mix cooked agave, vanilla, vegetal notes, cinnamon, black pepper, a slight anise and a medium ethanol finish. It’s very easy to mix and drink.

Camarena Silver

Jennifer Yim, USBG bartender at The Cosmopolitan chandelier bar in Las Vegas

ABV: 40%

Average price: $25

Tequila:

Camarena silver tequila. Its clean, versatile flavor profile, along with its affordability, makes it a popular choice for cocktails, allowing agave notes to shine in various mixed drinks like Margaritas and palomas.

Tasting notes:

The value-priced tequila is packed with complementary flavors like roasted agave, citrus peel, vanilla beans, winter spices and just a hint of cracked black pepper on the finish.