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The Kitchn ran a blind taste test of nine tequilas priced between $25 and $50, and Hornitos Plata Tequila was the top scorer, praised for balanced sweetness and light floral notes. Tequila Reserva 1800 Silver finished as runner-up. All bottles tested were 40% ABV, and results reflect the preferences of nine tasters, not a statistical survey.
Hornitos Plata Tequila was named the best tequila in a blind taste test of nine brands conducted by food and home site The Kitchn, with tasters describing the sub-$40 bottle as one of the smoothest in the lineup and praising its light floral notes. The panel of nine tasters, all employees of parent company Apartment Therapy Media, sampled unidentified bottles priced between $25 and $50 and scored them independently.
The winning bottle earned praise from nearly every taster. According to The Kitchn’s report, Maxwell Ryan, the company’s CEO, liked Hornitos Plata enough to add it to his home bar cart after the test. Greg, the people operations manager, called it one of the “smoother tequilas out of the bunch,” while Mara, director of groceries and shopping, highlighted its “almost sweet flavor and light floral notes.” The Kitchn listed its standout qualities as balanced sweetness, smoothness, and floral character, while noting it sits on the pricier end of the bottles tested. Like all nine tequilas in the test, it is 40% ABV.
The runner-up was Tequila Reserva 1800 Silver, which several tasters singled out for its smooth, floral flavor. Associate editor LJ said most entries were harsh and burned going down — the quality that often gives tequila its bad reputation — but that 1800 Silver was the only one she would buy. Associate groceries editor Ali Domrongchai, who organized the tasting, called it her favorite, saying “it’s not too strong,” though editorial assistant Celia found it a bit too bitter for casual drinking. The report recommends it as a good option for margaritas.
Three bottles received honorable mentions. Tequila Ocho Plata was described as strong and agave-forward, with notes of honey and pepper, though some tasters found it too intense. Casamigos Blanco, which Celia called the “fancy option” at the liquor store, was praised for a premium taste and “fruity sweetness” but was too harsh for at least one taster. Patrón Silver tasted stronger than the others across the board, according to the report, but Domrongchai said it was the only bottle she would drink on the rocks.
What the Ranking Means for Shoppers
Tequila is one of the more crowded categories on liquor store shelves, with dozens of brands at wildly different price points, and marketing often outpaces quality. A blind test strips away label bias and celebrity branding — relevant here, since Casamigos, co-founded by actor George Clooney and later sold to Diageo, is often perceived as a premium option but did not win this panel. For shoppers, the practical takeaway is that the top-rated bottle cost well under the test’s $50 cap, suggesting price and prestige are not reliable predictors of taste preference.
The results also reflect a broader pattern in spirits testing: mass-market bottles frequently hold their own against boutique labels in blind conditions. Readers weighing a purchase for cocktails or sipping can use the tasting notes — smoothness, sweetness, bitterness, heat — to match a bottle to their own preferences rather than to brand reputation.
How the Blind Tasting Worked
The test was conducted by The Kitchn, which independently selects products and may earn commissions on purchase links. The publication capped its budget at $50 per bottle and selected nine brands based on popularity, availability, and price, with input from its editorial team; most bottles hovered around $30.
Nine volunteers from Apartment Therapy Media staff participated. Domrongchai poured 1/4 shots into shot glasses labeled A through I to hide the brands, and tasters sampled them in random order. Each taster independently completed a score sheet evaluating texture, look, smell, eagerness to buy, and taste, without group discussion. Scores were tallied only after all evaluations were complete. All nine tequilas tested were 40% ABV. Tequila is distilled from the blue agave plant in Mexico and is the base spirit for margaritas, palomas, and ranch water.
“It’s not too strong.”
— Ali Domrongchai, Associate Editor, Groceries at The Kitchn
Limits of the Taste Test
The findings come from a single afternoon tasting by nine office volunteers, not a large-scale or professionally trained sensory panel, so the rankings should be read as one publication’s preference snapshot rather than a definitive verdict. Individual results varied: nearly every bottle, including the winner’s competitors, drew both praise and criticism from different tasters — Casamigos was “fancy” to some and “too harsh” to others.
The report does not publish full numerical scores, the complete list of all nine brands tested, or exact prices for each bottle beyond the $25–$50 range, so readers cannot verify how close the voting was. It is also unclear whether all tasters sampled every brand in the same order or condition, and prices were accurate only at the time of publishing and may vary by retailer.
Where the Testing Goes From Here
The Kitchn’s tequila test covered bottles under $50, leaving room for the publication to extend its comparisons to reposado and añejo expressions, which are aged and often taste markedly different from the plata/blanco styles tested here. Readers interested in verifying the results for themselves can replicate the format cheaply: buy a few bottles, pour small unmarked samples, and score them independently before revealing labels. Tequila should be stored upright, tightly sealed, away from direct sunlight, and — as a 40% ABV spirit — consumed in moderation by adults of legal drinking age. The Kitchn may update pricing and availability in the original report over time.
Key Questions
Which tequila won The Kitchn’s taste test?
Hornitos Plata Tequila was the overall winner, praised by nearly all nine tasters for its balanced sweetness, smoothness, and light floral notes. It is 40% ABV and priced under $40.
How much did the tested tequilas cost?
The bottles ranged from $25 to $50, with most hovering around $30. The Kitchn set $50 as its budget cap for the test.
Was the tasting actually blind?
Yes, according to The Kitchn. Bottles were hidden behind letters A through I, tasters sampled them in random order, and scores were tallied only after all individual evaluations were completed.
Did expensive brands like Casamigos or Patrón win?
No. Both received honorable mentions only. Casamigos was praised for a premium, fruity taste but criticized as harsh by one taster; Patrón was called smooth but tasted stronger than the others.
How reliable is a nine-person taste test?
It is a useful signal but a small sample. With nine volunteers from one company, the ranking reflects that panel’s preferences on one day, not a definitive industry verdict. Individual tasters disagreed on several bottles.
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