Two shot glasses of Tequila Blanco with Lime and SaltgettyBlanco is where Tequila is most honest. No barrel, no maturation, no cooperage to smooth the edges or fill the gaps. What you taste is the agave — its terroir, its maturity, and the skill of the distiller in capturing it. A great Blanco is among the most transparent spirits in the world. A mediocre one has nowhere to hide.The seven expressions in this flight represent the top-scoring Blancos from the 2026 Beverage Testing Institute Judging (BevTest). Together, they map the range of contemporary Blanco Tequila: a terroir-driven vintage release, a 100-proof tahona-crushed departure from a major brand, a conservation-mission Highland expression, and the highest-scoring Blanco in the competition from one of the most celebrated distilling families in Jalisco. Two are bottled at 100 proof. All claim to be additive-free.Below are brief production backgrounds, my tasting notes for each expression, and the BevTest Judging Panel's evaluation.Nobleza 33 Blanco Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1579. Platinum Medal, 97 Points.Nobleza 33 is produced at Destilería El Pandillo in Jesús María, Jalisco, under Maestro Tequilero Felipe Camarena — a third-generation member of one of the Highlands' most celebrated distilling families. It is made from Highland Blue Weber grown in the Los Altos Southern region, where high altitude and rich red volcanic soil naturally add to a sweeter, more floral agave character.Production is meticulous: agave is slow-cooked in a traditional stone horno, then 95% of the juice ferments without fibers for a clean, bright spirit, while the remaining 5% ferments with fibers, adding delicate earthiness and textural depth. Distillation is carried out in 100% copper pot stills. The spirit is then oxygenated and proofed with deep-well water.The Tequila features aromas of caramelized yams, dried pineapple, pickled peppers, corn tortilla, fig cookie with fondant, and tarragon, with lime, vanilla, mint, and orange sherbet developing over time. It's silky and full-bodied on the palate, showcasing sweet cooked agave and herbal notes of bell pepper and mint, along with orange zest, pistachio brittle, papaya, mango, and a wisp of jalapeño. The finish is long and layered, with lingering chamomile tea, fresh lime, and a slight mineral and black pepper note.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing "aromas of clay, roasted corn, and jasmine along with flavors of buttercream, cinnamon, and mint. A superb, flavorful, and balanced Blanco Tequila that stays true to the agave by featuring both its raw and cooked characteristics."Don Fulano Blanco Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1146. Gold Medal, 95 Points.Don Fuano Tequila is made from 100% estate-grown Blue Weber agave from the Los Altos Highlands, certified additive-free, and produced by co-founders Enrique Fonseca and Sergio Mendoza. The house style highlights restraint, purity, and structure.It's savory and herbaceous on the nose, with aromas of fresh agave, lemongrass, cumin, and epazote. It's medium-to-full-bodied on the palate, with an oily, smooth texture, showcasing cooked agave, mint, citrus, cinnamon, earthiness, black pepper, mushroom, and grapefruit peel. The finish is long and herbaceous, with lingering fresh chiles, masa, lime, and white pepper.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing "aromas of canned pineapple, warm agave, and olive brine along with flavors of butterscotch, cocoa nibs, and nutmeg. A well-balanced Tequila with savory and spicy notes and tropical fruits."Don Fulano Fuerte Blanco, 50% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1146. Gold Medal, 93 Points.This high-proof expression of the Don Fulano range, bottled at 100 proof, uses the same Blue Weber Highlands agave and process as the standard Blanco. It was one of the first craft high-proof tequilas launched in the US market and is a benchmark in the category.The Tequila features aromas of sweet agave and citrus, followed by earthy, brighter fruit notes and a subtle funk. It's smooth and creamy on the palate, with cooked agave, pepper, minerality, earthy funk, citrus, herbs, mint, and brine. The finish is exceptionally long, with a light but creamy mouthfeel and lingering fruit and earthy funk.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing "aromas of burnt sugar, caramel bonbon with vanilla fondant, along with flavors of hot honey, pickled jalapeño, and onions. A smoky, slightly angular Blanco with real character."Part of the Patron Tequila range. (Photo by Donato Sardella/WireImage)WireImagePatrón 100 Silver Tequila, 50% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1492. Gold Medal, 93 Points.A significant departure for Patron — a dedicated 100-proof expression produced using 100% tahona production, where cooked agave is crushed exclusively by a 2-ton volcanic stone wheel. It is distilled to proof with no water added after distillation. Produced at Hacienda Patrón in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, it delivers excellent value for an overproof Blanco Tequila at an SRP of approximately $50.The Tequila features aromas of lime zest, juicy grapefruit, crisp minerality, floral undertones, and a pine/juniper quality. The tahona-only extraction preserves more of the agave plant's raw terpenes. It's soft and smooth for the proof, with bright, zesty citrus, green-chili piquancy, fresh ginger, savory brine, and fire-roasted root vegetables. The finish is exceptionally long and dry, with lingering bergamot, lime leaf, and green agave.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing "aromas of agave, jalapeño seeds, and maraschino cherry along with flavors of lavender, cooked agave, and white pepper. A Blanco with a bold bouquet of floral flavors."Tequila Ocho Plata, 40% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1474. Gold Medal, 91 Points.The Plata (Blanco) expression of the Ocho single-estate, vintage-dated range is produced in Arandas, Jalisco, by third-generation Maestro Tequilero Carlos Camarena. Each Plata carries a vintage year and is named for a single estate — the only Blanco Tequila to be terroir-driven and released as a vintage. Production uses stone-oven cooking, roller-mill extraction, copper pot stills, and wild-yeast fermentation.The Tequila features aromas of sweet agave, chamomile tea, floral notes, toasted almond, lime zest, and a distinct pineapple-grapefruit tropical quality. It's silky and smooth on the palate, with cooked agave, ripe orchard fruit, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, and delicate earthiness. The finish is long, slightly sweet, and clean, with well-integrated alcohol and lingering agave and peppery spices.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing "aromas of agave, jalapeño seeds, and maraschino cherry along with flavors of lavender, cooked agave, and white pepper. A Blanco with a bold bouquet of floral flavors; try in a Bloody Maria."Reserva de la Torre Blanco Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1625. Gold Medal, 91 Points.The Tequila is produced in the Los Altos Southern region of Jalisco using 100% Blue Weber agave and traditional production techniques. At $44, it represents excellent value for a top-rated Tequila.The Tequila features aromas of roasted agave, limestone, grapefruit, and jasmine, with a clean, mineral-forward profile and a distinctly Highland floral character. It's full-bodied on the palate, with stone fruit, black pepper, eucalyptus, and white tea. The finish is long and mineral, with lingering grapefruit zest and spices.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing "aromas of white chocolate toffee, mousse, and mocha gelato along with flavors of sarsaparilla, cola floats, and cinnamon roll. A super silky and elegant Blanco with great depth of flavor and expertly balanced character."Alma del Jaguar Blanco Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml. NOM 1414. Gold Medal, 90 Points.The Banco Tequila is produced by Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados in Arandas, Jalisco, a family of fifth-generation tequileros. The brand donates a percentage of its revenue to the Northern Jaguar Project, which manages the largest privately owned wildlife refuge in Mexico. The Highland Blue Weber agave is grown at over 6,800 feet in elevation, cooked in brick ovens, roller-milled, distilled in copper pot stills, and bottled unfiltered. The range uses a signature dual-yeast fermentation: 80% wild (airborne) yeast for complexity, 20% Champagne yeast from France for subtle sweetness.On the nose, the Tequila features aromas of cooked agave, orange zest, honey, cucumber, sea salt, and white pepper. The floral-citrus qualities are typical of high-altitude agave. It's citrus-forward on the palate, with citrus zest, cooked agave, pineapple, clove, honeydew, bell pepper, and hints of brine. Wild-yeast fermentation contributes a bolder, earthier complexity beneath the citrus. The finish is long, crisp, and peppery, with lingering orange, grapefruit, sea salt, and minerality.The BevTest Judging Panel described the Tequila as expressing “aromas dulce du leche gelato, caramel corn with roasted nuts, and sweet potato pie, along with flavors of sweet cream with mint, horchata, and pepper. A supple, fruit and caramel-driven Blanco that will have wide appeal.”Several themes emerge from this flight. The Highlands dominate: six of the seven expressions are made from Los Altos agave, and the regional signature — sweeter, more floral, more fruit-forward than the earthier Tequila Valley lowlands — is consistently present. What varies is how each producer chooses to express it. Felipe Camarena's Nobleza 33 pushes complexity with the split-fiber fermentation and deep-well proofing. Carlos Camarena's Ocho Plata anchors every decision to a single named estate and a specific vintage year. The results are technically different spirits that share an unmistakable Highland DNA.The two 100-proof expressions — Don Fulano Fuerte and Patrón 100 — make a convincing case that elevated proof, done well, does not mean elevated heat. Both drink with more textural richness and aromatic intensity than their standard-proof counterparts, and both earned 93-point Gold Medals. The tahona production of the Patrón 100 is a genuine production commitment, not a marketing decision, and the pine and terpene notes it produces are legible in the glass.At the top of the flight, Nobleza 33 demonstrates what a Blanco Tequila can be when every production decision is made in service of the agave. The caramelized yam, dried pineapple, and tarragon descriptors are not accidents — they are the direct result of a complex production process and the oxygenation step that most producers skip. This is what 97 points looks like: a Blanco that delivers the complexity of an aged spirit without sacrificing the transparency that defines the category.More From Forbes