Cheap 100% agave tequilas - please review

[glworden]

Although just registered as a member, I've been coming to this site for months. I appreciate the reviews, and am especially thankful for the margarita puro recipe.
I live in Michigan, where most of the tequilas you review are unavailable. You can only get what is listed on the state's webste:
Liquor Control Commission

Muchote was on there for just a couple months, and I was fortunate that you turned me on to it.

That puro recipe makes a pretty small volume of margarita, so I usually double it. My favorite blanco is el Espolon. At $25 per bottle, that's $3 worth of tequila in a double. In an attempt to bring my cost down, I've gone through the Michigan list and found the cheapest pure agave tequilas. I've been happy with what I've tried so far: el Charro, Agavales and Lunazul.

I would appreciate an article focusing on low cost tequilas. They are particularly suite for mixing, and some aren't too bad for sipping. Although cheap, I'd prefer them any day to the mixtos.

Here is my list which I hope to see some reviews or feedback on. Prices are Michigan prices for 750 ml. Most have blanco or reposado.

-el Pobre............$13.95
-Agavales.......... $14.13
-el Charro...........$14.98
-el Olvido reposado ......$16.98
-Senor Frogs........$17.98
-Cabrito ...........1000ml blanco for $17.88
-Lunazul..............$18.97
-30-30...............$19.46
-el Jimador..........$19.97
-Camarena..........$21.45

I avoid Cuervo and Sauza brands. I like el Espolon, el Major and Muchote but don't spend too much more than that.

Thanks for any opinons.
Gary

[Antonio Puerto Rico]

Hello Gary, I just joined today and am a tequila rookie too. I haven't found a wide variety of brands here in PR, our specialty is rum, but I do enjoy the margarita puro recipe. For a good price 100% agave I use Familia Camarena Blanco, 1800 Blanco and Jimador Blanco. Of those three I like the Camarena most, I enjoy sipping it out of a caballito too. I find it to have a slight floral aroma and it's relatively smooth although as I said earlier I am not very experienced yet and am not qualified to give a review. Don Julio Blanco is another good option for margarita puro or for sipping but a bit pricier.

[Chalkpie]

have you tried El Ultimo Agave? Very good and easy on the wallet

[jdjohn84]

I can only comment on those I have experience with either via actual tasting, or just research.

Agavales - the Tequilawhisperer (Lippy) did one of his webcast shows on this one, and although not considered premium, he doesn't do shows using awful tequilas.

El Charro - this is a rather spicy tequila to me...the blanco very much so.

Senor Frogs - although considered a novelty by most, this actually received a good review from Pina on here. Made at the same NOM as paQui, which I have tried and really like.

Cabrito - the blanco has a rating of 91 at tequila.net. Made at the same NOM as Centinela, which I have tried and like. Centinela has received some good reviews. For $18/liter, that would be worth a shot.

Lunazul - I've heard good things locally about it, but it didn't score very well at tequila.net.

30-30 - I've tasted this. Nothing spectacular, and actually a little too much burn for my taste.

El Jimador and Camarena - I put these in the same category, with Camarena having a bit more character. Both good mixers.

[solomonslines]

of the ones you mentioned, I would go with El Charro. I use it as my standard mixer and pick up a blanco and a repo, every time I go by the state store. I like it better than Cabrito and Lunazul. El JImador and Camarena are good too IMO, but they don't match up with Charro in terms of price. I use all three as low budget sippers or go-to mixers.

[mjfuller53]

glworden,
I'm not sure why you avoid Cuervo and Sauza brands unless you can't forget those deadly high school hangovers on Cuervo Gold. While their Gold tequilas aren't worth more than a penny, they both make some decent 100% agave brands as well. I've grown fond of Sauza Hornitos. For $20 it's good value for the money. Cuervo's Gran Centenario and Reserva de la Familia is also decent tequila. When it comes to tequila I try not to limit myself and keep an open mind. Salud.

[Chalkpie]

Take the following with a grain of salt, but this is an excerpt by some cat from Mexico City who was reviewing Riedel glasses at Amazon:

"But before I begin, I wish to urge all tequila drinkers to give serious consideration to boycotting Cuervo and Sauza. These U.S.-owned megacompanies have bought up a huge amount of the agave in Mexico and have consequently had an inordinate influence on the production and price of agave, with Cuervo being especially destructive. Competition has become very difficult for other, less financially powerful producers, who have been going out of business/selling off. Depressing to me was Cuervo's recent acquisition of Don Julio, whose 1942 is among my favorite tequilas. Before you buy from these behemoths, consider what they have done to the Mexican farmers, smaller tequila producers, and the ever-rising price of tequila."

Common sense tells me there is more than a speck of truth spoken in those words.

[gsars1]

Whoever wrote that needs to get their facts straight, Diageo acquired Don Julio and Cuervo...Cuervo didn't buy Don Julio, it's not like they are being made at the same distillery. Actually Diageo, only controls Cuervo in the US, they are a separate company in Mexico and aren't owned by Diageo there.

[mjfuller53]

Originally Posted by gsars1

Whoever wrote that needs to get their facts straight, Diageo acquired Don Julio and Cuervo...Cuervo didn't buy Don Julio, it's not like they are being made at the same distillery. Actually Diageo, only controls Cuervo in the US, they are a separate company in Mexico and aren't owned by Diageo there.

Both of you make good points. Some large corporations are really evil, like Monsanto. But given that, it's important not to rush to an unfair judgment without verified facts. Some good research is in order here. I don't know anything about Cuervo or Sauza ownership, but I'll look into it in my spare time.

In a related issue, I read somewhere recently that more evil may exist in the tequila world. The article talked about how large corporations, presumably American companies were buying up Mexican land, including agave country and fields to instead grow corn for the insatiable American markets that use corn for so many food products, animal feed, and the production of ethanol. Corn produces a cash crop every year, unlike agave plants. It's mostly genetically modified and guess who owns and controls all corn seed? Yes, the good old Monsanto Corporation. So what do you think will happen if agave fields are turned into corn? Only smaller producers would continue to grow agave and prices would rise, maybe through the roof. Stay tuned for more info.

[gsars1]

That story about corn being planted in agave fields has been around for a couple of years now and unfortunately it will ultimately cause a rise in cost for tequila. What is too bad though is that agave produces more ethanol per acre then corn, but it does take longer to grow. We need some more research to be done.