I’m old enough to remember when celebrity endorsement deals had a glimmer of exclusivity. A-list athletes, actors, models, musicians, and the funniest comedians signed multi-million dollar contracts with blue-chip companies, like Nike, Coca-Cola, and L’Oréal. Somewhere along the way, the most successful morphed into moguls; some even mutated into “brands.”
Celebrities of all stripes took note. They didn’t want to just slap their face on a billboard, they wanted their name on a bottle — or, at the very least, the LLC attached to it.
Now, George Clooney didn’t pioneer the celebrity alcohol trend, but he’s certainly the most legendary — he sold Casamigos, the brand he founded with friends Rande Gerber (Kaia Gerber’s father) and Mike Meldman (a friend and real estate developer), for a reported $1 billion in 2017. Since the announcement of that large deal, there’s been a steady stream of new celeb-backed tequilas popping up on shelves.
In an effort to separate the refined from the regrettable, The Kitchn team rounded up a dozen celebrity tequilas available today (it was a real group effort). I recruited a slew of tasters to help narrow the bottles to six, and asked four tequila enthusiasts to judge the final tasting round. After several afternoons of sipping, these are the three we’d bet on to hit it big, plus one very honorable mention. Chances are you’ll recognize all the names of the very famous (and seemingly already thriving) stars behind them.
1. Gran Coramino Cristalino Tequila
Launched in 2022, Gran Coramino Tequila is the brainchild of all-star comedian Kevin Hart and tequila legend (and billionaire) Juan Domingo Beckmann. It was by far the favorite of the three, and priced in the mid-range. Unlike the other bottles in this list, it’s a reposado tequila that’s “aged for over six months,” according to the brand’s website, and then “slow filtered to deliver a crystal-clear color.”
It’s “not quite vegetal, but [has] a little grassiness on the nose — like spring,” says Alex, our staff photographer. It’s “really smooth,” says Janette, our culinary producer. “A little caramel-y [and] grassy, but [with a] citrusy finish,” adds Alex. Vixon, our senior video producer, summed it up nicely: “Ooooh, I like that. Yeah, that’s good.” (He danced as well.)
All three ranked it as their overall favorite. Karis, our director of video, called it “a journey,” with a “tip-of-the-tongue sweetness to it, and a sharpness in the back.” While it wasn’t her number-one choice (more on that just below), she did place it solidly in second.
Buy: Gran Coramino Cristalino Tequila, $46.99 for 750 mL at Total Wine
2. Cincoro Blanco Tequila
A bottle this statuesque can only belong to the G.O.A.T. Yes, roughly six years ago Michael Jordan teamed up with four other NBA owners to launch Cincoro. The sleek and tall bottle has a price tag to match. It was one of the most expensive in the group — and the most polarizing.
Tasters were split; those who liked it really got into the creamy, almost coconutty smell that had Karis “seeing palm trees.” (She ranked it her overall favorite.) Vixen also noted the “nice vanilla taste” and “smooth landing” (aka finish).
While Alex appreciated the blanco’s “neutral nose,” there was a bit too much sweetness and not enough pepperiness or spice for his and Janette’s liking. Ola, our culinary associate, who participated in the first round of tasting, specifically requested this bottle for her birthday.
Buy: Cincoro Blanco Tequila, $68.99 for 750 mL at Total Wine
3. Pantalones Blanco Tequila
If you’ve seen Hollywood power couple Matthew and Camila McConaughey riding motorcycles or line dancing sans pants, you can thank Pantalones. The duo first launched the organic tequila brand in fall 2023, and have been criss-crossing the country promoting it since. The most affordable of the top three, it just eked out the bronze over our honorable mention below.
Two of our tasters — Alex and Janette — ranked it second best, but generally tasters had differing, at times opposing, opinions (once again). This tequila was both a “real punch in the face” for Karis and “a nice, clean expression” of a blanco, according to Alex. It’s “peppery and bright,” he adds and “a little viscous” compared to the others, so it “wraps the tongue” (a plus!). Or, as Vixon put it so succinctly, “It just lingers” (he didn’t love that).
Buy: Pantalones Blanco Tequila, $39.99 for 750 mL at Total Wine
Honorable Mention: Teremana Blanco Tequila
The original plan was to find the best three celebrity tequilas. Well, plans changed after three of the four tasters ranked former pro wrestler and current global phenom Dwayne Johnson’s Teremana in their top three celebrity tequilas. After the test was completed, we also learned it was the most affordable bottle of the dozen. Love that for us.
Although it didn’t receive any first-place votes, Alex dubbed it a “really good mixing tequila.” (Margaritas, anyone?) In fact, he, Karis, and Vixon all found joy in the pretty flat nose with a little bit of grassiness. It’s “smooth” (Karis), “strong” (Vixon), with a “neural lemon rind flavor on the back end” (Alex). Janette’s main critique: The tequila coated her mouth before she could taste it, and she prefers the opposite.
Buy: Teremana Blanco Tequila, $29.99 for 750 mL at Total Wine
What’s your go-to bottle of tequila? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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