Tequila has come a long way in a short time. From days when a shot was a challenge to the palate and the gut, new distilleries have refined the art. Using the best blue agave and a variety of barrels for aging, they’re producing some fine, rare tequila to add to your collection. Sip—don’t slam—these outstanding spirits.

GRAN PATRÓN PIEDRA

From Jalisco, Mexico, Gran Patrón Piedra uses a tahona (stone wheel) to crush agave. The juice and agave fiber are fermented and distilled, and age for three to four years in American oak and French Limousin oak barrels, lending it a rich, caramel color and a hint of sweetness and fruit. With its weighted stopper and gently tapered bottle, Gran Patrón adds a touch of elegance to your bar cart.

CLASE AZUL REPOSADO

“Resting” for eight months in American oak barrels, Clase Azul is made by slowly cooking Tequilana Weber Blue Agave in stone ovens and fermenting it with a proprietary yeast. Known for its smooth taste and beautiful blue and white bottle, Clase Azul should have a place in any decent tequila collection.

CASA DRAGONES JOVEN

A blend of unaged silver tequila made from estate-grown agave with a whisper of extra añejo, aged for five years in American oak barrels and filtered to a crystal clear color, Casa Dragones Joven is a super smooth sip worth every dollar of its triple-digit price.

DON JULIO 1942 AÑEJO

This handcrafted, limited edition small-batch sipper was issued to commemorate the year Don Julio Gonzalez opened his distillery. Its toasted brown color comes from a minimum of 2.5 years of aging in oak barrels. In this perennial favorite, sippers can detect notes of cinnamon, vanilla, oak, and almond. VS Liquor has this and a fine selection of other rare tequila for sale. 

AVION RESERVA 44

Produced at altitude, slow filtered, and aged for 43 months in oak barrels, this light-caramel-colored charmer shifts to petite barrels that are rotated daily. This tequila hints at vanilla in the nose, with a flavor of ripe fruit and toasted oak.

Whether you’re starting a collection or supplementing one you’re already building, you can’t go wrong with one of these rare tequilas to add to your collection.