Our Favorite Tequilas & Mezcals From September

This reposado is produced by Corporativo Destilera Santa Lucia (formerly Tequilera Newton E. Hijos) . This 100% agave spirit is aged in American white oak for about 6 months before bottling.

El Destilador is a brand produced by Destileria Santa Lucia, located in Zapopan, Jalisco. This 100% agave distillate is bottled unaged.

Tequila Galán (Spanish for "gallant"), is produced in the Valley (formerly known as the Lowlands) Region, just outside of the town of Tequila at La Cofradía distillery. This 100% agave distillate is aged for 4 months in virgin American white oak that has been given a medium toast. The comical label design depicts a suave Day of the Dead skeleton with gray-streaked pompadour.

Nuestra Soledad is El Jolgorio's line of single-village mezcals. Their mezcal from San Luis Del Rio, in the east of the Valles Centrales region, is made from espadín agave. The agaves are roasted with mesquite and oak in pit ovens, fermented in open air, distilled twice in copper alembics.

El Mayor Blanco is produced from estate-grown 100% Blue Weber agave harvested in Jalisco. The agaves are cooked in an autoclave rather than an oven and the cooked agaves are shredded with a mill rather than a tahona. Twice distilled in copper-lined pot stills, it is bottled at 80 proof without aging in an attention-getting "swoosh"-shaped bottle.

Tequila Ocho are single estate tequilas that are a collaboration between Tomas Estes and the Camarena family. The name of the ranch is a play on the word "maguey" - another word for "agave." The agaves used in this tequila were harvested at a slightly higher brix level, 27-28%, which is 5% higher than average, and grown in gray clay soil.