Level-Up Your Margaritas With These Bartender-Approved Tequilas

"Villa One is my new favorite for its caramel and light perrer notes," Barriere said. "The reposado and blanco carry a richness in the agave which shows me that they are baking the agave at the right temperature to gather the tasty nectar."

"Don Julio has spice! The blanco flavor profile has grass and white pepper notes that make me feel like I'm in the sun in Mexico," Barriere said. "Vibrant and tasty!"

"All three marks of Avion bring the feels," explained Barriere. "They each allow different profiles that match any mood or cocktail. The reposado has great aging notes that allow the agave to have a balance and sweetness of the highland agave plant."

"You should usually do tequila blanco for margaritas to make the taste smoother," said Sarah Ceniceros, Delish's senior designer. She loves this one because it's Mexican-owned and has a gorgeous, smooth flavor that won't overpower the classic cocktail's other ingredients, lime and triple sec.

"I LOVE La Gritona reposada tequila," said Camille Lowder, Delish's digital food producer. "It’s woman-owned, made in Jalisco, Mexico, and comes in a nice hand-blown green bottle—wins all around. It’s less sweet and smoky than some tequilas, which is great because tbh, my preferred margarita is really just an elevated tequila soda lime."

You may have seen this tequila on the bar cart of your liquor-loving friend—and there's a reason it's a fan favorite. Unlike añejo tequilas, blanco tequilas aren't barrel-aged to improve flavor, so you have to be a little picky to avoid bottlings with a harsh, astringent taste. Espolòn is renowned for its craftsmanship, plus it's 100-percent blue Weber agave tequila, which is rare for this price point. Expect notes of grilled pineapple and vanilla bean, which go perfectly with the flavors of a marg.

If you like your margaritas extra sweet, use this tequila. It has aromas of grapefruit and green apple—perfect for a fruit-forward marg—plus strong notes of agave, pepper, and clove. It's also a Latinx and woman-owned brand.

George Clooney makes a surprisingly good tequila. You really can't go wrong with any of the brand's bottles (including blanco, reposado, and añejo tequila), but the smooth, subtle taste of Casamigos's blanco tequila goes well with any margarita.

Sure, Patrón is great for shooting, but the liquor, which is made of 100-percent blue Weber agave, is also perfect as a base for margaritas. You'll get notes of roasted agave and fresh citrus, plus the price tag isn't half bad for a premium tequila.

The blue agave used for Lobos Joven is harvested at six years for peak ripeness and is then carbon filtered after being mixed with a bit of Lobos Reposado, which gives every sip a complex taste. What more could you ask for?

After distillation, Milagro ages its reposado tequila in oak barrels, giving it a warmth through notes of caramel and vanilla. This will make your margarita taste a bit more soft and less bright compared to blanco tequilas.

Not only is this brand of tequila the second best-selling tequila brand behind Don Julio, but Wine Enthusiast gave this bottle of reposado a score of 90. The review described the flavor of this tequila as having "custard and agave sweetness, spiked with pepper and mint," which sounds like it is just begging for some lime, triple sec, and salt.

O.K., we're cheating a little and throwing into the mix mezcal, which is different than tequila. However, both tequila and mezcal come from the agave plant, and some find that the signature smoky taste of mezcal is perfect for margarita applications. If you're new to the world of mezcal, this smooth and smoky bottle serves as a great entry point.