- A major shift in tequila appreciation is underway: un-aged blanco tequilas are increasingly valued for their pure agave flavor, terroir, and distilling craft, challenging the long-held preference for aged expressions.
- At the 2025 Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, all three Grand Gold Medal winners were blancos — marking a historic showing for the category and the competition.
- Maestro Dobel Blanco earned the coveted Revelation Tequila title, joined by Mi Familia Flores Plata and Fregón Blanco, underscoring Jalisco’s continued dominance in premium tequila production.
For years, prevailing wisdom among tequila drinkers held that longer-aged expressions — namely añejos and extra añejos — represented the pinnacle of sophistication and complexity, meant for sipping and savoring, while un-aged or minimally aged blancos were destined for the cocktail shaker. But that perception is starting to shift.
When shorn of the barrel’s influence, the spirit’s true character comes into focus: the flavor of the agave, the terroir of the land where it was grown, and the distinct fingerprint of the distiller all get to shine to an extent that’s impossible with aged tequilas. This renewed appreciation for purity is evident in the results of the 2025 Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) — where all three of the Grand Gold Medal-winning tequilas were blancos, including the competition’s top-honored “Revelation Tequila.”
These are the three winning blancos:
- Maestro Dobel Blanco
- Tequila Mi Familia Flores Plata
- Tequila Fregón Blanco
Now in its 27th year, the CMB — recognized by the European Union for its rigorous standards — has been traveling to different countries and regions each year since 2006 for its Spirits Selection. This year, a panel of more than 120 judges from 45 countries convened in the Mexican state of Jalisco, which includes Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and the town of Tequila itself. Jalisco is not only a cultural epicenter of Mexico but also the birthplace of tequila and the source of the vast majority of Blue Weber agave used to produce it.
While multiple spirits in each category can be awarded a Grand Gold Medal, only one can receive the Revelation honor. This year’s Revelation Tequila was awarded to Maestro Dobel Blanco. Perhaps best known for its pioneering cristalino expression, Maestro Dobel was introduced in 2008 by Juan Domingo Beckmann Legorreta, whose family also owns Jose Cuervo, in collaboration with two master distillers. Bottled at 40% ABV with a suggested retail price of $45, the blanco eschews additives, containing only three ingredients — agave, water, and yeast. The brand’s tasting notes describe it as having aromas of caramel, cooked agave, olive, and dried fruit; on the palate, it’s nutty with notes of vanilla. The finish is smooth and lightly smoky.
Two other tequilas received Grand Gold medals at the Spirits Selection. Tequila Mi Familia Flores Plata is produced in the valleys of Jalisco. Distilled in a stainless steel pot still, it’s bottled at 40% ABV immediately after distillation — unlike many blanco tequilas, which can be aged up to 60 days in stainless steel tanks or oak casks. The tasting notes supplied by the brand highlight aromas of cooked agave accented with subtle fruit, while the palate is redolent of cooked agave and citrus. Its suggested retail price is $49.
The third Grand Gold recipient was Tequila Fregón Blanco from Jalisco’s southern Highlands. Double distilled in a hybrid stainless steel and copper column still, Fregón features flavors of agave, anise, and mint, with light fruity notes of lemon, lime, and grapefruit. It is exported to the U.S., but its presence Stateside is minimal.
It’s interesting to note that while all three Grand Gold winners are bottled at 40% ABV — the minimum required alcohol level — in the U.S., they’re bottled at lower proof in Mexico, where the legal threshold is lower. Maestro Dobel and Mi Familia Flores are bottled at 38% ABV for the Mexican market, while Fregón is bottled at 35%.
The Grand Gold-winning tequilas at this year’s Spirit Selection by CMB were three of only nine awarded among all spirits categories in 2025. In all, tequilas were awarded 62 medals, encompassing Grand Gold, Gold, and Silver — marking its strongest showing in the history of the competition.
As tequila continues to redefine itself on the global stage, it’s the purest expressions — the ones that let the agave do the talking — that are making the loudest statement.
