Reposado: A more flavorful tequila

Unlike cheap tequilas, a reposado makes a “delightful aperitif,” said John Mariani in Bloomberg.com. A reposado is aged in an oak barrel two to 12 months, which places it between the entry-level blancos, “which aren’t aged at all,” and anejos, the premium tequilas that spend up to three years in oak. If you make a subtle margarita, a reposado will add character that blancos can’t. But they’re “best sipped on their own, like cognac or single malt Scotch.”

Corralejo ($43). This elegant bottle has a perfume scent and “a nice blast of heat” on the tongue, “followed by a warming sensation.”

Chinaco ($60). Made outside Jalisco, Mexico, this pale yellow tequila has “garnered something of a cult status.” It boasts flavors of sweet fruit and “distinct black peppercorn.”

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Pancho Pistolas ($60). Get past the gimmicky bottle—a “squatting Mexican bandit”—and you’ll find a “very good tequila, with plenty of fruity flavors and an honest bite on the back of the palate.”