I thought this information was super interesting and you might want to hear what tequila was the top-selling! This article was produced and written by the BevAlc Insights Team of Drizly!
Tequila has steadily gained share on Drizly over the last five years, growing from 13 percent of the liquor category in 2019 to 19 percent in 2023 year-to-date. Even as the premiumization trend has cooled, tequila remains red-hot as consumers embrace the spirit as a year-round choice and diversify their purchasing beyond the silver subcategory into the higher-end realms of Reposado and Añejo.
IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has also tracked impressive growth for the category. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for tequila grew four percent from 2017 to 2022, and the growth rate for tequila in the premium-and-up price tier reached 21 percent. Between 2022 and 2027, IWSR predicts that the CAGR for higher-end tequila will increase by an additional 13 percent.
Younger consumers of legal drinking age over-index on tequila sales relative to overall share on Drizly. Gen Z accounts for seven percent share of tequila sales yet only four percent of overall sales on the platform, and millennials account for 51 percent share of tequila sales but only 45 percent of total sales on Drizly.
BevAlc Insights dove into Drizly data from the past 12 months to determine the 20 top-selling tequila SKUs along with the fastest-growing brands, average unit prices, and emerging trends. Armed with these insights, retailers can refine their stocking strategies to take full advantage of tequila’s continued popularity.
The 20 Top-Selling Tequila SKUs on Drizly, 2023 to Date
- Casamigos Blanco
- Clase Azul Reposado
- Espolòn Tequila Blanco
- Casamigos Reposado
- Don Julio 1942, Añejo
- PATRÓN Silver
- Jose Cuervo Especial Silver
- Don Julio Blanco
- 1800 Blanco
- Espolòn Tequila Reposado
- Don Julio Reposado
- Teremana Tequila Blanco
- Jose Cuervo Especial Gold
- Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco
- Teremana Tequila Reposado
- Casamigos Añejo
- Milagro Silver
- Don Julio Añejo
- Hornitos Plata Tequila, Silver
- Don Julio Rosado Tequila Reposado
The top three SKUs held their positions from the previous year, while Don Julio 1942 moved up from the No. 4 spot to No. 5. Celebrity-owned Teremana Blanco slipped from the 10th position to No. 12. New on the list this year is Don Julio Rosado, a pink tequila finished in Port wine casks.
Silver Still Rules—But Reposado Is Stealing Share
Silver/Blanco has long been the top-selling tequila subcategory on Drizly, but its share has decreased over the last four years. In 2021, silver/blanco accounted for 57 percent share of the tequila category and it held 12 positions among the top 20 tequila SKUs. However, silver/Blanco’s share is now 50 percent, and the subcategory holds 10 of the top 20 positions.
Meanwhile, reposado is moving up in the ranks. In 2021, it accounted for 23 percent of tequila share and held four spots among Drizly’s top 20 SKUs. The subcategory now holds 30 percent share in 2023 year-to-date and has six entries in the top 20—including the No. 2 spot.
Nielsen IQ data shows that dollar sales for reposado grew 14 percent in the 52 weeks ending July 15, 2023. The añejo category grew 4.5 percent, while silver/blanco tequila gained nearly six percent, and gold tequila sales increased two percent.
Celebrity Brands Drive Sales
While celebrity ownership has become a trend across beverage categories, notes Liz Paquette, the head of consumer insights for Drizly, it is most influential in the tequila realm.
“Celebrity-owned brands have become a major driver of the category,” she says, “with brands like Casamigos and Teremana making up several of the top 20 SKUs.”
This is especially true for younger consumers, adds Adam Rogers, a research director at IWSR Drinks Market Analysis. “Celebrities have vast social media networks and since younger legal-drinking-age consumers are more digitally savvy than other cohorts, the ability to ‘drink what a celebrity does’ provides a large sense of badge value and affordable luxury.”
With the ability to directly connect with consumers via social media platforms, he says, celebrities have become brand ambassadors for their products. “This digital connection ensures their marketing messages are getting to their core consumers efficiently and effectively.”
Consumers Are Trading Up to Higher-End Categories
While the premiumization trend has slowed during the past 12 months, tequila’s average unit price on Drizly has increased from $39.32 in 2019 to $48.55 in 2023 year-to-date.
“The growth of more premium subcategories within tequila has helped drive this trend,” says Paquette, “especially with the growing popularity of reposado in recent years.”
Añejo has seen significant gains in average unit price over time, from $86.62 in 2019 to $98.61 in 2023. Likewise, reposado’s average unit price rose from $44.50 in 2019 to $61.43 in 2023. The average for silver/Blanco tequila in 2023 year-to-date is $39.26, while gold tequila is $25.96 and flavored tequila is $32.83.
Rogers points out that the tequila category has also seen impacts from the cooling of premiumization—though not at the same level as other beverage categories.
“High-end tequila products remain very sought after, but the segment is, like other categories, subject to heightened scrutiny regarding the price-to-quality ratio,” he says. “The majority of U.S. consumers are still going through difficult economic situations and are being more careful about their product selections, ensuring they are getting the most for their money.”
‘Better-for-You’ Bottles and Barrel Aging Are Among Emerging Tequila Trends
Though established players and celebrity brands dominate the top 20 SKUs, several lesser-known producers have begun capturing consumers’ attention during the last 12 months.
The Fastest-Growing Tequila Brands on Drizly
- Cazcanes
- Aldez
- Tequila Alquimia
- Wild Common
- Tequila Cascahuin
- Casa del Sol
- Royal Emblem
- Flecha Azul
- Z Pepe
- Mijenta
Reflecting the movement toward perceived “better-for-you” beverages, Aldez and Alquimia are both organic, while Wild Common is touted as “additive-free.”
Rogers has seen a number of emerging trends in the tequila category, including barrel aging in red wine and bourbon casks, and an increase in consumer awareness of Cristalino—a clear, filtered añejo. New infusions are also making a splash.
“Higher-end flavors have begun entering the segment as trade-up alternatives to the incumbent flavored options,” he says. “This is breathing new life into the flavored tequila category.”
As competition increases and the segment becomes more saturated, Rogers predicts that brands will find more ways to differentiate. “For example,” he says, “with additive-free tequilas.”
