It can be tricky figuring out what tequila to buy, especially if you are looking for something a little different. But I’m going to let you into a little secret..

The most important things you need to know are right there on the label. Who would have thought?

Here are the three key things to look out for on tequila bottle labels:

100% Agave

There are two types of tequila – 100% agave tequila and a tequila mix (Mixto). Both are certified by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) and both are considered tequila because they are made in Mexico, within the official Denomination of Origin Tequila (DOT). The Mexican government determines the DOT.

If the bottle says ‘100% agave tequila’, then it’s made 100% from the blue agave plant. If it doesn’t say anything about being 100% agave, then it’s Mixto. Mixto is at least 51% blue agave. The rest is made up from other sugars and usually contains additives as well. Not judging, just saying.

Tequila Type

There are five classes of tequila; Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, Extra- Añejo and Joven. You can usually tell the class by looking at the colour of the tequila.

As a general rule of thumb, the clearer it looks, the less oak it’s seen – and the more brutal the high-school flashback. The more time in oak, the more aged and the deeper the colour. Your Blanco’s are usually crisp and clear, typically the best tequila for a margarita. Your Reposado and Añejo’s are smokier and richer, with most Extra Añejo’s being a deep caramel tone and bordering on Scotland’s single malt territory.

It is possible to get aged tequila that look like Blanco.  Cristalino for example, is usually an aged tequila made colourless by filtration. So you need to look at the label to be sure.

Joven is a blend of Blanco and one or more of your other classes.

CRT and NOM

All genuine tequila should, by law, have the acronyms CRT and NOM. CRT is the Tequila Regulatory Council and tequila will need to have these letters on the label for certification. The NOM (Norma Official Mexicana) number identifies the producer of the tequila.

People familiar with tequila producers, would use the NOM to determine if a new tequila is made by a reputable producer or one that they like. It’s a unique four-digit number. If you search for it, you should find the distiller behind it. Then you can decide whether that influences your choice. For example Clase Azul is 1595, and it’s probably good.

This can get complicated. Distillers can sell product to other distillers to blend. As a result, you would ultimately not know where it originally came from. NOM is simply the distiller that produced the final blend of what may be in that bottle.

Bottom line, if you don’t see CRT or NOM on the label – not real tequila.

There’s always more to know, but hopefully the tips above get you started. NOM test coming up soon!