The best tequila in the world, according to the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition

The New York World Spirits Competition takes place every year in the heart of the city of the same name, a global cultural capital. So it’s only fitting that the jury, originally launched in 2018, has quickly risen in stature to become one of the most important global events in the entire drinks industry. Its reputation and power extend far beyond the Big Apple, and it has not achieved this status by chance.

NYWSC is managed by the Tasting Alliance, the same organization responsible for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Together with Singapore, the three events form a triple crown of drinks tastings; the largest in the industry, judged by the most prestigious judges, with a history of independence and integrity dating back to 1980.

All of this is to say that you should make your own notes about the winners. Because some of these bottles could soon become the most prized selection at your local liquor store. That will certainly be the case with the 2025 “Best In Show” for tequila. The top-scoring expression was created by a newcomer in an increasingly crowded category: Poderrosa Blanco Tequila.

Poderrosa is barely a year old. The brand was founded by native Mexican Lizbeth Ramírez as a way to “celebrate authenticity and inspire others.” According to her website, she noticed “how tequila brands were using women as a marketing model, but not targeting us as consumers. Poderrosa was founded to fill this gap.”

All the liquid in the bottle was produced at Destileria El Magnifico in the lowlands of Jalisco (Los Valles), using traditional tequilero techniques and avoiding all additives. When claiming the crown at New York World Spirits, the judges were charmed by the refined evolution on the palate. Here are the official tasting notes:

“This elegant Blanco tequila opens with layered aromas of black pepper, roasted agave and a hint of vanilla custard alongside nuances of coffee beans, leading to a beautifully balanced taste of crisp green pepper, fresh agave, red apple and subtle menthol with grassy sweet undertones, all culminating in a long, peppery finish that lingers with refined complexity.”

The liquid is currently on shelves for a suggested retail price of $50 per bottle. That’s enough to qualify it as an ultra-premium offering. But it now has the hardware to justify such demand. And according to the latest economic report from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United Statespremium expressions continue to play a key role in driving the agave sector’s rapid sales. In 2024, these figures amounted to $6.7 billion in revenues, an increase of 2% year over year.

As an explosive upstart, Poderrosa hopes to contribute to the 32.2 million nine-liter cases of agave spirit sold in the United States by 2024. But it will have to be serious. As of now, it’s only available in the Chicago area. The Blanco is accompanied by a special edition Plata Rosa, which carries a light pink hue thanks to a short maturation in former red wine barrels.

The website makes it clear that releases of a reposado, añejo and extra añejo are imminent. Based on the reactions we’ve seen from the Blanco – who also took home a bronze medal at this year’s Bartender Spirits Awards – we’re eager to get a taste of what they can do with aged releases.

In the meantime, there are plenty more adult liquids from the competition to consider this year. Other notable agave spirits taking home medals at this year’s NYWSC include the following labels: