Avión Tequila stakes its reputation on altitude, patience, and polish. Every agave it bottles is grown in Jesús María—one of Jalisco’s loftiest plateaus—where thinner air and cool nights force the plants to pump up natural sugars. Slow brick‑oven roasting, meticulous small‑batch distillation, and deliberately long resting times complete the picture. The result? A portfolio that feels tailor‑made for the well‑dressed, slightly adventurous drinker.
The Avión Tequila Story – High Altitude, High Ambition
Avión Tequila began as a passion project for entrepreneur Ken Austin, who convinced master distiller Alejandro Lopez to apply high‑altitude agave and painstaking traditional methods to a modern, ultra‑premium tequila. Launched in 2010, Avión hit instant pop‑culture fame after a cameo on HBO’s Entourage. Celebrity buzz helped, but critics ultimately delivered the verdict—crowning Avión Silver “World’s Best Tasting Tequila” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Today the brand sits under the Pernod Ricard umbrella, yet production remains artisanal: mature Blue Weber agaves (often 7 years old) are slow‑roasted for 72 hours, crushed once, and distilled in small copper pot stills. Oxygenation and ultra‑slow filtration give Avión its signature silkiness, while generous barrel programs create deeper expressions without stripping agave character.
Find out where you can buy your bottle of Avíon Tequila today
Why we love Avión Tequila
Few tequila houses capture refinement and charisma with the precision of Avión Tequila. Every drop starts 7,000 feet above sea level, where agaves ripen slowly, packing natural sugars that lower fields can’t match. Seventy‑two hours of brick‑oven roasting caramelise those sugars instead of flash‑steaming them away, while small‑batch copper distillation locks in shimmering citrus and mineral notes.
That obsessive craft translates to silk‑textured spirits that glide across the palate—no throat burn, just layered grace. From the grapefruit brightness of Silver to the velvet hush of Reserva 44, each expression feels custom‑tailored to a gentleman’s bar cart. Even the Cristalino arrives crystal‑clear yet dripping in quiet oak decadence.
Awards confirm what our glasses already know. Avión delivers altitude in both flavour and stature, turning ordinary evenings into stories worth retelling. It is a benchmark for collectors and everyday gentlemen around the world—always smooth, always polished, undeniably elite in every pour forever.
Avión Silver
The gateway to the range is crystal‑clear and unapologetically agave‑forward.
Quick stats
- Category: Blanco
- Aging: None
- ABV: 40 %
- Price range: $40–50 / 750 ml
- Awards: Double Gold, SFWSC; “Best Unaged White Spirit,” SIP Awards
What it tastes like
Three days of brick‑oven roasting lift sweet citrus and baked pineapple from the agave heart. A splash over the palate brings zesty grapefruit, a swish of white pepper, and a mineral snap that lingers like sea salt on a margarita glass. The mouthfeel is surprisingly round for an unaged spirit—proof of careful distillation and oxygenation.
Serve suggestion
Silver shines ice‑cold and neat in a copita, but it also makes one of the cleanest Tommy’s Margaritas you’ll ever shake.
Avión Cosmo
Bright, pink, and a little spicy.
- 2 oz Avión Silver
- 1 oz triple‑sec
- ¾ oz fresh lime
- ¼ oz cranberry juice
Shake hard, strain over fresh ice, garnish jalapeño slices and a lime wheel.
Avión Reposado
Rested a minimum of six months (often closer to seven) in toasted American oak, Reposado carries the DNA of Silver but trades its swimsuit for a linen blazer.
Quick stats
- Category: Reposado
- Aging: ~6–7 months American oak
- ABV: 40 %
- Price range: $50–60
- Awards: Gold, Tequila & Mezcal Masters; 94 pts, Ultimate Spirits Challenge
What it tastes like
Golden straw in the glass, the tequila noses soft vanilla, honeyed pear, and a hint of coconut shavings. First sip delivers salted caramel over bright roasted agave; mid‑palate picks up cinnamon, flash‑dried herbs, and a breezy floral note reminiscent of orange blossom. The oak influence is present but never heavy‑handed, finishing with a warm handshake of vanilla and spice.
Serve suggestion
Reposado is your “any‑time‑between‑lunch‑and‑midnight” tequila: elegant in a Glencairn, confident in a highball.
Paloma Alta
Sunny, tall, and impossibly refreshing.
- 2 oz Avión Reposado
- 1 oz fresh pink grapefruit
- ½ oz fresh lime
- ½ oz agave nectar
Shake, strain into a salt‑rim highball of ice, top club soda, garnish grapefruit wedge.
Avión Reserva 44 (Extra Añejo)
Forty‑four months of slumber—36 in large barrels, eight in petite toasted casks rotated daily—create Avión’s masterpiece.
Quick stats
- Category: Extra Añejo
- Aging: 44 months total
- ABV: 40 %
- Price range: $150–175
- Bottle notes: Individually numbered, hand‑finished neck tag
What it tastes like
Imagine a dessert trolley rolling through a cedar cigar room: caramelized orange peel, dark chocolate truffle, roasted coffee bean, and sweet cigar box cedar swirl together. The palate is velvet—layers of toffee, dried fig, vanilla‑bean gelato, and a flicker of smoky oak. It finishes endlessly, warming without burning, leaving echoes of spiced nuts and dark cocoa.
Serve suggestion
Pour two fingers into a warmed snifter. Take your time.
Avión Manhattan
A Jalisco detour for a Gotham icon.
- 1½ oz Reserva 44
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes chocolate bitters
Stir 30 sec over ice, strain into coupe, garnish brandied cherry.
Avión Reserva Cristalino
An añejo–extra‑añejo blend charcoal‑filtered clear, Cristalino is all the oak nuance without the amber hue.
Quick stats
- Category: Cristalino
- Aging: ≥12 mo. añejo plus extra‑añejo blend, charcoal filtered
- ABV: 40 %
- Price range: $140–150
What it tastes like
Crystal clear but nosing softly of vanilla shortbread and blanched almond. The sip is pillow‑soft: gentle caramel, light hazelnut, a pop of white pepper, and a bright citrus‑agave undercurrent. It finishes crisp, almost cooling, perfect for cutting through rich fare or acting as a luxe vodka replacement.
Serve suggestion
Serve neat in a Nick & Nora or build crystal‑clear cocktails that keep the oak whisper.
Clear‑Cut Martini
Diamond‑bright sophistication.
- 2 oz Avión Cristalino
- ½ oz Lillet Blanc
Stir to arctic cold, strain into chilled martini glass, garnish lemon twist.
Side‑by‑Side Cheat Sheet
| Bottle | Aging & Color | Key Notes | Best Moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | Unaged, clear | Grapefruit, roasted agave, pepper | Breezy afternoon cocktails |
| Reposado | 6–7 mo., light gold | Vanilla, caramel, coconut | Sunset Palomas, neat with tacos |
| Añejo | 24 mo., deep amber | Maple, apricot, dark chocolate | Fireside sipping, dessert pairing |
| Reserva 44 | 44 mo., mahogany | Toffee, dried fruit, espresso | Milestone celebrations |
| Cristalino | Aged then filtered, crystal clear | Vanilla, almond, bright agave | High‑style martinis, caviar night |
Final Words
From crisp Silver to the velvet depths of Reserva 44, Tequila Avión shows what altitude and obsession can achieve. Pick the expression that matches your mood—zesty cocktails, oak‑kissed nightcaps, or collector‑grade extra añejo—and raise a glass to the spirit that proves tequila can fly first class.
