We Tasted And Ranked Every Jose Cuervo Ready To Drink Margarita

José Antonio de Cuervo's name has been associated with tequila since the king of Spain agreed to allow him to settle in Tequila, Mexico, in 1758. Within 37 years, the brand was born, and tequila distribution began. Since then, the Cuervo brand has continued elevating the craft of making tequila and was integral in the invention of the first classic margarita recipe in 1938. While you can certainly purchase a bottle of tequila and whip up a variation on a margarita, Jose Cuervo has simplified this process for you with a spirited line of ready-to-serve offerings, including its latest flavor, Raspberry Colada.

I was lucky enough to get the chance to sample all of these pre-made margarita drinks with the help of a few brave friends. We took on the Herculean task of sniffing, sipping, and evaluating each flavor to see how it fared in aroma, taste, and overall fidelity to the advertised ingredient combination. While some succeeded better than others, many are convenient, affordable, party-worthy beverages that would be great when serving a crowd. Find out which flavor reigned supreme and read to the end to discover the precise methodology used to determine the rank order. Cheers!

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

Dead last on this ranking of Jose Cuervo margaritas is the Double Strength variety. This decision was unanimous, with a single factor pushing all of us over the edge: the amount of tequila. At 20% ABV, this drink packs a boozy punch that overwhelms even those who enjoy a strong margarita.

The aroma begins with strong lime notes, but this is quickly overpowered by a distinct alcohol smell that carries through in the flavor department. The sheer quantity of tequila in this mix masks the lime. Several of us noted that it burned on the way down and left a rather unpleasant taste in our mouths akin to a chemical.

The one place this beverage could be used is as a mixer. It could be tamed down enough to be appreciable if combined with more fresh lime juice and perhaps a dash of Triple Sec. As-is, we definitely couldn't stomach it and gave it our lowest ranking of 1 out of 10.

Though orange juice can be the secret weapon for a perfect margarita, in this case, the Orange Pineapple Margarita did not fare very well, coming in second to last on this ranking by unanimous vote, even though we wanted to like it based purely on the theory of the flavor combination and its vibrant hue. At 9.95% ABV, the alcohol content was far less intrusive and better balanced. The problem was the aroma and flavor.

The second you sniff this beverage, strong liquid medicine notes are evoked. I cannot peg exactly which medicine, but it makes me think of something I have ingested for a cough or congestion, with a synthetic orange dominating the aroma. The taste carries through with this analogy, with virtually every person drinking it having the same gag response. If there were notes of pineapple, mango, or tangerine, they were imperceptible. And the viscosity combined with the sweetness only added to this Aesculapian quality, earning this beverage a score of 2 out of a possible 10.

Next on the list of "we wanted to like it but couldn't get behind it" is the Watermelon Margarita. Who doesn't love fresh watermelon in the heat of the summer? It's refreshing, delicately sweet, and ideal when paired with tequila for a frozen margarita. So perhaps our expectations were a bit high when going into this tasting. That said, this beverage also ranked third to last by every person in attendance.

Its downfall is the synthetic nature of the watermelon flavor. From aroma to taste, this drink screamed watermelon Jolly Rancher. While I enjoy those, they're not what I was looking for or expecting in this drink. It was overly sweet, lacked acidity, and was missing the components that make a margarita what it is, even though it also had a 9.95% ABV. Ultimately, this beverage scored a 2.5 out of 10 from all in attendance. This drink might work well if you turned it into a punch with lemon-lime soda and hunks of fresh watermelon added to help amplify the flavor and cut the sweetness somewhat.

If I am honest, I am somewhat surprised that the Peach Lemonade Margarita landed in fourth to last place. The idea of delicate peach mixed with lemonade and tequila sounds perfect on paper. If I were basing this ranking strictly on aroma, this beverage delivers. Peach dominates, with a hint of lemon in the background. Where this drink lost us was in the flavor department.

The peach aroma was more authentic than the flavor was. It had a somewhat artificial aftertaste that was distracting. It also was quite acidic, with the combination of lemon and lime proving a bit overly tart for the subtle peach to compete. And while this variety was only 9.95% ABV, it seemed stronger, with the alcohol canceling any sweetness, which may have tempered the bitter notes from the citrus fruits. Perhaps more peach would have been the solution to help make this a more nuanced drink. That said, as-is, it earned a 3 out of 10 ranking.

You may get why this variety of Jose Cuervo margarita landed where it did on this ranking if Coconut-Pineapple sounds more like an authentic Puerto Rican piña colada than a margarita. It left our taste-testers somewhat confused. Initially, the aroma of this drink is quite pleasant, with the coconut dominating and subtle lime and pineapple sneaking through.

The taste became somewhat more complicated. Though it has the acidity you would expect from a margarita, the tequila feels lost compared with the strong coconut flavor, even at 9.95% ABV. And the pineapple never really seems to find its moment to shine. A consistent comment from most of our tasters was that the coconut aftertaste did not have an authentic flavor but was more like the taste you would associate with the coconut aroma in skin- or hair-care products.

That said, the marks for this beverage were somewhat more spread out than the previous drinks — where it succeeds is in its lack of sweetness, making it less of a belly bomb and something more sippable. When compiled, the aggregate ranking was 4.16 out of 10. This drink needed a greater hint of pineapple juice and less coconut to achieve a better balance in flavor.

Where the Pink Lemonade Margarita succeeds is also what ends up placing it next on our ranking of these beverages. If you want to sip on pink lemonade, this beverage achieves those flavors and aromas.

From the get-go, the distinct cotton candy sweetness advertised comes through in its aroma. The viscosity of this drink is almost syrupy, consistent with its sweet flavor profile. The flavor is dominated by the berries and lemonade, with modest acidity. The tequila is overpowered by the sugar in this drink, masking its inherent margarita flavor profile.

This is one of those drinks that would be dangerous to get into if you didn't realize it has a 9.95% ABV because you could easily misconstrue it as non-alcoholic and be in a world of hurt afterward. Again, some of our taste-testers enjoyed it. Others felt it failed to deliver in complexity and margarita-ness, resulting in a cumulative score of 4.6 out of 10.

The Tropical Paradise Margarita is the first flavor consistently ranked by the whole panel as somewhere in the middle of the bunch. If Jose Cuervo's taste developers wanted an island getaway vibe, they achieved it. This drink would be great served in a glass rimmed with an artfully crafted salty and spicy mix served poolside on a hot day.

The aroma of this beverage hits you with assertive mango-peach notes, followed by a hint of strawberry at the end. Though this drink is sweet, it has enough bitterness and acidity to balance it. However, a common refrain from our tasters was that this was tasty and quite drinkable but not a margarita despite its 9.95% ABV content of tequila. There were also some comments that the mango tasted somewhat synthetic in the aftertaste rather than like fresh mango purée, but this did not prevent the beverage from scoring 5.2 out of 10.

This margarita had our taste-testers split right down the middle in the overall ranking, landing it next on our list. One of the Light offerings from Jose Cuervo, the White Peach drink is notably less sugary than its counterparts. As a bonus, it contains only 95 calories per serving, so you can drink it without feeling as if you are overindulging.

The aroma is refreshing, with fresh peaches and honeysuckle emerging quite assertively. The flavor is somewhat more modest but well-balanced, with the fruity peach and the acidic lime showcased in equal measures. This enhances the margarita quality of the drink, though the tequila does not feel all that prominent, even at 9.95% ABV. This drink will likely appeal to you if you enjoy peaches and want something light and not overly complicated. If bold flavors are more your cup of tea, you may be underwhelmed, a factor reflected by the aggregate ranking of 5.5 out of 10.

For anyone familiar with my tastes, mango is a flavor that always hits me in my happy place. The same cannot be said for all of our taste-testers. In general, though, this margarita flavor performed quite well even among those not generally the target audience for mango-flavored foods and drinks.

The aroma of this beverage was less intensely that of mango purée than I anticipated or expected based on the tasting notes. This translated to the flavor, which was somewhat subdued. The drink was not particularly sweet, either, with intensely acidic notes befitting a margarita and a healthy amount of alcohol at 9.95% ABV, which had a somewhat burning sensation going down.

As far as execution is concerned, the fruit and margarita were relatively well-balanced, making this overall a successful drink. It had a slightly synthetic aftertaste that was distracting and left me wanting more pure fruit. That said, this beverage earned an average score of 5.6 out of 10.

Next on this ranking of Jose Cuervo margaritas was the Strawberry Lime variety. This flavor scored consistently well with our tasting panel for its balance of tart and sweet. Its aroma begins mild but opens up as the beverage breathes after sitting in a cup for a minute, releasing bright lime notes and delicate fresh strawberry back notes.

The flavor is quite assertively limey, with the tequila highlighted well. At 9.95% ABV, this drink packs a punch but is well-balanced, with the elements of margarita not lost to the fruit. The strawberry, though present, does not taste synthetic, nor does it make this an overly cloying beverage.

Ironically, what made this a hit with many was also its primary detractor — its generous use of lime. Those who appreciate its tang loved this drink. Even those less enthusiastic about it would drink it again despite their reservations. As such, the average ranking landed at 6.57 out of 10.

The Grapefruit Tangerine Margarita was another surprise hit among the group. Many in attendance noted disliking the taste of grapefruit. Despite this, they were good sports and went ahead and sampled the drink anyway. The most common refrain from these folks was that they did not expect this drink to be as pleasant as it was. Those of us who liked grapefruit were fans from the get-go.

The aroma is grapefruit-forward, bright, and slightly astringent. The flavor can best be described as bittersweet, with the grapefruit lending the tartness and the tangerine a hint of sugar to balance the two. I would say that the tequila is somewhat lost in this drink, even at 9.95% ABV. It is less margarita-like than reminiscent of a mimosa, prompting several of our taste-testers to note that this would be a great brunch beverage. As such, the aggregate ranking was an impressive 7.2 out of 10, with nobody scoring this beverage below a 6.

If we were gauging this ranking strictly on how empty the bottles were by the end of the evening, the Light Margarita would win hands down. This was the only one that was almost empty — a testament to its drinkability. Unlike the Double Strength Margarita, the tequila in this variety, which was 9.95% ABV, was not overpowering, allowing the other ingredients to shine alongside it.

The nose of this drink was lime-forward, with a hint of sweetness reminiscent of vanilla in the background, a factor notable with good-quality tequila. Its flavor is not overly sweet, with a great acidity from the lime. This has a light, smooth finish that doesn't beat you over the head. That said, it is elementary compared to the creativity of some of the other offerings we tried. If novelty is what you are searching for, which I was, this one didn't deliver that "wow" factor. That doesn't detract from its quality, though, and it garnered a score of 7.57 out of 10 from our tasting panel.

In third place on this ranking of Jose Cuervo margaritas was the Strawberry Light flavor, another that is only 95 calories per serving, giving it a leg up for those wanting to enjoy it without feeling as if they're overdoing it. To quote a participant on the tasting panel, "I could sit on the deck and drink this all night long."

The aroma of this beverage was very subtle, with delicate strawberry notes. Its taste followed suit, with strawberry that was fresh, not synthetic, but also not intense, making it less sweet than you would anticipate. The acidity was well-balanced and lime-forward, and the 9.95% ABV tequila content was just right to give this an authentic margarita feel. The aggregate score from our group for this drink was 7.8 out of 10 overall. You could increase the heat with hot honey to jazz up this margarita and give it more complexity.

This beverage was the second most consumed one of the night, making it consistent with its ranking in that position. The Cherry Limeade Margarita may sound super sweet and intense, and it is. It is syrupy, in your face, and not shy about it. The aroma is assertively that of maraschino cherries with a mild lime back note.

Its flavor unapologetically follows suit, with one taster commenting that it tastes like an alcoholic juice box for grown-ups. Its 9.95% ABV is notable but incapable of overpowering the cherry or lime, making it less margarita-forward than I may have wanted, but this didn't matter. Several drinking this beverage stated they'd like to lick the cup.

These enthusiastic reviews earned this beverage a score of 8 out of 10. I would caution consumers that because this is such a sweet drink, you can easily consume a lot of it and get pretty drunk quickly, so you will want to imbibe responsibly.

The highest-ranking offering from Jose Cuervo was its newly introduced Raspberry Colada Margarita. At first sniff, this beverage smells more like a tropical drink akin to a piña colada than a margarita, with strong coconut notes and a hint of subtle raspberry underneath. Unlike the Coconut Pineapple Margarita, the coconut in this drink doesn't have that synthetic sunscreen vibe. It's more akin to shredded coconut, which is a win.

The flavor of this beverage is where it shone. Coconut took a backseat to the raspberry, with tart and tangy lime juice coming through, giving it a notable acidity far more margarita-like than piña colada-like. The 9.95% ABV tequila content is well-balanced, with enough alcohol to permeate the residual sweetness. Additionally, the color of this beverage makes it quite visually appealing, to boot. The group gave this drink a final aggregate score of 8.5 out of 10, dubbing it the standout winner of the night for execution, creativity, and overall taste.

Jose Cuervo provided all of the products sampled for this ranking. They were served chilled and tasted in succession. When I conduct tastings, I generally do so alone. That said, with this much alcohol, I wanted to get some additional opinions to help round out my observations. As a chef, I have many food and beverage-loving friends who were more than happy to oblige. Eight of us tasted small samplings of each flavor to remain objective without becoming inebriated.

I requested each participant to write detailed notes on aroma, flavor, and overall perceptions of how well the drink achieved its advertised tasting notes. Once we completed the tasting, we discussed the offerings in detail, assigning a score on a scale of 1 to 10 to each beverage. The ranking was based on aggregate scores for each drink, with specific feedback consolidating my observations with those in attendance.

I will note that I was taken aback, though not entirely surprised, by the diversity of opinions and tastes. A tasting like this reinforces that everyone's taste buds are unique, and what may appeal to one person will be inedible to another. Hopefully, this comprehensive approach will give you a thorough analysis and sense of which of these drinks you might want to pick up for your next party.