The other day, someone posted a link on Twitter to a list of “Top Tequila Sites,” and I got all excited. I immediately clicked on that link, hoping it would reveal a yet-to-be-discovered website (or two.)

When I got there, I was seriously disappointed. It was a crappy list, some sites had nothing to do with tequila at all, and the bulk of the sites were the product of a tequila brand’s marketing department. Useless!

So I decided that we should share OUR list of tequila sites. Which sites we consider to be the best. Fancy Flash-based animated sites with background music prepared by marketing firms on behalf of a big-name tequila brand do not qualify.

Instead, what makes our list – websites that are born and maintained out of passion and love for tequila. Websites that express an opinion, have a personality, and are free to say whatever they want.

These sites really DO exist, and we visit them nearly every day – and we’re not afraid to share them with you.

Take a look at our list and visit the sites mentioned. Then come back here and vote on which ones you like best. Let’s create a REAL list made by REAL tequila lovers!

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The Top 10 Best Tequila Websites*

(*in no particular order)

1.) Tequila Gringo

We like this site because it’s totally real and down-to-earth. The site is full of very nice, short and effective reviews of many different tequila brands. It’s updated often and the Tequila Gringo’s opinions should be respected — he knows what he is talking about.
The site also has a unique navigation structure. It is quite useful, and we haven’t seen anything like it elsewhere. You can browse through reviews based on flavor (citrus, vanilla, caramel, spice, floral), in addition to the more standard categories (blancos, reposados, anejos, and liqueurs & cremes.)

If you’re a fan of tequila bottle art, the site has a section for that too. Bottles fit into categories like “modern,” “funky,” and “Mexican Classics.”

http://www.tequilagringo.com

2.) Ian Chadwick Forum

Actually, the full name is “The Blue Agave Forum” but we just call it “The Chadwick Forum” around our house. This is the online hangout for all of the hardcore super zen-master tequila freaks.

There is a huge amount of information here, and I find that once I am there, I can easily stay distracted for hours, reading about tequila in one message thread after another.

It’s a very active message board. Each time I think I’ve discovered something new or special, I’ll do a search on their message board and in almost all cases, someone has already been talking about it.

Some of my personal favorite threads are “Tequilas to avoid” and “Treasure hunting.”

http://www.ianchadwick.com/forum/index.php

3.) The Sayulita Tequila Journal

This is the blog of Gabbi Villarrubia, and it is awesome. We love it. We were fortunate enough to hang out with Gabbi in Sayulita, Mexico, last November. Super nice, really smart, and loves to drink — especially tequila.

His blog is very well-written, with original content ideas, like “Patron vs. Cuervo” and “Mixtos, Bum Wines, Cheap booze and more drunk for your buck.”

Always entertaining, he’s the kind of guy that you just want to hang around with — and his blog definitely reflects that. Gabbi definitely knows tequila, and when we were in Sayulita, we hung out in the SFT Tequila Bar, talking about tequila for hours, while drinking tequila, of course.

If you can’t hang out with Gabbi (and Mark) in Sayulita, his blog is the next best thing to being there.

http://sayulitatequilajournal.com

4.) The Tequila Whisperer

LIPPY! This is like going to a weekly online tequila party hosted by everyone’s tequila-buddy, Lippy. Tuning into his live show (Thursday nights, 7pm PST) is seriously like going to a party where tequila is the star.

Lippy loves to talk, loves to sing, loves to play air guitar, loves to listen to classic rock and roll, and loves to taste tequila. On his show, he gets to do all of these things at the same time.

When you tune in, you’ll see and hear Lippy, and be able to participate in a live chat with him (and the other viewers) through an integrated chat window that shares the screen. The chatter is very active and its obvious that his audience are mostly tequila experts. He even takes phone calls and has special guests “on the air.” Fun stuff.

He’s also a wealth of information and, like the name of his site suggests, he REALLY gets into his tastings. It is common for him to exhibit orgasm-like facial expressions when he tastes something REALLY good.

We highly recommend tuning in for his show. It makes for great Thursday-night entertainment, especially when you drink right along with him.

http://tequilawhisperer.com

5.) Ryan Kelley – Tequila Examiner

Ryan Kelley is a freelance writer and bartender in San Diego who writes a tequila column for Examiner.com. If it has anything to do with tequila in the United States, then it’ll find its way to The Tequila Examiner.

We are impressed with the sheer volume of content that he produces. News about tequila, drink recipes, tequila events, bar and restaurant reviews – it’s all fair game.

Another useful section of his site are his series of “Tequila 101” stories. Our favorites include:

Tequila 101: How do I drink a shot of tequila?

and then…

Tequila 101: How do I slam tequila?

and also…

Tequila 101: What is sangrita and how do I make it?

(His Sangrita recipe involves a cucumber! That’s interesting.)

Reading his stories is like having access to your own tequila bartender and news service, all in one.

http://wwww.examiner.com/x-14072-Tequila-Examiner

6.) PocoTequila.com

This is a beautifully designed website that has a nice list of links to tequila brands, tequila retailers, and tequila websites. It also contains drink recipes (Margarita, Paloma, Tequilada, Mango Sol, and Playa Amor are some), and a fun little area dedicated to vintage tequila bottle labels.

It looks like the site is a labor of love, and work in progress because a few areas aren’t finished yet. I visit this site often, and as soon as I see the newsletter signup form on the site (it is “coming soon”) I will be adding my name to the list.

http://pocotequila.com

7.) TequilaAficionado.com

We anxiously await the new, “Version 3” of this website. Currently, it is under construction. We’ve been following the site in the past, and found it full of potential to really be powerhouse resource for tequila fans.

So, there’s not much to write about at the moment, but we’re looking forward to the day when the new-and-improved version comes to life. (Once it does, we will update this review.)

http://tequilaaficionado.com

8.) Tequila.net

This is the Wikipedia of tequila websites. We use it constantly when we’re looking for the finer details of a particular tequila brand. The depth of the information available on this website is quite amazing, and I’m wondering where it all comes from!

From the site: “TEQUILA.net is an online community of Aficionados and consumers who enjoy the unique flavors and characteristics of Tequila, Mezcal, and other Spirits of Mexico.”

Tequila.net is one of the websites we visit most often because it is extremely useful. We’re grateful it exists, because it makes our job much easier.

http://www.tequila.net

9.) RanchoTequila.net

This is the personal blog of Drew Townson, a veteran rock/roots musician, guitarist, recording engineer, producer, freelance writer, pro-audio consultant. His website is all about tequila, and he is not afraid to share his opinions.

The title of one of his posts: “I Hate Don Julio Blanco With Every Fiber Of My Being!”

At the top of his blog, he’s got a picture of the full lineup of Siete Leguas tequilas, including the not-yet-available-in-the-states D’Antanio extra anejo. This right there tells me he’s got great taste in tequila.

“There’s nothing better than good tequila, and there’s nothing worse than bad tequila,” Drew Townson says on his blog. We have to agree.

http://ranchotequila.blogspot.com

10.) TasteTequila.com

And finally, there’s us. We’re inspired by all of these other sites, and I hope that shines through.

Each website on this list has its own personality, which brings something unique and special to the table.

Our approach is that drinking tequila should be fun. It should add good things to life, and should be part the celebration of live. We hope our website is an extension of this view.

Note: As we were constructing this post, the poll (which is being hosted on the PollDaddy system) was discovered, and people started linking to it before we could get this post finished. Oh well.  We weren’t attempting to be sneaky or self-serving at all. Consider this a lesson learned. Do the poll LAST in the process!

Salud!

— Grover