What Sets Silver Tequila Apart From Gold?

It's hard being a newcomer to the world of tequilas. Even without taking into consideration the labeling with names like "blanco," "reposado," and "añejo," some bottles seem crystal clear while others have a golden hue. What's the deal with that? The clear, vodka-like bottles are silver tequila (also called blanco), while the amber-colored ones are aptly called golden tequilas (reposado or añejo, depending on their age). The differences between these two types of tequila go beyond their appearances, though. Pick up a bottle of silver tequila and have a taste. 

It'll give you the purest blue agave flavor you can possibly get — crisp and fresh, with lots of citrusy and herbal flavors, leaving a peppery-spiced finish on your palate once you've got it down. Gold tequila, on the other hand, is a smooth sailor with its mellow caramel and vanilla notes. Compared to silver, the spice is very subtle. It's because of this milder characteristic that tequila gold is often recommended for people who aren't used to the full kick of tequila. Wondering how these two come to be so different in both appearance and taste? No worries, we're getting to that!

Here's Tequila 101: After the main ingredient for tequila — the Weber blue agave plant — is harvested, the starch-rich hearts of the plant (called piñas) are slow-baked to convert the starch into sugars. The literal sweet-hearts are then crushed and fermented in big stainless steel pot stills. What pours out after the distillation step is a clear, sharp-scented (and sharp-tasting) spirit that is, after some filtering and dilution, known as silver tequila! 

It's bottled very shortly afterward, and that's how it gets both its crystal clear appearance and signature bold, sharp flavors. To get tequila golds from freshly-distilled silvers, manufacturers take a couple more steps. For the cheaper ones, additives like caramel coloring and oak extract are added to give the liquor an aged look and mellow flavor. These affordable goldens should still be quite smooth going down, but they can't hold a candle to the more expensive types.

Genuine tequila golds are reposado (rested) or añejo (aged) tequilas that have actually been aged in oak barrels for periods ranging from months to years. During the process, the liquor soaks up the natural color and flavors from the wood — think vanilla, caramel, and spices — giving you that signature color and taste in your glass. Some brands will still "improve" on their bottling's color with a little bit of caramel coloring, but overall, you definitely can't mistake the smooth and complex tequila golds for the sharp bite of silvers.

Silver tequila is often used as the base for cocktails where the pure flavor of the agave plant gets the chance to show, such as in classic margaritas and palomas. However, for those who enjoy tequilas like they are, you can totally sip a blanco straight. While not as complex as its golden counterpart, the fresh, spice-laden flavor can be a hit for many people (in case the flavor's a bit too strong, add a couple of ice cubes to numb some of the harsher notes). We ranked 29 popular blanco tequilas to get you started.

While silver is popularly used as a mixer, gold — especially the pricier aged varietals — is better for tequila shots with the whole salt-and-lime ritual. But gold can be used when mixing drinks, too, such as in an orange-centric golden margarita where you just want a hint of the tequila character without overwhelming the other ingredients. The bottom line is that silver and gold tequilas each have their own uses and their own place on your liquor shelves. Depending on what you plan to do this weekend — shooting it straight with friends or mixing a wicked tequila sunrise that'll farm some likes on Instagram — take your pick!