After decades of consuming artificial additives, flavorings, and preservatives, many consumers have finally had enough and started to make more conscious decisions about what goes into their bodies.
The rise of all-natural, organic, and additive-free products offers consumers worried about long-term health effects a compelling alternative to eating brands with unrecognizable chemical compounds on their labels.
This trend has even started to influence the type of spirits many people choose to drink, with additive-free tequila becoming an increasingly popular option. However, tequila with no additives can mean different things to different people.
What additives are in tequila can vary between brands, and not all additives are created equal.
Let’s look at what the best additive-free tequilas all have in common, why the best natural tequila can still contain additives, and why finding the cleanest tequila brand often depends on taste.
One Person’s Additive is Another’s Ingredient?
For many consumers, the term “additive” evokes images of unnatural substances that shouldn’t be in our food or drinks.
Any added dyes, chemicals, taste enhancers, or shelf-life extenders automatically make a product less healthy than one labeled additive-free. However, not all additives are the same.
Artificial additives, like the unpronounceable chemical compounds found on a Twinkies label, are far different than all-natural additives, which can include beneficial vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants.
All-natural ingredients can also be considered “additives” if we take the term at face value. If adding anything to a product is considered an “additive” then the term also applies to natural fruit juices, sugars, and microbes. Yet, most health-conscious consumers are fine with these types of natural ingredients because they align with a healthier diet.
If we agree that there’s a difference between artificial additives and all-natural additives then the definition of what’s considered an additive-free tequila greatly expands.
What Additives are In Tequila?
The types of additives used to make mixtos tequila compared to premium tequila made from 100% agave help to show the difference between all-natural and artificial.
Mixto tequila is only made from 51% Blue Weber agave, which means the other 49% is a mixture of artificial flavoring, colorings, and chemical compounds — all things people want to avoid.
Some producers even take shortcuts, adding things like caramel coloring to simulate the deep hue that comes from proper aging, or glycerin to artificially enhance the body of the tequila when their agave was harvested too early. These additives compensate for a rushed production process and lack of natural maturation.
While tequilas labeled as “100% Blue Agave” guarantee that all the fermented sugars are from agave, this label does not necessarily mean they are free from additives. This distinction is crucial; even 100% Blue Agave tequilas can legally include small amounts of additives for color, flavor, or texture enhancement without having to declare them on the label.
However, premium tequilas like Suavecito Tequila are made from 100% Blue Weber agave and contain no artificial additives.
Despite the massive difference, neither type can be labeled “additive-free” tequila.
Suavecito Tequila adds 2% unfermented agave nectar back to our tequila to help smooth out the finish and create a remarkable flavor that’s as natural as it is delicious.
Although agave nectar comes from the same agave plant our tequila is made from, the fact that Suavecito adds anything to our tequila means that, technically, we’re not an additive-free tequila despite being 100% all-natural.
In this case, it’s not a distinction without a difference that separates premium tequilas like Suavecito from mixto and artificially flavored tequila. Premium tequilas use only all-natural ingredients, while the others use a variety of artificial ingredients.
At Suavecito, we prioritize transparency by clearly listing all ingredients on our labels, including the 2% unfermented agave nectar we return to our tequila, which demonstrates our commitment to honest communication with our customers. You never have to worry about what you’re drinking when enjoying Suavecitio Tequila.
Consumers looking for tequila with no additives should carefully consider the type of additives, their origins, and transparency of the tequila maker before lumping all tequilas not labeled “additive free” together.
Finding the Cleanest Tequila Brand
Once labels stop mattering, it ultimately comes down to taste when determining which premium tequila brand to buy.
When taste takes the throne, it’s not just about what’s absent (like additives), but what’s present—rich flavors, crisp finishes, and the subtle nuances that define a top-tier tequila.
Suavecito Tequila is a sensory exploration where notes of vanilla, citrus, and earthiness come alive in every sip.
Our Blanco is a pure representation of fresh-cut agave, brimming with vibrant citrus and herbal notes that dance on the palate.
