What Is Cristalino Tequila? Exploring the Controversial Charcoal-Filtered Spirit

Cristalino tequila has grown so popular in the U.S. that many consumers now recognize it as the “fifth official” expression beyond blanco, reposado, añejo and extra añejo. The technique, which strips aged spirits of their color while purportedly smoothing out impurities, has garnered A-list co-signs from the likes of Jose Cuervo, George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and more.

If tequila is the trendiest spirit in America, then cristalinos are the trendiest of tequilas.

Contrary to the occasional misconception (no, cristalinos are not made with diamonds), the process hinges around charcoal. When heated to high temperatures, charcoal enters a porous “activated” state in which substances can freely exit and enter. When filtered through, liquids — in this case, tequila — bind to the carbon within.

In conversation with Forbes, Don Julio master distiller Enrique de Colsa remarked that the process adds “layered complexity to the tequila by enhancing the flavors that are often overwhelmed by wood aging.” Other proponents argue that cristalinos reveal new depths of mouthfeel, minerality and subtle floral notes.

Critics tell a drastically different tale. Across the depths of the Internet, the fiercest voices contend that cristalinos are not only colorless but also flavorless, aromaless, soulless, blasphemous and an all-around affront to good taste. These arguments are usually punctuated with a fair few exclamation points.

Sifting through the debate, we’ll attempt to give a measured account of the past, present and future of this controversial spirits category. With luck, you’ll be able to decide for yourself whether cristalinos live up to the hype.

The History of Cristalinos

The origin of the cristalino can be traced back to 2008, when Maestro Dobel debuted its now-flagship Diamante expression. Made from a blend of reposado, añejo and extra añejo tequilas, the $50 bottling wasn’t initially pitched as the ultra-premium bulldozer that the category is known as today. Rather, it was more of an experiment. Dobel often takes a “proof of concept” approach to its tequilas, best exemplified by its smoked Humito and turkey-distilled Pavito expressions.

Other distillers took note. Sensing the makings of a trend, Don Julio sang a similar tune in 2011 with the debut of Don Julio 70, otherwise known as the world’s first cristalino añejo tequila.

It’s hard to say whether the technique was an immediate hit. What we do know, however, is that cristalino tequila had one benefactor especially interested in its future success. The Beckmann Family — owners of Maestro Dobel, alongside Jose Cuervo, 1800 and Gran Centenario — immediately set to work on creating charcoal-filtered renditions of all its major brands.

By 2022, most consumers getting acquainted with cristalinos were drinking Beckmann products; after all, this was the same year that the family teamed up with comedian Kevin Hart on Gran Coramino Tequila, now the defining celebrity-owned cristalino on liquor store shelves across the country.

Hart’s entry into the market reflects the definitive mainstreaming of cristalinos. A flash in the pan, this is not.

These days, recent launches from Casamigos, Patron and Tres Generaciones show that the zeitgeist is still thriving. Perhaps even more telling, a handful of mezcal distillers have begun running with the idea as well — the kind of development that would make an agave spirits purist shudder.

Spirited Pushback

One of the first in-depth think pieces ruminating on cristalinos was published in 2018 by Grover and Scarlet Sanschagrin, the founders of Tequila Matchmaker and the de facto leaders of the additive-free movement.

The article included an interview with famed master distiller Ana María Romero Mena, who’d recently been tasked with developing LVMH’s Volcan de Mi Tierra Cristalino. Speaking from experience, she opined that creating cristalinos was “an art” that required just the right combination of carbon and contact time.

A combination that, according to the Sanschagrins, most brands had failed to identify. The duo wrote:

“Unfortunately, many cristalino brands have not mastered the art of creating a clear, but still naturally aromatic, aged tequila. Most have been overly filtered, so that all of the color (and nearly all of the flavor) have been removed, resulting in a neutral product. In these cases, producers will often use additives to create a flavor profile.”

These criticisms — since reiterated by prominent voices like Lui Fernandes and The Educated Barfly — are the basis of why cristalinos have been met with pushback. In addition to stripping color, charcoal filtration tends to flatten out much of the flavor, mouthfeel and aroma that spirits enthusiasts cherish in a quality tequila. Critics argue that the pursuit of smoothness results in a product arguably more akin to vodka or, sometimes, a syrupy liqueur with the mere suggestion of agave flavor.

Not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with that. Amid the hoity-toityness of determining what should and shouldn’t qualify as “real” tequila, it’s all too easy to dunk on consumers gravitating toward their preferences.

The real question is whether cristalino tequila is worth the price. Since cristalinos are billed as premium products, they often cost more than the reposados and añejos they’re derived from. The Sanschagrins estimate that “the average price for a cristalino in Mexico is 30% more than its non-clear counterpart.” The American market abides by a similar rule of thumb.

Gatekeeping aside, one is left to wonder why you’d pay more for a weaker product, or at the very least a more neutral one.

Is There a Future for Cristalinos?

Trends, however, are never stuck in their ways. Just as McDonald’s paved the way for the modern smashburger craze, it was only a matter of time before distillers began putting gourmet twists on the cristalino concept.

One of the first was Mena’s previously noted Volcan Cristalino, which was met with a round of applause from the community at launch.

Acclaimed additive-free distillers like Mijenta, El Tequileno and Codigo 1530 have since dialed up charcoal-filtered renditions of their signature recipes. Though accounts vary on how these expressions stack up to their unfiltered counterparts, the growing genre disproves that cristalinos are always a lackluster substitute.

Might we remind you that the first-ever extra añejo wasn’t officially recognized until 2006. Tequila as a whole is still very much in its nascency, subject to rapidly changing tastes and rapidly changing opinions on those tastes. In a few years, who knows what the next “big bad” of the agave spirits industry will be. Or, for that matter, if cristalinos are seen as a relic of the past or a permanent addition to the tequila pantheon.

Here at Bottle Raiders, we do more than write about current events in spirit. We are the only media property reviewing spirits and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the spirit world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of spirit in your morning email, sign up for our Whiskey Deal of the Day Newsletter