The Best Aguardiente Brands, Ranked

Colombia has more aguardiente brands than most people realize. Every department produces (or has produced) its own, each with distinct character, ABV, and fiercely loyal fans. Some are nationally known. Others barely leave their region.

We've tasted them all — or at least tracked down every one we could find — and ranked them based on flavor, smoothness, versatility, and that intangible quality of whether you'd reach for a second bottle. Here's the definitive list.

#1: Aguardiente Antioqueño (Tapa Roja)

Region: Antioquia · ABV: 29% · Sugar: Minimal

The king. Antioqueño Tapa Roja is the bestselling aguardiente in Colombia and worldwide, and it earns the top spot on pure merit. The anise is bold and immediate, the sugarcane base is clean, and the finish is warm without being aggressive. It's the aguardiente that defines the category for most people.

Produced by the Fábrica de Licores de Antioquia (founded 1910), Antioqueño comes in three main variants: Tapa Roja (standard), Tapa Azul (sugar-free), and Tapa Verde (24% ABV, lighter). The Roja is the benchmark — smooth enough for shots, characterful enough for cocktails, and available virtually everywhere in Colombia.

Best for: Everything. Shots, cocktails, first-timers, and veterans alike.

#2: Cristal Sin Azúcar

Region: Caldas · ABV: 29% · Sugar: None

Cristal's sugar-free expression is arguably the most refined aguardiente on the market. Produced by Industria Licorera de Caldas with water sourced from the volcanic Nevado del Ruiz region, it has a drier, more complex profile than Antioqueño — herbal undertones, a faint citrus note, and an anise that's present but not overwhelming.

It's the aguardiente for people who want to actually taste what they're drinking rather than just survive it. The Sin Azúcar version nudges it ahead of the traditional Cristal, which carries a sweeter, more conventional profile.

Best for: Sipping (as much as anyone sips guaro), G&T-style drinks, and impressing someone who claims all aguardiente tastes the same.

#3: Aguardiente 1493

Region: Antioquia · ABV: 35% · Sugar: None

The premium play from the same distillery behind Antioqueño. 1493 is barrel-aged using the solera method, which gives it oak, vanilla, and caramel notes that no other Colombian aguardiente can match. It's a completely different experience — closer to a sipping rum or añejo tequila than a traditional aguardiente.

At 35% ABV and a higher price point, this is the bottle you bring to impress, not to shotgun at a finca. Limited distribution makes it harder to find, but worth the hunt.

Best for: Neat sipping, Old Fashioned variations, gifting to someone who "doesn't like aguardiente."

#4: Blanco del Valle

Region: Valle del Cauca · ABV: 27% · Sugar: Varies by variant

Cali's pride. Blanco del Valle is cleaner and drier than most competitors, with a restrained anise character that doesn't dominate the palate. People from the Valle swear by it, and while it doesn't have the national market share of Antioqueño, it holds its own in quality.

The sugarcane terroir of Valle del Cauca — one of the world's most productive sugar regions — gives this one a subtle sweetness in the base spirit that other brands lack. It's the "quiet confidence" aguardiente.

Best for: People who find Antioqueño too bold. Pairs well with tropical cocktails.

#5: Néctar

Region: Boyacá/Cundinamarca · ABV: 24–29% · Sugar: Varies

Néctar stands apart from every other brand on this list because of its base: it's distilled from panela (unrefined whole cane sugar) rather than standard sugarcane. This gives it a slightly richer, more molasses-adjacent character that some people love and others find too heavy.

Available in several variants (Néctar Azul, Néctar Club), it's the most common aguardiente in Bogotá and the surrounding Cundinamarca region. If someone from Bogotá tells you they drink Cristal, they probably grew up on Néctar.

Best for: People who want more body and depth. Interesting in coffee-based cocktails.

#6: Tapa Roja (Caldas)

Region: Caldas · ABV: 24% · Sugar: Standard

Not to be confused with Antioqueño's red-capped variant — Tapa Roja from Caldas is its own distinct brand, also produced by Industria Licorera de Caldas (the same company behind Cristal). At 24% ABV, it's softer and more approachable, with a smooth anise character and a slightly sweet finish.

It's a solid mid-tier aguardiente that doesn't try to be anything it's not. Comfortable, reliable, and widely available in the coffee region.

Best for: Casual drinking, people who find 29% brands too strong.

#7: Llanero

Region: Llanos Orientales · ABV: 29% · Sugar: Minimal

The cowboy aguardiente. Llanero comes from Colombia's vast eastern plains — cattle country — and carries a reputation for being strong and no-nonsense. The anise is assertive, the alcohol presence is unmistakable, and the finish has a slight rawness that other brands polish out.

It's polarizing. Some people rank it among the best for its straightforward, uncompromising character. Others find it rough around the edges. It's the aguardiente equivalent of black coffee — you either respect its honesty or you reach for something smoother.

Best for: People who want their aguardiente to feel like aguardiente. Not ideal for cocktails.

#8: Caucano

Region: Cauca · ABV: 24–27% · Sugar: Standard

From the southwestern department of Cauca, this is one of the harder-to-find brands outside its home region. Caucano has a moderate anise profile and a gentle sweetness. It's pleasant and unremarkable in the best way — the kind of aguardiente that disappears into the evening without anyone commenting on it, which is exactly the point.

Best for: Drinking in Cauca (where it's everywhere) and appreciating regional diversity.

#9: Doble Anís

Region: Various · ABV: 24–29% · Sugar: Varies

As the name suggests — double anise. This one leans harder into the licorice flavor than any other brand on the list. If you love anise, this is your bottle. If you're on the fence about anise, this will push you off it.

Doble Anís is best understood as a maximalist option. It's not subtle and doesn't try to be. The extra anise infusion makes it intensely aromatic and polarizing — it's the Marmite of the aguardiente world.

Best for: Anise lovers. Avoid if you're anise-sensitive.

#10: Amarillo de Manzanares

Region: Caldas · ABV: 24% · Sugar: Standard

The wild card. Amarillo de Manzanares breaks from the category's visual norm — it's actually yellow, tinted reportedly by a touch of saffron. The anise is toned down compared to its siblings, replaced by a mellower, almost floral quality. It's an interesting curiosity and genuinely tasty, though its limited distribution means most Colombians have never tried it.

Best for: Adventurous drinkers, collectors, and anyone who wants to bring something unexpected to the table.

The Quick-Ranking Cheat Sheet

Disagree? Good. That's the whole point. Grab a bottle and prove us wrong.

For a head-to-head on the top two, read Antioqueño vs. Cristal: The Great Colombian Debate.