I Usually Drink Bourbon. What Type of Tequila or Raicilla Should I Try First?

Greg Rutkowski

4 days ago

4 min read

If you usually drink bourbon, start with a reposado tequila. It gives you enough barrel influence to feel familiar — vanilla, caramel, spice, and toasted wood — while still letting you taste the agave underneath.

After that, try añejo tequila for more oak, then move into raicilla if you want something less barrel-driven and more regional, herbal, earthy, or fermentation-forward.

At a Glance

Best first choice: reposado tequila
If you like sweeter, oakier bourbon: añejo tequila
If you like high-rye bourbon: peppery blanco or reposado tequila
If you like craft bourbon and small producers: try raicilla after tequila
If you like barrel character most: stay with reposado and añejo first
If you like fermentation and unusual regional character: move toward raicilla

Why Reposado Is the Easiest Starting Point

Bourbon drinkers are already used to flavors created by oak.

Reposado tequila is rested in wood, so it can show familiar notes such as:

vanilla
caramel
baking spice
toasted wood
dried fruit
sweetness

But unlike bourbon, the underlying raw material is agave rather than corn and other grains.

That means you may also find:

cooked agave
pepper
citrus
herbs
vegetal notes
minerals

Reposado gives you a bridge between familiar barrel flavors and something distinctly agave-based.

What If I Like Sweet, Rich Bourbon?

Try añejo tequila.

Longer barrel aging usually pushes the spirit further toward:

oak
vanilla
caramel
baking spice
dried fruit
richer texture

If you normally prefer wheated bourbon or softer, sweeter styles, añejo may feel more immediately familiar than blanco.

Just remember that a good añejo should still taste like agave, not only wood and sweetness.

What If I Like High-Rye Bourbon?

Try a peppery blanco or reposado tequila.

High-rye bourbon drinkers often enjoy:

spice
dryness
pepper
herbs
structure

Those same broad characteristics can appear in tequila, especially in less sweet, more agave-forward examples.

A reposado can add enough barrel familiarity without burying the pepper and agave.

Should I Skip Blanco?

No.

If you want to understand tequila rather than simply find something familiar, taste blanco too.

Blanco shows more of:

cooked agave
fermentation
pepper
herbs
citrus
mineral character
distillation

A useful tasting sequence for a bourbon drinker is:

blanco
reposado
añejo

That lets you see exactly what the barrel adds.

Where Does Raicilla Fit?

Raicilla is less likely to remind you of bourbon because barrel aging is not the main point of many traditional examples.

But bourbon drinkers who enjoy small producers, unusual fermentation, regional spirits, or more rustic styles may find raicilla especially interesting.

Depending on the producer, raicilla may show:

fruit
herbs
earth
minerals
fermentation character
smoke
savory notes

It is not "agave bourbon." The appeal is different.

What If I Like Craft Bourbon?

Then raicilla may be worth exploring earlier.

Many craft-bourbon drinkers care about:

small producers
local raw materials
distillery character
fermentation
still design
regional variation

Those same questions are useful with raicilla.

The category can vary dramatically from producer to producer, which makes it appealing to people who like exploring beyond mainstream brands.

What If I Like Barrel-Proof Bourbon?

Do not assume you need the oldest tequila.

If you like intensity, look for agave spirits with strong flavor and structure rather than simply more oak.

A robust blanco, reposado, or high-character raicilla may be more interesting than a heavily aged tequila that tastes mainly of barrel.

The point is to match intensity, not just aging.

Should I Look for Vanilla and Caramel?

They can make the transition easier, but they should not be your only criteria.

A spirit that tastes strongly of vanilla and caramel may simply be heavily influenced by oak or sweetness.

Ask whether you can also taste:

agave
pepper
fruit
herbs
fermentation
minerals

That is what tells you the spirit has identity beyond the barrel.

How Should a Bourbon Drinker Taste Agave Spirits?

Use the same habits you would use with bourbon:

smell first
take small sips
taste neat before adding anything
compare several styles side by side
pay attention to texture and finish
add a few drops of water if alcohol is masking aroma
ask how it was cooked, fermented, distilled, and aged

Do not treat tequila as a shot.

Which Should I Try First: Tequila or Raicilla?

For most bourbon drinkers:

Start with tequila.

Reposado is the easiest bridge.

Then try añejo.

After you understand the tequila side, try raicilla for a more regional and less barrel-centered expression of agave.

Where Can I Explore This Near Puerto Vallarta?

For a production-focused introduction, the Finca 18 distillery and ranch tour is the relevant Finca 18 experience.

If you want to compare tequila and raicilla more directly, see Tequila Tour vs. Raicilla Tour Near Puerto Vallarta: What Is the Difference?.

For a tasting-focused format at your accommodation, Finca 18 private villa tequila tastings are another option.

The Short Answer

If you usually drink bourbon, try reposado tequila first.

It gives you familiar oak, vanilla, caramel, and spice while introducing cooked agave and tequila's own structure.

Then try añejo for more barrel influence, blanco for more agave character, and raicilla when you want something more regional, rustic, and fermentation-driven.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tequila is closest to bourbon?

Reposado and añejo are usually the easiest transition because barrel aging can create familiar oak, vanilla, caramel, and spice notes.

Should a bourbon drinker start with reposado or añejo?

Reposado is usually the better first step because it balances agave and barrel. Añejo is more appropriate if you want stronger oak influence.

Would I like raicilla if I like bourbon?

Possibly, especially if you enjoy craft distilleries, fermentation, regional variation, and unusual flavors more than barrel sweetness.

Is blanco too harsh for bourbon drinkers?

Not necessarily. A good blanco can be structured and complex, but it will emphasize agave and production rather than oak.

What tasting order should I use?

Blanco, reposado, añejo, then raicilla is a useful progression.

Sources

About the Author

Greg Rutkowski Finca 18 — Jalisco, Mexico

Greg works with Finca 18's agave spirits, guest experience, and agave education in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

Last updated: October 2026