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Agave After the Boom
As of late 2026: tequila sales dipped, agave is in oversupply, and the fight over 'additive-free' labels continues.
In one sip
As of late 2026, tequila is no longer the runaway growth story it was earlier in the decade. U.S. sales dipped in 2025, Mexico is sitting on more agave than it can use, and value is rising faster than volume as drinkers trade up to 100 percent agave. Meanwhile the argument over what an "additive-free" claim can say on a bottle is still unsettled.
Where it started
DISCUS reported U.S. tequila and mezcal supplier sales of $6.4 billion in 2025, down 4.1 percent.1 Production in Mexico peaked at 651.5 million liters in 2022, then fell to 598.7 million in 2023 and 495.8 million in 2024, as reported by Vinetur, which does not name its primary source.2 IWSR estimates global tequila volume grew about 7 percent a year from 2019 to 2025 and forecasts about 2 percent a year to 2030, with U.S. volumes flat in 2024-25.5
Where and how it's made
From shortage to glut
IWSR reported that agave hit a record 32 pesos per kilo in late 2022 and fell to about 5 by February 2024; the previous trough, in 2007 to 2010, went as low as 2 pesos.4
Trading up
As reported by Vinetur, about 68.3 percent of tequila exported in 2025 was 100 percent agave.2 That is why the category can grow in value even when liters do not.
The additive argument
Mexican rules let a producer use up to 1 percent additives without stating them on the label, so "100% agave" does not mean "nothing added."3 The CRT, tequila's regulator, says Mexican authorities ruled in August 2024 that brands may not label products "additive-free," and it has sued the private Additive Free Alliance over its certification program.3 The detail sits on the label page. nom-additives-and-labels →
A fixed date
A decree published 28 May 2026 moved Mexico's National Tequila Day to 24 July, replacing the third Saturday of March.6
How to taste it
Pour a blanco neat in a small copita or a white wine glass at room temperature. Cooked agave reads as green, peppery and a little sweet; a heavy vanilla or cake-frosting note in an unaged tequila is worth noticing. Compare two blancos side by side before judging. Pairings: ceviche, grilled corn with lime, carnitas.
Styles and what the label means
Words to know
Tap a term to get asked about it in The Tasting Room.
Start here — craft pours to try
Real bottles from craft makers on Tipxy.
Sources
- DISCUS — Annual Economic Briefing 2025 (Feb 2026) accessed 2026-10-12
- Vinetur — El tequila crece en valor pese al frenazo del volumen mundial (Jul 30, 2026) accessed 2026-10-12
- The Spirits Business — Tequila sector tussles over additive-free claims (Apr 2025) accessed 2026-10-12
- IWSR — How will the agave price crash impact tequila? (Apr 3, 2024) accessed 2026-10-12
- IWSR — Tequila's growth story enters a new chapter (Jul 9, 2026) accessed 2026-10-12
- Holland & Knight — México cambia el Día Nacional del Tequila al 24 de julio (Jun 2026) accessed 2026-10-12
Photo: Gzzz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons