Hornitos is a 100% agave tequila brand from Casa Sauza, one of the tequila industry’s true pioneers. Its range sits between budget Sauza and the more premium Tres Generaciones in Casa Sauza’s lineup. Plata is its blanco; Black Barrel is an añejo further aged in charred barrels and aimed at whiskey drinkers.
- Founded: 1950
- Owner: Suntory Global Spirits, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings
- Owner headquarters: New York, USA
- Global volume sold in 2025: 1.7 million nine-liter cases
- Equivalent volume in 2025: 20.4 million 750 mL bottles
- Value of retail sales 2022: US$490M
- Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM): NOM-1102
- Distillery: Tequila Sauza, Tequila, Jalisco
- Region: Lowlands
“That’s a shot worth taking.”
Hornitos tagline
Hornitos ranked ninth by global volume in the 2025 Brand Champions table.
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Hornitos’s global sales through 2025
Hornitos recorded 1.7 million nine-liter cases worldwide in 2025, down 4.5% from 2024, placing it 9th in The Spirits Business, Brand Champions 2026. That volume is equivalent to 20.4 million 750 mL bottles.
Hornitos’s history at Casa Sauza
Hornitos tequila was founded by Francisco Javier Sauza and debuted in 1950, reportedly in honor of Mexican Independence Day, September 16. The name “Hornitos” means little oven in English. Don Francisco was the first to bake agave in small ovens to better control the roasting process.
Hornitos was one of the first producers to widely sell reposado tequila, although the very first oak aged tequila dates back to 1800.
In 2007 Beam Inc, the company behind Jim Beam, acquired Casa Sauza. In 2014 Japan based Suntory Holdings acquired Beam for US$16 billion. The business became Suntory Global Spirits in 2024. Suntory ranked fourth by global tequila volume share in the IWSR 2024 comparison, at 6.0%. Its other major tequila brands include Sauza, 100 Años and El Tesoro. Source: Becle’s March 2026 presentation.
Hornitos bottles and premixed drinks
Hornitos’s tequila range includes Plata (blanco), reposado, añejo and cristalino. Black Barrel Tequila is an añejo further aged in charred barrels and aimed at whiskey drinkers. Lime Shot is infused with salt and lime. All Hornitos tequila products are made from 100% agave.
Hornitos also makes a number of premixed tequila-based drinks including a range of seltzers, ranch water and premixed margaritas.
Hornitos bottle and shot prices
How much did a shot of Hornitos cost in the US in 2024?
Our US menu sample puts a shot of Hornitos Plata at around $11. Our US menu sample puts a shot of Hornitos Reposado at around $11. The few US menus we checked suggest around $11 a shot for Hornitos Añejo. These figures come from US menus checked in October 2026; shot sizes vary.
The few US menus we checked suggest around $9 a shot for Hornitos Black Barrel. These figures come from US menus checked in October 2026; shot sizes vary.
A standard shot is 1.5 ounces, but bars can serve 1- to 2-ounce shots, which can affect the price of a shot of Hornitos tequila.
How much did a bottle of Hornitos cost in the US in 2024?
US 750 mL shop listings checked on 2 October 2026 put Hornitos Reposado at a median of about US$21. Plata and Añejo have fewer shop examples, named below.
Hornitos Plata: About US$23 at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Hornitos Reposado: About US$21 (3 shops). Hornitos Añejo: About US$29 at Hi-Proof; About US$30 at Old Town Tequila.
Questions about Hornitos
Who owns Hornitos tequila?
Hornitos is owned by Suntory Global Spirits through Casa Sauza. Suntory Global Spirits, previously called Beam Suntory, is a subsidiary of Japan’s Suntory Holdings. It adopted its current name in 2024.
Does Hornitos tequila have additives?
Yes, Hornitos tequila has additives. Aged expressions are likely to have more additives than the blanco. Additives include caramel coloring, glycerine, sweetener and oak extract.
Where is Hornitos tequila made?
Hornitos tequila is made at Casa Sauza’s La Perseverancia distillery in Tequila, Jalisco, under NOM 1102. Explore Hornitos in the brand finder and other entries at NOM 1102. The October 1, 2026 CRT list also names Sauza and Tres Generaciones at NOM 1102. Sources: CRT, October 1, 2026; Casa Sauza’s location. Read what a tequila NOM number tells you.
Which Hornitos tequila is best?
Hornitos añejo and Black Barrel tend to be the highest rated. Hornitos can be sipped but is better suited to mixing or shots.
What type of tequila is Hornitos?
Hornitos tequila is made from 100% agave. The tequila is made using a modern industrial process including a diffuser. This is efficient but removes much of the agave flavor. Additives are used to add flavor back. Hornitos makes blanco, reposado and añejo tequilas, including a cristalino añejo and an añejo aged in freshly toasted barrels (Black Barrel).
Does Hornitos tequila go off?
An unopened bottle of Hornitos tequila will never go off, provided it is stored away from direct sunlight and high temperatures. Once opened, Hornitos should be drunk within a couple of years.
Is Hornitos tequila gluten-free?
Yes, Hornitos tequila is gluten-free. Like all tequilas (including mixtos) Hornitos contains no gluten.
Is Hornitos real tequila?
Yes, Hornitos is real tequila made from 100% agave. It uses a modern industrial process including a diffuser, which removes much of the agave flavor. I regard Hornitos as a better choice for mixing or shots than for sipping.
Is Hornitos tequila kosher?
Yes, Hornitos’s unflavored, CRT-approved 100% agave tequila is acceptable as kosher under STAR-K’s guidance.†
What is the ABV of Hornitos tequila?
All Hornitos tequilas sold in the US are 40% ABV (80 proof). In Mexico they are 35%. Almost all tequila sold in the US is 40% ABV.
Is Hornitos tequila organic?
Organic certification for Hornitos tequila is unconfirmed. Check the exact bottle for an organic claim and named certifier.
Organic sources checked October 14, 2026.
† Hornitos Lime Shot is flavored and falls outside this general acceptance. STAR-K’s tequila guidance accepts unflavored, CRT-approved 100% agave tequila without certification. It prefers reliable certification for reposado, añejo and cristalino, and excludes mixtos and specified wine or cask labels. Check the full exclusions against the bottle; this general acceptance is separate from brand certification. Sources checked October 14, 2026. See Is tequila kosher? for bottle checks, agency differences and Passover requirements. ↩
US bottle-price sources
The listings below are for confirmed 750 mL bottles shown in stock when checked. Figures from three or more independent shops are medians; smaller samples show the named shop prices. Pickup locations and public sales are shown below. Online stock may not mean delivery is available to your address. Tax and delivery may be extra. Prices are subject to change.
- Hornitos Blanco Tequila: ABC Fine Wine & Spirits: about US$23; pickup at ABC #134 – Loop, Kissimmee FL; public sale; 2026-10-02.
- Sauza Hornitos Reposado 750ml: Old Town Tequila: about US$21; online listing; 2026-10-02; Hi-Proof: about US$19; online listing; public sale; 2026-10-02; ABC Fine Wine & Spirits: about US$26; pickup at ABC #134 – Loop, Kissimmee FL; 2026-10-02.
- Hornitos Anejo Tequila 80 Proof 750ml: Hi-Proof: about US$29; online listing; public sale; 2026-10-02; Old Town Tequila: about US$30; online listing; 2026-10-02.