You're standing in the liquor aisle, staring at a wall of glass. You remember the bottle, but the name is gone. It’s the tequila with a horse on the label. Was it a glass horse inside the bottle? A metal stopper? Maybe just a sketch on the paper?
It happens to everyone.
The "horse tequila" is actually several different brands, each occupying a totally different world of flavor and price. Usually, when people ask for this, they're looking for Corralejo, Caballito Cerrero, or the iconic Centinela. Sometimes they even mean the ultra-premium Clase Azul (though that’s a bell, not a horse, people mix them up constantly).
Tequila is messy.
There are over 1,500 registered brands. Identifying one by a mascot is actually a pretty smart way to navigate the chaos, because in Mexican culture, the horse—or caballo—symbolizes the "Charro" heritage of the Highlands. It’s not just a logo; it’s a stamp of geography.
The Big One: Tequila Corralejo and the Tall Blue Bottle
If the bottle you're thinking of is impossibly tall, skinny, and bright blue, you're looking for Corralejo. Honestly, it’s one of the most recognizable silhouettes in any bar. While the horse isn't the entire label, the Hacienda Corralejo crest features a prominent horse and rider, celebrating the estate’s history in Guanajuato.
Guanajuato is weird for tequila.
Most tequila comes from Jalisco. Corralejo is one of the few allowed to be produced outside that state. This gives it a flavor profile that’s a bit... different. It’s pepperier. It has this raw, earthy edge that you don't always get from the big commercial brands in Tequila valley.
The Reposado is their bread and butter. It’s aged for four months in French, American, and white oak. That triple-threat of wood gives it a golden hue and a taste that reminds me of honey mixed with black pepper. It’s affordable. It’s reliable. It’s the horse tequila you find at most weddings.
The Purist’s Choice: Caballito Cerrero
Now, if you’re a "tequila person," you aren't looking for the blue bottle. You’re looking for the one with the bucking bronco.
Caballito Cerrero literally translates to "The Untamed Horse."
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This brand is legendary among nerds. Why? Because they walked away from the CRT (the Tequila Regulatory Council). They don't even call themselves "Tequila" on the label anymore; they call themselves Destilado de Agave.
They felt the official rules were becoming too industrial. Too fake. They wanted to keep doing things the old way—using Agave Angustifolia (Espadín) alongside the standard Blue Weber.
When you drink the horse with the "untamed" name, you’re tasting history. It’s intense. It’s high-proof. It’s got this wild, vegetal funk that makes modern mass-produced tequila taste like sugar water. If you see this bottle on a shelf, buy it. Don’t think. Just get it.
The Metal Stopper: Tequila Centinela
Maybe the horse isn't on the paper. Maybe it’s the heavy, pewter-colored horse standing on top of the cork.
That’s Centinela.
Centinela has been around since 1904. They are located in Arandas, in the Highlands (Los Altos). This matters because Highland agave is stressed by high altitudes and shallow soil. It gets sweet. It gets fruity.
Centinela’s Añejo is a slow-sipper. Because it's aged in used bourbon barrels, it picks up a massive vanilla and toasted almond character. It’s the kind of bottle you open when you’ve had a long week and you just want to sit on the porch and forget about your inbox.
Why the Horse Imagery Matters in Jalisco
The horse is everywhere in Mexican spirits. It’s the Caballo Lucero.
In the 1800s, the horse was the only way to get agave hearts (piñas) from the fields to the ovens. A donkey (burro) did the heavy lifting, but the horse was the pride of the Patrón. When you see a horse on a label, the brand is trying to signal "Tradition."
They want you to think of the Tahona—the massive stone wheel pulled by animals to crush the cooked agave.
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Of course, nowadays, most of these places use industrial diffusers or mechanical shredders. The horse is often just marketing. But for brands like Cascahuín (which sometimes uses horse imagery in their special releases), the connection to the animal is still real. They still use a mule or horse to pull the stone wheel in their traditional batches.
Spotting the Fakes and the "Celebrity" Horses
We have to talk about the trend. Every celebrity wants a tequila. Many of them put a horse on it because it looks "authentic."
Kendall Jenner’s 818 doesn't have a horse, but it mimics that rustic aesthetic.
Tequila Cavallo, on the other hand, leans into it hard.
But here is the trick to knowing if the horse bottle is actually good: Check the NOM.
The NOM is a four-digit number on the back of every bottle. It tells you which distillery actually made the liquid. If you see two different "horse tequilas" with the same NOM, they were made in the same factory. They might even be the same juice with a different sticker.
- NOM 1107: This is where El Tesoro and Tequila Ocho are made. If you ever see a horse on a bottle from 1107, you buy every bottle they have.
- NOM 1142: This is the home of Herradura. Very traditional, very high quality.
- NOM 1499: This is a "contract" distillery. They make dozens of brands. If your horse tequila is from here, it’s probably fine, but it’s not "special."
How to Drink It (Don't Reach for the Salt)
If you found your tequila with a horse on the label, please don't kill it with a lime wedge and a pile of salt.
Salt and lime were originally used to mask the taste of bad, rotgut tequila. If you’re buying Centinela or Caballito Cerrero, you’re paying for the flavor of the agave. You want to taste it.
- Use a Glencairn or a wine glass. You need to smell the aromas.
- Look for "tears." Swirl it. See how the liquid clings to the glass? That’s the residual sugars and glycerol. It means it’s going to be smooth.
- Take a "Kentucky Chew." Move the tequila around your mouth. Let it hit the sides of your tongue.
- Breathe out through your nose. This is where the herbal, minty, and floral notes hide.
The Price Gap
You can spend $30 or $300 on a bottle with a horse on it.
Corralejo Blanco is usually around $32. It's the king of the "budget horse."
Caballito Cerrero Chato can run you $90 to $120 depending on the batch and proof.
Centinela 3 Años (Extra Añejo) can easily clear $150.
Is it worth it?
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Usually, yes. Tequila is an expensive crop. It takes 7 to 10 years for a single agave plant to reach maturity. Think about that. A farmer has to wait a decade to harvest. Compare that to corn (whiskey) or grapes (wine), which are harvested every single year. When you buy a "cheap" tequila, you’re often buying agave that was harvested too early and "fixed" with chemicals and sugar (diffuser tequila).
If your horse bottle costs less than $25, be careful. It’s likely a "Mixto," which is only 51% agave. The other 49% is cane sugar. That is exactly how you get a hangover that feels like a physical assault.
Summary of the Best "Horse" Bottles
To make it easy, here is the breakdown of what to look for when you're hunting:
For Cocktails: Go with Corralejo Silver. Its peppery finish cuts through grapefruit soda (Paloma) or lime juice perfectly. It doesn't get lost in the mix.
For Gifting: Look for Centinela Añejo. The heavy bottle and the ornate horse stopper look expensive on a bar cart. It tastes like a bridge between Bourbon and Tequila.
For the Collector: Find Caballito Cerrero Blanco 46%. It is clear, it is punchy, and it is a conversation starter for anyone who thinks they know tequila.
For the Budget-Conscious: Tequila San Matias often features horse/ranch imagery and is one of the oldest family-owned distilleries. Their Tahona expression is world-class but won't break the bank.
Moving Forward: Your Next Steps
If you’ve narrowed down which bottle you’re looking for, don't just grab the first one you see on a big-box shelf. Tequila prices fluctuate wildly between states and retailers.
First, download the Tequila Matchmaker app. It is the industry standard. Search for the name on your bottle and check the "User Rating" and the "Panel Rating." If the panel of experts hates it but the users love it, the bottle probably has a lot of additives (sugar, vanilla flavoring, glycerin). If both groups love it, you’ve found a winner.
Second, check the label for "100% de Agave." If those three words aren't there, put the bottle back. It doesn't matter how pretty the horse is.
Finally, if you’re looking for a specific bottle like Caballito Cerrero, call your local boutique liquor store rather than going to a chain. These "untamed" brands usually have limited distribution and are kept in the back or on the top shelf for people who know to ask for them by name.
Go find that bottle. Pour it neat. Skip the ice. Let the horse lead the way.