Patrón Silver
Jalisco, Mexico
100% blue Weber agave, tahona-and-roller-mill combined. Unaged blanco, minimum barrel-derived compounds. Patrón says it uses no additives. From October 2023 its bottles carried a CRT-endorsed additive-free seal, but it was not on the independent additive-free list when that list was last published in October 2024, and in February 2025 the CRT suspended its exports for four days over additive-free marketing.
- Congeners
- Low
- Histamines
- Low
- Polyphenols
- Low
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Very Low
- Sugar
- Low
- Additives
- Low
In its favor
- ✓100% agave
- ✓Unaged = no barrel congeners
What to watch
- !Not on the independent additive-free list (2024)
Factor by factor
Congeners Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Very Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Patrón Silver is the largest premium blanco in the US. Its no-additives claim had the regulator’s seal for a while and has since landed it in a dispute with that same regulator (the full story). If the claim holds, the chemistry of an unaged 100% agave blanco is genuinely clean.
Patrón Silver questions
Is Patrón Silver gluten-free? ▾
Yes. Patrón Silver is gluten-free, with no wheat, barley or rye at any stage.
What proof is Patrón Silver? ▾
Patrón Silver is 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume.
Does Patrón Silver give you a bad hangover? ▾
Patrón Silver scores 4/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 4/10 for tequila overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.
Is Patrón Silver additive-free? ▾
Patrón says it uses no additives, and from October 2023 its bottles carried a gold seal reading "endorsed Additive Free by the CRT". It was not on the independent Additive Free Alliance list when that list was last published in October 2024, and in February 2025 the CRT suspended Patrón's exports for four days over its additive-free marketing, lifting the suspension once the phrase came off Patrón's website. Mexican rules let tequila contain up to 1% caramel colour, oak extract, glycerin or sugar syrup by weight, and the tequila regulator (CRT) does not allow "additive free" on labels, so the bottle itself cannot tell you.
Is Patrón Silver vegan? ▾
Yes. Patrón Silver is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.