The Tequila NOM List

Every bottle of tequila carries a four-digit NOM number printed on the label, usually near the alcohol content or the importer text. That number is not a brand identifier — it is the registration of the distillery that produced the liquid. Two bottles with completely different names, prices and stories can share a NOM because they were distilled under the same roof.

What NOM actually stands for

NOM is short for Norma Oficial Mexicana, the body of official Mexican standards. Tequila is governed by NOM-006-SCFI, which defines the denomination of origin territory, the permitted use of Agave tequilana Weber blue variety, the categories (100% agave and tequila, commonly called mixto), and the classes — Blanco, Joven, Reposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo. The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) enforces the standard and issues each authorized distillery its NOM registration.

How to read a NOM number

• It identifies a facility, not a recipe. A contract distillery may produce dozens of unrelated labels, all sharing one NOM.
• Lower numbers are generally older registrations, but the number is sequential-by-issue and says nothing about quality, size or production method.
• A NOM can be reassigned or retired. When a distillery closes or changes ownership, brands move — which is why a label's NOM can change between bottlings.
• Mezcal does not use NOM numbers this way. Mezcal is certified under NOM-070-SCFI, and labels carry a producer and lot reference instead.

Why the NOM matters to buyers

The NOM is the single most reliable thread for tracing a bottle back to its origin. It lets you compare a new label against others from the same facility, spot when a "small-batch" brand is made at a very large industrial plant, and follow a favourite distiller across the brands they produce. It is a research starting point — not a quality score. Pair it with production detail (oven type, extraction, fermentation, still) for a fuller picture.