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Tequila may have a wild and crazy reputation, but this unique spirit is created according to strict guidelines, guaranteeing authenticity and consistency. It’s distilled from the fermented juice of the Weber blue agave plant, and comes only from a specified region of Mexico, centered around the western state of Jalisco. Finally, “Transatlantic” comes from rum casks from Fiji and Panama, as well as Cognac casks from France. On the nose, you’ll sense, molasses, mango and green pepper, but the taste is all sweet fruit.
The distillery produces four unique expressions of tequila, all of which are made with the same single-estate approach: plata, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo. If you’re looking to experience the true essence of agave, the plata is Ocho’s most true expression of Mexico’s native plant, and offers grassy and vegetal notes. Their reposado is aged for the minimum amount of time required, spending just eight weeks and eight days in ex-American whiskey barrels. Tequila Ocho Añejo spends the minimum one year maturing, while Extra Añejo ages for three whole years. Each aged expression of Tequila Ocho rests in ex-American whiskey barrels that have been used to age several vintages of tequila. The result is a tequila that is not overly influenced by vanillin or heavy oak flavors, yet still maintains the barrel-aging benefits of subtle sweetness and a softer mouthfeel. To date, Tequila Ocho has released over 35 single-estate vintages of its tequila across all four expressions. At Tequila Ocho, running the distillery is a family affair. With tequila production having been in his family for centuries, Camarena is staying true to tradition by hiring his children to work alongside him at Tequila Ocho. His two daughters work with him daily, managing several aspects of production as well as sales and visitor experiences. Additionally, the tequila tradition lives on with Este’s son Jesse serving as Ocho’s global brand ambassador. The distillery recently found a new home.
Tequila Ocho Añejo Tropical Barrel Select
Cristalino Añejo: We found this tequila to be overly sweet with strong vanilla notes and not much character from the agave. Though they experiment from time to time, Tequila Ocho has taken the core aspects of what makes tequila special and centered their iteration of the spirit around it. Couple this with their old-fashioned slow methods of tequila making, and they’ve mastered playing within the boundaries of tradition. Tequila Ocho feels and tastes like a spirit three times the price of what it actually is! Blanco – a white-coloured spirit, bottled or stored straight after distillation or aged less than two months in stainless steel or oak barrels. Said Tequila Ocho co-founder and legendary tequilero Carlos Camarena,“The initial part of the heart of distillation is the one that I usually enjoy the most, as it carries the agave essence at its purest form. After tasting “puntas” with our distillery team at different proofs by adding small amounts of water, we were convinced that 101 has the perfect balance for this particular La Ladera expression. I am convinced that true tequila afficionados and connoisseurs will be as delighted as I am with the first release of “puntas” from Tequila Ocho.”
Ocho produced as a collaboration between Tomas Estes and the Camarena family. Tomas is the man behind London’s famous Café Pacific and La Perla restaurants and for decades the foremost champion of the tequila category in Europe, while Felipe Camarena is a renowned Master Tequila Distiller and one of the sons of Don Felipe. Like wine and other unique spirits, tequila is produced according to regulations that govern its appellation of origin. Tequila may only be made in the state of Jalisco, which includes the town of Tequila, and parts of the surrounding states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. It must be made from blue agave and in accordance with additional rules for ingredients and aging. Spirits made using other agave species or elsewhere in Mexico are classified as mezcal. Tapatio Blanco: A classic highland tequila with notes of cooked agave and pepper. We just barely preferred Siembra Azul in a side-by-side taste test.
Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia
Almost a year ago I wrote a review about a tequila Ocho blanco (Loa Mangos) that wasn't necessarily my personal cup of tea, but it really accomplished what this brand is all about. This vintage and terroir driven brand creates a different tequila each year from a given ranch. Different altitudes and growing conditions can create very different flavors. So even though the brand is the same, the tequila might be significantly different. So let's dive right in. Most Tequilas are distilled for consistency, OCHO Single Estate Vintages will showcase complex nuances in nose and flavor year to year for each of their Tequilas. 'Single Estate' means all of the Agave are harvested from a single field, which bear the personality of the soil and climate. Each vintage will produce a limited number of bottles from a separate estate. First, there’s “Tropical,” aged in rum casks from Fiji, Trinidad and Panama to invoke a Caribbean and South Pacific feel. On the nose, you’ll smell everything from fresh cherries and cinnamon to passionfruit and lavender, with a taste of bitter chocolate, prunes, coffee, plum, cherry and vanilla notes with a creamy finish. All tequila made by the Camarena family is produced exclusively from agave from their own fields, a fact that few other producers can claim. Because the production is small-batch and carefully done, the heart and passion of the Camarenas’ Mexican soul is in each drop of their tequila. The family have only ever made 100% agave tequila. When an estate is harvested, the agaves undergo a natural, open-vat fermentation allowing native yeasts and bacteria in the air to mix freely with the fermenting agave sugars, creating an additional opportunity for the natural environment to influence the development of flavors and aromas.
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