Tequila Ocho Añejo La Laja 2019: This is another delicious agave-forward añejo that we enjoyed. In a side-by-side taste test, the El Tesoro just barely edged this one out. Tapatio Añejo: Tapatio and El Tesoro are made in the same distillery, so it's no surprise that these two añejos share some similarities. Both are agave-forward and delicious, but the El Tesoro añejo has a prominent vanilla note that we preferred. 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.”

Tequila Ocho’s aged expressions are then matured in well-used former American whiskey oak barrels that impart a very restrained wood influence to the spirit so that its agave notes remain focused and precise. By ensuring nothing is added, ever, during the production process, Camarena allows the terroir of Tequila Ocho’s single estates to shine through in the aromas and character of the final product. By taking nothing away, he ensures each vintage is full of the ripe agave character that runs through every bottle of Tequila Ocho. In March 2023, Tequila Ocho announced it would be relocating its operations from Destilería la Alteña — where it had been produced since the brand’s founding in 2008 — to a new distillery called Tequilera Los Alambiques. Located just outside the center of Arandas, the new distillery sits on a plot of land spanning six acres that once belonged to Carlos’s grandfather. The new location will help increase production volume with three brand-new stone ovens for roasting agave and a 100,000-square-foot distillery equipped with three 500-liter stainless pot stills and four 1,000-liter copper stills. Founded in 2008 by Carlos Camarena and Tomas Estes, Tequila Ocho is widely regarded as one of the best tequilas in the world. Founded on the basis that terroir can — and does — exist in spirits, each bottle of Tequila Ocho produced is made to showcase the beauty of the agave plant and the lands from which it grows. 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. This content is intended for readers 21+. Please drink responsibly. If you or anyone you know is dealing with alcohol abuse, get help.The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helplineat 1-800-662-HELP (4357)providesa free, confidential, 24/7, treatment referral, and information service.Reposado – literally, a “rested” tequila, which has been aged in oak barrels for between two and 12 months. Tequila production begins with the agave plant, cultivated in Mexico’s desert regions. Early civilizations believed agave was a gift from the gods, which they used as a source for food, fibers and building materials. They would cut off the top of the plant, and the remaining stump filled with a liquid called aguamiel that would ferment into a cloudy, low-alcohol drink. Our favorite tequila añejo was El Tesoro Añejo, with its rich mouthfeel and balanced flavor profile.

Fortaleza Reposado is a legendary tequila among aficionados, as well as a great entry point for novices. 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. It requires small batches of agave grown together in the same place and thoughtful fermentation and distillation processes that preserve the natural agave essence of the spirit. The fact that the Camarena family works exclusively with agave from their own estates provides Tequila Ocho with an agave-to-glass control over the entire tequila-making process, which makes single-estate tequila not only possible but preferable. The Art of Vintage Tequila 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. Frankenstein! Frankenstein! Frankenstein! That is the name of the mechanical tahona Felipe Camarena uses to crush his agave. So unique in its process, the flavors I derive from this expression are on par. Lemongrass and fresh cut sweet grass—with hints of clay. This is a fun expression that sets itself apart.”

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Bursting with traditional agave flavours, as well as hints of pear, clementine and melon, it’s a supremely drinkable, modern tequila that pairs perfectly with a variety of mixers. We loved this in a simple tequila and tonic but it’s also delicious with a dash of lime soda or even on its own with ice. While the Blue variety is our favourite, we also highly rate the Butterfly Rosa Pink Grapefruit tequila. Its beautiful bottle also makes a wonderful gift for any tequila fans or simply as a treat to yourself. Much like how bourbon is a style of whiskey, tequila is a type of mezcal. Mezcal refers to a broader category of agave-based spirits that can be made in a wide geographical range in Mexico from different varieties of agave. Tequila can legally only be made in the state of Jalisco and a few other nearby municipalities. It can also only be made from Blue Weber agave. Continental” goes for a more familiar feel, using French cognac casks. With scents of Aniseed, chocolate, custard marzipan, marshmallow, jasmine and more, you get notes of toffee and nutmeg that give way to vanilla and cinnamon.

The blue agave plant can reach eight feet in height and matures at around six years old. Sugars collect in the core of the plant, the piña. Producers chop up the piñas and cook them in large ovens, then press the juices from the cooked pieces and ferment them with yeast.Stunning. Just without words stunning,” Bailon says. “Agave forward and oaked crème brulée is a unicorn to find—and when you do, it just dances up and down the palate. I also appreciate all the attention to detail with this bottle including a little rest in five-liter glass vessels before bottling. This is a precious gem to cherish.” 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! This limited Chicago release has me screaming dulce de leche! That and marzipan notes on the finish. Yet it holds on (heavily) to agave on the forefront,” Bailon says. “Being cask strength allows for these flavors to come out on a bigger platform. Where the Gran Dovejo Añejo retains a lot of these nuances as well, the cask strength just fires off at first sip.” Long before launching Tequila Ocho, Carlos Camarena knew that his tequilas expressed a unique sense of place. The Camarena family has produced tequila since 1937, harvesting from their agave fields scattered across the highlands of Jalisco. Carlos Camarena — the third generation of his family to produce tequila from these estates — had experienced first-hand the varying aromas and flavors that agave harvested from different fields imparted on the spirit. He recognized the subtle impacts that different soils, microclimates, elevations, and topographies made on each batch and, rather than neutralize those differences, chose to embrace them. 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.