
Tequila Ocho Extra Añejo 2018
Tequila Ocho · Destilería Tequila Ocho (La Alteña)
Tequila Ocho's Extra Añejo proves that extended aging doesn't have to erase agave character. The 2018 single-estate vintage delivers terroir transparency even through three years of American oak. This is a sipping tequila of the highest order, balancing barrel influence with the distillery's trademark field-driven identity.
Nose
Rich caramel and toasted oak lead, with roasted agave and butterscotch beneath. There's a distinct note of cinnamon bark and dried mango, plus a faint trace of tobacco leaf that signals extended barrel time.
Palate
Full-bodied and elegant. Cooked agave remains present despite three years of oak, joined by vanilla custard, dark chocolate, and a savory black pepper note. The texture is almost oily, coating the mouth with layered sweetness and spice.
Finish
Long and contemplative. Oak tannins and caramel fade slowly, leaving behind a final impression of roasted agave and warm cinnamon.
- Agave
- 100% Blue Weber Agave, single estate (Rancho El Bajío, 2018 vintage)
- Production
- Slow-roasted in brick ovens, roller mill extraction, natural fermentation with well water yeast, double distilled in copper pot stills
- Region
- Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico
- Cooking Method
- Slow-roasted in brick ovens, roller mill extraction, natural fermentation with well water yeast, double distilled in copper pot stills
- NOM
- NOM 1474
- Additives Free
- Yes
Food Pairing
Mole negro with slow-braised short ribs
Born from the late Tomás Estes' collaboration with master distiller Carlos Camarena at La Alteña, this 2018 vintage Extra Añejo was aged for three years in ex-American whiskey barrels, with each release identifying the specific ranch where the agave was harvested.
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