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Finish: A very nice medium-long finish that still says AGAVE (with the capital letters). There's a hint of bitterness from the earth notes, but it rounds it out nicely. It balances blue agave’s inherent sweetness on the palate with salty, earthy undertones for depth, followed by citrus and grassy hints. The Camarena family has a history steeped in tequila tradition. Starting in 1937, they are now 3rd generation tequileros and one of the last remaining producers following artisanal methods. Nothing is rushed with Carlos, from agave production through to bottling and sipping. I’m J Highland, and for over 30 years, I’ve been deeply immersed in the captivating world of Tequila, Mezcal, and other agave spirits.
As I take a sip, I’m introduced to flavors of baking spices, agave, earthy undertones, and a subtle orange zest. What's with the name, you ask? Ocho (eight in English) hold an important place within the brand for a multitude of reasons. A few of these are that it takes an average of eight years for agaves to ripen before harvest, eight kilograms of agave to make one litre of Ocho Tequila, and it took eight different samples for Estes and Camarena to find the perfect recipe. There aren’t too many great reposado tequilas that are still affordable and don’t taste like a candy shop. Don Fulano Reposado fits this bill quite nicely as it’s aged in limousin oak, which doesn’t add as much confection as an ex-bourbon barrel can. It doesn’t hurt that the wizards at Tequilena use a very specific proprietary yeast in their fermentation that adds a distinctive spin to all Don Fulano products — in the reposado, it lends almost a note of banana bread.” —Aaron DeFeo, bar director, Little Rituals, PhoenixIn moderation, Tequila, including Blanco, may offer certain health benefits, such as promoting heart health and aiding digestion.
The different tastes are quite distinctive. With blanco, the agave flavours tend to be more intense, while reposado or añejo are usually smoother, mellower and more complex – and just like other spirits aged in casks, they can take on the flavours of the wood. How do I know it’s tequila? An estate-grown, 100% Blue Agave Tequila range, OCHO is produced as a collaboration between Tomas Estes (the man credited with bringing the first bottle of Tequila to Europe) and renowned distillers, the Camarena family. What's really unique about OCHO is that it bears the first ever 'Tequila vintage'. This 'Vintage' signifies the exact year or harvest and location of the Agave plants that the spirit was derived from, under-lining the finely balanced relationship between the terroir and quality of raw materials. For OCHO Blanco, the Agaves have been harvested in Rancho La Rivera close to the Lerma river, which empties into Lake Chapala. This land has an altitude of 1,600 meters and soil similar to that of the Tequila Valley giving a forward, earthy character – a real Tequila lover's Tequila. Here, I’m not just sharing opinions; I’m weaving tales from the rich tapestry of my experiences over these three decades. Don Julio is named after the brand’s founder, Don Julio Gonzalez, who started making Tequila in 1942 when he was 17 years old. The flavour profile of Don Julio Blanco is hailed as a classic, balancing creamy and peppery characters with a vegetal note, some lemon, pastry and a clear minerality. Alc 40% No, the flavor and quality of Blanco tequila can vary depending on the brand and production methods.Once we’ve completed our initial taste testing, we compare the flavour and quality of each tequila to similar products across a range of price points and ask an all important question – is it good value for money? Our lengthy testing ensures there’s a tequila for everyone on our list, whatever your taste or budget. Also known as silver or white Tequila, it is unaged and bottled shortly after the distillation process. 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. Made by legendary distiller Carlos Camarena, Ocho made waves when it was launched because it was the first-ever single-field Tequila to be produced. These single-field vintage releases are limited – once they’re gone, they’re gone, to be replaced by a new vintage from a different field later. This particular Tequila, from the field Las Presas, or The Dams, is all tropical characters of guava, melon and pineapple, mingling with the unmistakable agave and pepper character that come with Ocho products. Alc 40%
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