Tequila Ocho

April 12, 2017
Circulation: 102,100,000

Best Tequilas for Cinco de Mayo: 13 Bottles To Try Right Now
Karla Alindahao

Full disclosure: I’m no tequila connoisseur. But I have nothing but respect for the spirit.

Around this time last year, Pepe Hermosillo (of Casa Noble fame) graciously shared a sample of Alta
Belleza—his well-regarded extra añejo, which was aged in French white oak barrels before being finished
in Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. After that tasting, I was given a small bottle to take home
and I was told to pair it with cheese.

I did—to astonishing results.

At the time, tequila was not something I would have associated with the enthusiastic consumption of
Humboldt Fog. But that singular extraordinary experience completely shifted my perspective.

Photo: Tequila Ocho, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo, Herradura, Gran Centenario
Jorge Vazquez, the general manager of Toloache 50 in New York City, on his top 13 tequila picks.

So to further inform my Cinco de Mayo tequila extravaganza this year, I decided to reach out to Jorge
Vazquez—the general manager of Toloache 50 in New York City. Toloache, the popular Midtown
restaurant, bills itself as a Mexican bistro that offers elevated (but not overly precious) takes on

quesadillas, tacos, and the like. But beyond that, it also carries more than 200 tequilas and mezcals on its
list. And Vazquez is no stranger to the complexities of joven, blancos (otherwise known as silvers),
reposados, añejos, and extra añejos. “Tequilas are often categorized into different types. Tequila blanco
is not aged and bottled after it’s distilled and is often used for cocktails,” Vazquez says. “But don’t get me
wrong, there are a lot of tequila blancos that have amazing qualities that make them great to drink by
itself.”

Photo: Toloache
Toloache, the Mexican bistro in New York, boasts a vast tequila and mezcal list of more than 200.
“Reposados, depending on the company, are often rested from three to eleven months in different oak
barrels that have been used for wine, whiskey, Cognac, and more,” Vazquez continues. “This imparts
unique and different characteristics and flavor to each tequila. Añejos are typically aged from one to three
years in different oak barrels, allowing them to become smoother and develop more character and flavor.
These are usually used for sipping, so one can enjoy the flavors.”

Photo: Toloache
Jorge Vazquez, the general manager of Toloache 50.

BLANCOS

“Tequila blanco is always great to use when mixing up flavorful margaritas and cocktails,” Vazquez says.
“Fresh fruits and juices will always complement the clean notes of the tequila silver.”

Don Julio Silver ($49)
“This tequila is light and smooth. Its citrus flavors make it the perfect tequila for a simple margarita of lime,
splash of agave, and salt on the rim. The agave notes balance well with the lime and you still get the kick
of the nice strong tequila.”
Don Eduardo Silver ($43)
“I like this tequila for its mineral notes. It goes well with a Paloma made with grapefruit juice, soda,
limejuice, and a salted rim. Such a refreshing tequila and cocktail.”
Gran Centenario Plata ($25)
“This tequila has a lot of character and flavor: citrus, herbal, and spicy. Flavors that you can enjoy
drinking straight with an ice cube or as one of my favorite combinations: Gran Centenario Blanco,
limejuice, agave nectar, and a splash of Grand Marnier.”
REPOSADOS
“Reposados are my favorite expression of tequila for traditional margaritas as their subtle complexity in
flavor adds a certain depth to the cocktail,” Vazquez says. “For me, a margarita with a reposado, fresh
lime, and a splash of Grand Marnier is the most satisfying combination.”
Herradura Reposado ($40)

“This one is aged in an oak barrel for eleven months, so the soft flavor of the wood combined with the
agave give it this really nice, subtle oaky flavor with hints of vanilla and caramel. It’s a pretty earthy
tequila.”
El Tesoro Reposado ($48)
“This tequila is mellow and spicy, with caramel notes. It’s another one that I think is enjoyed best in a
traditional margarita with limejuice and agave.”
Riazul Reposado ($55)
“If you’re looking for something simple yet really sophisticated, serve it on the rocks with club soda and a
lemon twist. This tequila has floral and chocolate characteristics.”
Clase Azul Reposado ($100)
“This one is more on the elegant, refined side. I recommend drinking it neat and enjoying the ride. It’s
smooth and complex and has a lot of cinnamon and caramel characteristics to it.”
AÑEJOS

“For the añejos, this expression is more for a nice, relaxing night,” Vazquez says. “You can find so many
different flavors, aromas, and notes depending on the region they were crafted—like the oaky notes from
Gran Centenario Añejo or the elegant notes of the Tequila Ocho.”

Gran Centenario Añejo ($35)
“This 100 percent blue agave tequila is packed with floral, vanilla, and cinnamon notes from the 36-month
aging process in oak barrels—making it a really nice, smooth tequila. Great for an after-dinner drink.”
Don Julio Añejo ($61)
“Barrel-aged in small batches for 18 months, this tequila is rich and distinctive. I love the mandarin,
honey, berry, and spicy notes to it.”
Tequila Ocho Añejo ($55)
“Like the Clase Azul Reposado, this tequila is elegant and refined. The agaves used to make this tequila
are grown in gray clay soil and in full sunlight. It’s then aged for at least a year in used American whiskey
barrels. It has a lot of lavender, dried fruit, and citrus notes, making it a very interesting choice.”
EXTRA AÑEJOS
“These are the extra-aged exquisite boys, similar to a single malt whiskey,” Vazquez says. “These are the
ones that you should enjoy after a good meal at Toloache.”
Don Julio 1942 ($150)
“The vanilla notes of this beloved extra añejo are going to feel like a dessert. The Don Julio 1942 plays
like a fine Cognac with a perfect balance of spice, salted caramel, and creamy tropical fruit.”
Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia ($200)
“This one is for those who are afraid to try tequila and think there’s nothing out there like Cognac. The
strong notes of rich oak, hazelnut, vanilla, and cinnamon will blow your mind.”
Herradura Selección Suprema ($350)
“Herradura Suprema is just something else. For that I'm going to tell you to try it and see for yourself.”

May 5, 2017
Circulation: 99,900,000

Seven Tequilas and Mezcals You Have to Try
By Deena Shanker

By now you know that Cinco de Mayo isn't Mexican Independence Day, that not all tequila is created
equal, and that sipping it—or a smoky mezcal—is a much better way to celebrate Mexican heritage than

throwing back shots with salt and lime.

But with about 1,700 tequila brands to choose from, and a much smaller but growing number in the
mezcal category, how to find the right ones?

Tequila is a type of mezcal made from the blue agave plant and primarily made in the western state of
Jalisco. Mezcal, which can be made from any agave, mostly comes from further south, in Oaxaca. The
best tequilas and mezcals are still made sustainably and by hand, from harvest through bottling.

Cooking agave plants in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Photographer: Susana Gonzlez/Bloomberg

We asked experts for their favorite brands and bottles. Here are their picks, priced from around $50 to
$200 per 750-milliliter bottle and widely available in the U.S., unless otherwise noted.

Mezcal
Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal
Ron Cooper is often credited as the guy who brought mezcal to the U.S. and helped make it popular. His
brand boasts a collection of mezcals, each derived from a single village in Oaxaca, highlighting the spirits'
terroir. At Mayahuel in New York, staffers praise the brand's community-oriented approach and its help in
getting their agave-focused cocktail bar off the ground. There, the menu currently lists more than a dozen
kinds of Del Maguey mezcals, including the very smoky Chichicapa and the sweeter Ibérico, which is
distilled with Ibérico ham, a play on the traditional Pechuga mezcal that uses chicken breast. San
Francisco Chef Traci Des Jardins recommends the 100 percent Tobala, made from wild agaves that take
20 to 30 years to grow—even longer than the storied blue agaves, for tequila, which take an average of
seven years to mature.
Ilegal Mezcal

Source: Ilegal Mezcal
Anyone looking for some #resistance with their drink will want to reach for a bottle of Ilegal. The brand,
which came out of a bar in Antigua, Guatemala, now works with three distilleries in Oaxaca, two owned
by former undocumented immigrants who worked as barbacks in California. When Donald Trump, in
announcing his presidential candidacy, called Mexicans who illegally cross the U.S. border rapists, the
brand plastered New York, Miami, and Los Angeles with posters declaring him, very loosely translated, a
jackass. Susan Coss, founder of Mezcalistas, says she appreciates the brand's commitment to
sustainability and its support of its mezcaleros.
Mezcal Real Minero
This fourth-generation distillery in Oaxaca uses mostly wild agaves, making each bottling especially
distinctive. "I open one of these only on special occasions," said Bricia Lopez, a Los Angeles-based
mezcal enthusiast from Oaxaca, a tireless ambassador for the spirit, and a founding member of the Taste
of Mexico Association. She calls every bottle "pure perfection" but says the Barril, noted for its earthy,
herbaceous flavor, is her first among equals.
Mezcalosfera
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Because these bottles are produced only in micro-batches, each is unique and has the label to prove it. It
lists the maestro mezcalero who made it, the kinds of agave used and their proportions, the date it was
distilled, the number of liters, how many days it fermented ... you get the point. Those just getting to know
mezcal or not into that level of detail, don't worry. "Literally, everything they put out is gold," said Christi
Preddy of Gallo Pelón Mezcaleria in Raleigh, North Carolina. (These mezcal people aren't stingy with
praise.) She says her bottle of the Tobala, Verde, Madrecuixe, Cuixe, Espadin blend is "like nothing
[she's] ever tasted." If you're willing to spend the $160 the 750 ml bottle costs, get in line.
Mezcal Tosba
These agaves are grown in the tropics alongside coffee, mango, and sugar cane, in the Cajonos-Villa Alta
region of Oaxaca in the Sierra Juarez mountains, giving the spirit its fruity notes. The company was
formed by two cousins who hoped it would save their village. Gilbert Marquez, brand ambassador for
Ilegal, and Lopez are fans. "Very light and easy to drink," Lopez said. If you can find it.
Tequila
Tequila Ocho

Tequila Ocho
Photographer: Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune/MCT via Getty Images
Like many mezcals, Carlos Camarena's brand is driven by terroir—tequila, like wine, should taste of the
place it's from. Even though all tequila is made from blue agave, Camarena uses agave grown on
different estates in Jalisco, with each bottling reflecting that estate's particular climate and altitude.
Chantal Martineau, author of How the Gringos Stole Tequila, lists the brand as a favorite. The company
just released its 2016 vintage from the Puerta del Aire estate, its first from a bat-friendlypilot it's
participating in with two other distillers; bats are natural pollinators for agaves. The large-scale
operations use assexual reproduction, while the bat-friendly operations seek to rebuild the animal's
habitats.
Siembra Valles
This brand also stresses the importance of terroir, making tequila the old-fashioned way, without
machines, and it is now bat-friendly as well. Mandi Nelson, beverage director of the restaurant group New
Waterloo (which includes Austin's La Condesa), recommends the Ancestral Blanca tequila, while Des
Jardins goes for the Reposado.
(Updates to clarify Susan Coss's take on Ilegal Mezcal.)

July 31, 2017
Circulation: 9,350,000

This Delicious Tequila Is Helping to Preserve Mexico’s Threatened Bat Population

Kathryn Maier

Sustainability is a hot topic in the drinks world at the moment. An aspect generally overlooked until now,
though, is the role bats play in agave production. A bat species is coming back from the brink of extinction
because of the efforts of a notable tequila brand.
Tequila Ocho is a favorite of many bartenders. Unlike most major brands, which strive for consistency
across all of their releases, Ocho produces annual vintages with an emphasis on terroir, using agave grown
on different estates, each showing distinct flavors and aromas.
The current 2016 release, from the Puerta del Aire estate, features fresh, green, herbaceous notes
consistent with the highlands of Jalisco. This release happens to be the brand’s first “bat-friendly” one.

We hadn’t realized until now that the lesser long-nosed bat plays a large role in pollinating more than 180
types of agave and other plants throughout Mexico. Nor did we know that most tequila companies’ typical
agave harvesting practices had reduced the bats’ ability to feed, landing them on the endangered species
list.

Bats feed on the quiote, or flower, of the agave plant; they’re the plant’s primary pollinators. The problem,
it seems, is that agave plants are typically harvested by tequila-makers before they flower, since the plants
can no longer be used to make tequila after they bloom.
The sugars that the plants have stored up during their lifetime are used up in the flowering process. With
reduced sources of food, bats shifted their migratory patterns over the past few decades, and their numbers
dropped precipitously.
However, Ocho—along with two other tequila producers—has pledged to allow at least five per cent of its
agave plants to reach full flower, thus allowing the bats to feed. One hectare (about two and a half acres)
will feed 90 bats per night, according to ecologist Rodrigo Medellin.
This is a sacrifice for the small producers because once the plants flower, they can’t be used in tequila
production. The plants, which need to grow for at least eight years before they flower briefly, essentially go
to waste.

Still, the efforts have led to a rebound in the bat population. The lesser long-nosed bats were added to the
endangered species lists of Mexico and the U.S. in the 1990s. They were delisted in Mexico in 2015, and
the U.S. has proposed removing the bats from the list this year.
The bat-friendly efforts will eventually benefit the tequila industry as well. The long-term sustainability of
blue agave, the type from which tequila is made, is of interest to everyone. Right now it’s a monoculture,
with all plants being nearly genetically identical clones of each other.
It’s believed that the cross-pollination by the feeding bats will reintroduce some genetic diversity to the
species over the coming decades, rendering the plants more resistant to disease and the effects of climate
change.
“When producers allow a percentage of five per cent of their plantations to flourish, they are pollinated by
bats,” Medellin says. “When the plant life cycle is completed, not only the genetic diversity of the agaves is
improved and conserved, but we also help the species of the magueyero bat, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae,
to recover. In this way, bats, agave, and tequila integrate a virtuous circle in which all parties benefit each
other.”
The bottles of the “bat-friendly” release are denoted with a bat hologram sticker. The brand also won the
Sustainable Spirit award at Tales of the Cocktail this year.

At a time that sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s fantastic to have a wildlife-friendly
and great-tasting tequila to drink.

August 1, 2017
Circulation: 3,600,000

McGuire’s Margarita Recipe

Larry McGuire

An ice-cold cocktail is the perfect way to beat the late
summer Southern heat, and these margaritas are a
surefire way to get a good party going with lively
conversation and great refreshments. Whether you're
hoping to whip up a big batch to sip by the pool or
planning for a girls' trip to the beach, these margaritas
are a delicious excuse to enjoy an afternoon outside.
This traditional mix of fresh lime juice, simple syrup,
Triple Sec, and salt (for rimming the glasses) gives that
refreshing sweet-and-tart blend everyone loves. And, of
course, you can't forget to add in a hearty helping of
tequila! In this recipe, the Tequila Ocho Plata has a
clean, mild flavor perfect for a well-made, strong drink
(as they should be!). This cocktail is also a great way to
entertain a crowd at an outdoor party or fiesta-style get-
together, complete with colorful placemats, wicker
hurricanes and sombreros. You can even make them a
few hours ahead of time and chill in decorative bottles
or pitchers, ready to shake and serve when guests
arrive. If you prefer a sugar rim instead of a salt rim,
feel free to go for it. We prefer how salt cuts the
sweetness and sourness of the margarita, but you can
have both salt and sugar out ready for each person to
choose from. And, be sure to top each margarita glass
with an extra lime wedge before serving; some people
like some extra juice for flavor! The only other tip we
could give is to make sure you have plenty of supplies
for more batches of this perfectly traditional margarita.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Tequila Ocho Plata
3/4 ounce Combier Triple Sec liqueur
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1/8 ounce simple syrup
Margarita salt, for rimming glasses

How to Make It

Fill a metal cocktail shake halfway with ice, and add the tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Cover with lid, and shake until chilled. Strain and serve over crushed ice into a salt-rimmed glass.

April 28, 2017
Circulation: 2,850,000

THE 15 BEST TEQUILAS TO MIX AND SIP THIS CINCO DE MAYO

Dan Q. Dao and Martha Upton

Put down the shot glass (for now, at least). In America, tequila’s had a longstanding reputation for being a
party booze, but bartenders and clued-in drinkers are here to tell you there’s so much more to the agave
spirit, which can stand up to the priciest Cognacs and finest whiskies.
So how do you choose a good tequila? First things first, let’s take all 51% agave tequilas off the table:
simply check the label on the bottle before you buy and make sure it says “100% de agave” or “100% puro
de agave.” The 51% varieties are tequila mixtos, or tequilas where the blue agave has been cut with corn
or sugarcane. “It’s cheap tequila,” says Brian Van Flandern, bartender and co-author of Tequila Cocktails.
“It’s going to give you a headache.”
Sticking with the 100% blue agave bottles, the styles of tequila—blanco, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo—
refer to the aging process. Blanco or silver, for example, refers to the clear tequilas which spend between
0-59 days in oak barrels. Reposado, or rested, tequilas must be stored for a minimum of 60 days, while
añejo spends a year and extra añejo spends 3 years or more.

If these aging periods seem short in comparison to those of their grain-spirit counterparts, it’s because of
agave’s longer growth period. “Agaves are cultivated at 7-10 years,” explains Van Flandern. “Mother Nature
is doing all the flavoring in the ground, and then, after distillation, it’s aged in the barrels for a shorter period
of time.” After factoring in growth time, an aged tequila is comparable to a 10-12 year old Scotch whiskey.
97% of tequilas are produced in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, notably in the highlands of the region due to
good soil and climate, where they have been made using traditional methods for hundreds of years.
America’s love affair with tequila didn’t really kick off until about 20 years ago, according to Van Flandern:
“The renaissance started in the 80s when Don Julio revolutionized the industry and set a standard that had
never been seen before.” Julio’s work opened the door for dozens of other producers to enter the market,
building off his product to create even better tequilas.

Bobby Heugel, owner-bartender at The Anvil Bar & Refuge and The Pastry War in Houston, Texas, believes
the surge in popularity is also in-part due to new attitudes towards Mexico and Mexican foods. “People are
starting to recognize that Mexico produces great spirits,” says Heugel. “We’re really getting over this
ethnocentric mindset where tequila is only intended to be shot or put into frozen margaritas.”
Nowadays, tequila’s lower calories and bold flavors makes it one of the fastest growing spirits categories.
“In 2015, Americans ordered 185,000 margaritas per hour in the United States,” says Van Flandern.
Looking to join your fellow Americans in celebrating the wonders of agave? Whether you're celebrating
Cinco de Mayo with tequila cocktails or looking for the best tequila to sip alongside your favorite Mexican
recipes, we've rounded up 15 of our personal favorites and bartender darlings to try this year.

Tequila Ocho Blanco

If you really want to get a sense of how terroir can affect agave, look to Tequila Ocho, an estate-grown
offering that’s notable for being the first to carry a “tequila vintage” designation signifying the year, harvest,
and location of its agave. Showcasing the unique agaves of the Arandas and the Camarena "Ranchos”
near the Lerma river, Ocho emphasizes the personality of that soil by focusing on the nuanced differences,
rather than the consistency, from batch to batch, bottle to bottle. “For an entry-level tequila, I love Ocho
blanco,” say Ivy Mix, owner-bartender at Leyenda in Brooklyn, New York. “It comes out annually with
different vintages and is always spectacular. A great one to collect and learn about terroir in agave.”



April 28, 2017
Circulation: 5,000

The Ten Best-Selling Tequila Brands

VinePair Staff



Nothing promises a good time like a good ol’ shot of tequila. But not all tequilas are created equal. Some
are perfect for Margaritas and other tequilas are meant for sipping. Certain brands dominate among
consumers, mainly in the off-premise world of restaurant sipping and casual bar slugging. Drinks
International rounded up the top ten best-selling tequila brands in the world’s top 50 bars. Check out the
list below to see if your favorite made the cut!

DON JULIO

Clocking in at number one, Don Julio is also the largest tequila brand in terms of value. Founded by Don
Julio Gonzalez-Frausto Estrada in 1942, the company has since become one of the most well-known
brands for tequila worldwide. Available in Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, 1942, Real, and 70 bottlings.

CALLE 23

“Tequila is a tradition, a way of life,” is this second best-selling brand’s motto. Blue agave plants are
carefully selected from the Los Altos de Jalisco zone, where dry periods followed by strong rains creates
a mineral-rich environment perfect for tequila production.

OCHO

This third best-selling brand was the first to note production year and exact location from where the agave
was selected on the bottle, making each batch unique and special. Crafted in the old fashioned, slower
style method of producing tequila, Ocho continues to maintain its integrity throughout the market.

TAPATIO

Tapatio, the Mexican term for a man from Guadalajara, maintains a highly natural flavor profile, with
authenticity playing a key part in their production methodology. With its double distillation process and
its rich history dating back to the 1800s, it’s no surprise this brand finds itself in the top ten selling brands.

PATRON

One of the most popular tequila brands on the market, the original Patron began production at one of
Mexico’s oldest distilleries, Casa 7 Leguas. The brand has re-marketed itself over the years as a premium
brand, with focus on “taste and sophistication.” Numerous celebrities have attached themselves to the
brand as well.

CABEZA

This single estate tequila crafted at El Ranchito distillery comes from agave plants grown by the Vivanco
family, who have worked the land and farmed the plant for five generations. The land is cultivated without
the use of pesticides; their signature Blanco bottling clocks in at 43 percent ABV and is fermented with
Champagne yeasts.

JOSE CUERVO

One of the largest-selling tequila brands in the world, the company is owned and operated by the
Beckmann family, who are indeed relatives of Don Jose Antonio de Cuervo himself. The brand began to
skyrocket in the 1940s after Prohibition, when tequila smuggling from Mexico became popular in the
southwest of America. In 2012, the brand opened the Cuervo Express train, where tourists could hop the
2 hour train from Guadalajara to Jalisco, arrive in the fields, and take a tour of the distillery.

HERRADURA

Founded in 1870 by Felix Lopez, Herradura remained a family business for over a century. Currently, the
brand is operated by Brown-Forman. Their El Jimador label is the best selling tequila in Mexico. The
brand also produces bottlings of Blanco, Blanco Suave, Reposado, Antiguo, Anejo, and Seleccion
Suprema, aged for an impressive 49 months in barrel.

EL JIMADOR

There are no fillers or colorings added to this 100 percent natural, estate-bottled tequila. It’s no surprise
that El Jimador is the best selling tequila brand in Mexico.

ESPOLON

This Campari America brand is produced at the San Nicolas Distillery in Los Altos and was originally
created by Cirilo Oropeza. The brand was first produced in 1998 and was the first brand to bring
reposado variants to the market. The brand is available in Mexico, the US, and a few other scattered
markets.

May 24, 2017
Circulation: 1,300,000

The Secret To Good Tequila? Bats.
Nick Hines

Regardless of your feelings about bats, you owe them a thank you. Without bats, there would be no
tequila. Just as you fuel your night on the agave spirit, bats fuel their night on agave nectar. The wild bat
population in Mexico is directly linked to the agave crop that produces tequila, which can only be made in
the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.

But thank those bats in northern Mexico now, because the relationship has seen some rough patches and
is anything but certain. Here’s everything you need to know about the relationship between bats and
tequila.

How bats help tequila producers

There are 138 species of bats in Mexico, and more than 180 species of agave. Tequila can only be made
with the blue agave species, while mezcal can be made with any species. In the wild, bats fly out to the
agave plants, drawn to the bugs and nectar. They drink from the agave flowers, simultaneously spreading
agave seeds.

The bats are the primary pollinators of agave. By feeding from plant to plant, bats promote genetic
diversity in new agave plants. It’s not the only way new agave sprouts, though. Agave can also sprout
through monocropping, or “bulbillo.”

Monocropping is when a single plant is harvested before it blooms. Sprouts grow from the root, and those
sprouts, which are genetically identical to the parent agave plant, are replanted. This results in more
tequila in the short term because the plants that are chosen to repopulate have more sugar and a larger
yield. Monocropping decreases the genetic diversity of agave, however, making it more susceptible to
disease.

Monocropping also decreases the bat population, since the bats no longer have flowers to feed on. That
drives the bats away, making monocropping one of the sole ways agave farmers have to grow more
plants.

The perilous future of bats and agave

Tequila demand doesn’t run on the bats’ schedule, though, which is why many producers turned to
monocropping to boost supply.

The negative impact that monocropping has on both tequila and bats is most clear in the case of the
lesser long-nosed bat in the 1980s and 1990s. Rows and rows of agave plants were planted using
monocropping. The lesser long-nosed bat population fell to less than 1,000 in 1988. Then, in the 1990s, a
fungus ate through the agave fields, causing a shortage that was exasperated by overproduction and
poor land management.

But there’s hope. Tequila Ocho and two other tequila makers are focusing on bat-friendly practices. The
companies allow at least five percent of the agave plants they own reach full maturity and flower.
Practices like Tequila Ocho’s have helped bring the lesser long-nosed bat population up to over 200,000.
Soon, the bat will be taken off the endangered species list.

As for the tequila-producing agave? Thankfully it’s a little more diverse, which means there’s less of a
chance your cup will run dry.

September 7, 2017
Circulation: 687,900

Tequila Ocho Single Estate Puerta del Aire Plata 2016

Dan Dunn

1. Tequila Ocho Single Estate Puerta del Aire Plata 2016

When restaurateur Tomas Estes and third-generation tequilero Carlos Camarena launched Tequila Ocho
in 2008, they were the vanguard of a legion of artisanal tequila producers that summarily transformed the
category. Ocho was one of the first tequila brands to emphasize terroir and include vintages and estate
designates on its labels, a practice that’s quite common today. Puerta del Aire 2016 ($50) entices with
aromas of banana peel, coriander, and menthol. On the palate you get brown sugar and dark roast coffee
flavor, seasoned with a touch of basil. (ochotequila.com)

August 14, 2017
Circulation: 680,000

Nine Tequila Cocktails Beyond the Margarita

Sophisticated Slushie (Sgroppino di Uva)

At Bluestem, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, the cocktail program
echoes the straightforward aesthetic of a kitchen that’s heralded for its New American fare.

“My goal is to not compromise the base flavor of the spirits we select,” says Bar Manager Andrew Olsen.
“I want to showcase the flavors and make them really shine.”

Olsen built this cocktail around -Tequila Ocho Plata, a producer that makes single--estate, single-vintage
Tequilas. (Although if you swap in your favorite blanco Tequila, we won’t tell.)

“Like coffee and wine, Tequila has a lot to do with terroir,” Olsen says.

The drink riffs on two classics, the Paloma, spiked with grapefruit and Tequila, and Italy’s refreshing,
slushie-style Sgroppino. Sparkling wine helps aerate the drink, creating a light, almost fluffy texture. The
end result: a frozen drink for grown-ups to savor.

*Bluestem makes its housemade grenadine from equal parts pomegranate juice and cane sugar, but you
can substitute a quality commercial version like Small Hands Foods Grenadine Syrup—look for
pomegranate in the list of ingredients.

Ingredients
• 1 ounce Tequila Ocho Plata
• 1 ounce Combier Pamplemousse Rose grapefruit liqueur
• 1 ounce sparkling wine
• ½ ounce grenadine
• ½ ounce lime juice
• Orange zest, for garnish

Directions
In a blender, combine all ingredients except garnish with 1 cup of ice. Blend for 30 seconds, and pour into

a wine glass or brandy snifter. Garnish with orange zest.

July 24, 2017
Circulation: 670,000

These 5 Tequilas are worth a shot, the hangover

Kirk Miller

Happy Tequila Day, which is a thing.

While you’re celebrating, either today or in the near
future (say, Tuesday), remember that behind every sip
of a blanco or reposado is an agave plant and farmers
who spent a good portion of their lives putting your
drink together.

“The popularity of tequila puts strains on [the
production process],” says Ryan Wainwright, the
Director of Bar Programs at The Ponte in Los Angeles.
“Producers keep searching for ways to get more out of
a plant that takes 7 to sometimes 10 years to reach
maturity. Think about that! The tequila you are sipping
on was lovingly cared for by a farmer for longer than
any other raw material for spirits.”

As the son of a farmer, Wainwright says he finds respecting the agave and the growth of the plants to be
inextricably linked to the end product. “My five favorite tequilas are all ones that don’t cut corners — they
use traditional methods, grow all or almost all of the agave they cook and all of them have zero additives.
All of these things are beyond important to me.”

Herein, Wainwright’s five favorite tequilas, all with links to the spirits from Drizly — so you can get 'em
before the day ends (note: not all tequilas will be available in all markets).

"What exactly does terroir do to the agave plant, and how does it affect the flavors that come out of it? One
year [producer Carlos Camarena] will try tequila made from agave that spent its life in the shade of cedar
trees in the highlands facing east. The next year he’ll make tequila from another place that gets more
coastal winds and full sun. The differences are shocking and wonderful; each bottle unveils the beauty of a
truly unadulterated spirit. All the agaves come from his and his families’ farms, and he’s also pushing for a
fair and living wage for his workers. If you really want to see what pure, unblended tequila tastes like, there’s
no better choice."

June 27, 2017
Circulation: 500,000

Smooth, Complex and First-Class: The Top 5 Tequila Añejos

Stephanie Kohl

Tequila comes in many shapes, sizes, strengths, and—of course—quality. It’s important to know what you
are looking for, be it tequila for margaritas or tequila for sipping. Tequila Añejos are in the latter category.
They are aged between a year and three years, and they tend to be a lot smoother and have a more
complex flavor palate. For the love of god, do not waste these in a margarita.

Tequila Ocho Añejo

Tequila Ocho does some interesting things with their agave. Most tequila makers use many different
ranchos to source their agave and blend them all together to create consistent flavor, but Tequila Ocho
embraces difference. They label all their tequilas by style but also by rancho, so there’s a lot of variety to
be had, and a lot of opportunity to develop your taste within the añejo style.
Buy Now / $65

July 24, 2017
Circulation: 360,000

It’s National Tequila Day! Celebrate with Bat-friendly Tequila Ocho

Stef Schwalb

Today is National Tequila Day, which means there is no better time to enjoy this sumptuous spirit and get
your knowledge on by learning a bit more about bats. As the natural pollinators of blue agave, bats play a
critical role in tequila production, and Tequila Ocho – which just received the 2017 Sustainable Spirit Award
from Tales of the Cocktail® – is playing a critical role in protecting them. Cultivated from 100% blue agave
sourced entirely from individual estates in the Jalisco highlands, Tequila Ocho is the only vintage-
designated tequila based on a terroir-driven philosophy much the same as fine winemaking. Single-estate
Tequila Ocho is owned and farmed by the Camarena family. They have direct control over its production
from farm to bottle and are dedicated to preserving their raw materials for the future.

Tequila Ocho is sustainably managed and one of just three tequila producers taking part in a bat-friendly
pilot estate program, which permits a minimum 5% of their agave plants to fully flower. Blue agave stores
sugars for around eight years before producing one large single bloom, known in Spanish as quiote. Bats
thrive on these short-lived flowers, pollinating an estimated 180 species of agave (among other plants)
throughout Mexico. The challenge for growers and producers is that the agave plant can’t be utilized to
make tequila after it blooms. To extract maximum sugar, and to meet market demand for agave, tequila
producers have reduced the flowering cycle. The end result is that bats are deprived of a critical food source
and shift their migratory patterns accordingly – away from the tequila region, seriously threatening blue
agave’s genetic diversity as well as the local ecosystem. The bat-friendly program was created to revive
Mexico’s threatened species.

“Healthy bats depend on allowing some of our plants to reach full maturity and not harvesting before
flowering. We benefit from biodiversity and more complex genetic material that will sustain our agave for
generations to come,” explains Carlos Camarena, Tequila Ocho’s Master Distiller. “Bats may be an un-
loved animal, but it is amazing how opinions change when we realize their natural connection to our most
beloved export, tequila. We’re in a unique position as farmers and tequila-makers to monitor these
ecofriendly practices firsthand.”
The first vintage release of bat-friendly Tequila Ocho from the 2016 Puerta del Aire estate will feature a
hologram bat label in recognition of its environmental contribution and to raise awareness. You can find
additional information about it here. To help inspire your celebration today, check out the refreshing Jerez
to Jalisco cocktail created by Chris Caro of The Rieger in Kansas City.
Jerez to Jalisco
Light and refreshing, subtle vegetal notes of fennel and celery accentuated by bronze fennel and toasted
anise garnish.
Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Tequila Ocho Puerta del Aire Plata
• 1 oz Homemade Pineapple-fennel shrub
• 0.5 oz Fino sherry
• Celery bitters
Instructions
1. At the bar: Carbonated and individually bottled.
2. To recreate at home: Shake all ingredients, pour over ice, top with sparkling water to recreate the

fizz.

August 3, 2017
Circulation: 230,000

Bazaar Meat’s Summer Cocktails Are As Creative As Its Cuisine

When the name on the door reads José Andrés, you know the style of
cuisine will be creative. And the Spanish chef’s innovation doesn’t end with
the food menu.

Bazaar Meat’s new selection of summer cocktails reinforces the point.
Seemingly simple concoctions are mixed with something new in mind, like
the El Compadre—Buffalo Trace bourbon and the herbacious aperitif
Aperol with a blast of fresh lemon juice. Seasonally appropriate whimsy
serves as the main ingredient in the Pink Punk Lemonade (Ford’s gin,
lemon, raspberry and soda) and the Tornup Tiki Punch (vanilla-habanero
rum shaken with cinnamon and pineapple and grapefruit juices).

If you’re ready to get wild, try the Blurred Borders: old-world style Tequila
Ocho with Pernod absinthe, serrano pepper and Peychaud’s bitters. If
you’re already blurry and need something straight-up to smooth things
over, the Liquid Cherry Martini—made with Tanqueray Old Tom, Yzaguirre
sweet vermouth, Pierre Ferrand orange curacao and Dr. Adam Elmegirab
Boker’s bitters—will get you there, with flavor to spare.

Another easy option is the pretty Cross Eyed Mary, a paring of Bacardi 8 rum, absinthe, lemon and honey.
If ever there was a drink equally suited to warm up your palate for a memorable meal or put the final
exclamation point on your Bazaar experience, Mary is the girl. Bazaar Meat at SLS Las Vegas, 702-761-
7610; Sunday-Thursday 5:30-10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 5:30-11 p.m.

June 13, 2017
Circulation: 220,000

Snooth’s Spirit of the Week is…

Gabe Sasso

Tequilla Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire Plata ($50): Tequilla Ocho Plata is
produced exclusively from Agave grown at Puerta del Aire. They’re the only
Tequila distiller producing Single Estate Tequila’s from specific vintages. The
village of Arandas where their Estate is located sits more than 6,500 feet above
sea level. They allow their Agave to age 7 years before harvesting. At that age
the piñas weigh between 42 and 100 kg. Their distiller Carlos Camarena is a
3rd generation Tequilero. He works alongside Tomas Estes who is the
Ambassador of Tequila to the European Union.

Along with a couple of other producers Ocho is participating in a bat friendly
pilot estate program. They allow a minimum of 5% of their agave to flower. It
takes until the 8th year for Blue Agave to produce these large single blooms.
Bats not only need these blooms but they also pollinate roughly 180 types of
Agave as well as other plants in Mexico. Once the Agave plant has bloomed it can no longer be used to
produce Tequila. So this is a commitment to the environment on their part that supersedes potential
dollars lost.

Quite frankly most Blanco or Plata Tequila is relatively uninteresting sipped neat. The vast majority of
them are intended for blending into cocktails. Ocho Plata will disabuse you of that notion. This is a
delicious, distinct and complex Plata. It’s a singular expression with depth to spare. Tangerine zest,
savory green herbs, limestone and a hint of banana are all part of the impressive aromatics. The palate is
loaded with brown sugar, peppercorn, dates, cinnamon, a dusting of cocoa, and hints of sage. The finish
here is long, lush and memorable with the above characteristics reverberating.

You could certainly use Tequilla Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire Plata to make cocktails. It’s a super high
quality ingredient that will improve your Tequila based beverage exponentially. However it’s such a
specific and distinct expression that I believe it demands to be savored on its own. At most I’d put a hint
of a chill on it. Either way, enjoy this exceptional expression of a Tequila Plata.

April 20, 2017
Circulation: 152,200

The Drinks You'll Be Ordering For the Rest of 2016

Natalie Gallagher

No one has ever accused the Midwest of being a trendsetting region. That lofty badge has always gone to
the coasts; presumably, residents there are more finely attuned to what's hot and what's not — especially
when it comes to such important cultural matters as booze.

What a load of crap.

Now, it may be true that certain trends in food and drink take longer to reach us in the dead center of the
country. (Fernet Branca enjoyed a swelling popularity in California for several years before going
mainstream.) Thank state liquor laws for that; some products take longer to enter our market. But in my
extensive tour of the metro's watering holes, it's been made clear: These restrictions cannot contain the
creativity — or forward thinking — of Kansas City's most talented bartenders.

As we close the first quarter of 2016, I wanted to know what some of those bartenders had in mind for
cocktail trends to look forward to the rest of the year. For the jury, I rounded up Caitlin Corcoran of Ça Va,
Missouri's first champagne bar and one of Wine Spectator's best bars in the world of 2015; Andrew Olsen
of Bluestem, which was a semifinalist for a 2016 James Beard Award in its "Outstanding Restaurants"
category; and Berto Santoro, the bar manager at Extra Virgin and the longtime president of the Kansas City
chapter of the United States Bartender's Guild. These three, I was sure, could shake up something that
would surprise me — and keep me thirsty for the next eight months.

I wasn't disappointed.

ANDREW OLSEN
BLUESTEM
The trend: Wine-based cocktails
Why: To add depth and dimension to a recipe.

With several hundred liquor bottles lining the shelves behind the bar at Bluestem, it's interesting that bar
manager Andrew Olsen would devote a third of his specialty-cocktail menu to drinks championing wine as
an ingredient.

"We predominantly sell wine, and that's what people are here for," Olsen says. "I like to bridge that gap
between the bar and the tasting menu [in the dining room]. And while sparkling wine, sherry and madeira
seem to be popular trends in cocktails right now, there's a broad scope of wines that you can use to boost
a drink."

To his credit, these are intriguing combinations that Olsen has assembled on his menu. The Carnation
Market is a rum-and–Fino sherry cocktail; the Perfectly Perfect combines gin, Coteaux du Layon Premier
Cru Chaume (a sweet French wine), Olsen's housemade cucumber-cinnamon syrup and an egg white. The
drink I am most interested in, the SXSE, uses Tequila Ocho Plata and a Riesling from the Mosel region in
Germany — with a salted Rioja-foam garnish.

Olsen grins. "Yes, you'll have that one," he says, apparently having decided for me. But I am more than
willing to let Olsen have all the power here; it's his bar, after all, and he has yet to steer me wrong.

"So the cocktail is called South By Southeast," Olsen explains, "because the hills on the bank of the Moselle
River [in Germany] predominantly face south, and so do the slopes on the ranch in Jalisco where Tequila
Ocho is made."

I respond to this nerdery with a slanted brow and a wry smile, but I am secretly pleased: Olsen is the type
of bartender who considers every element of his drink. I imagine there is some secret matrix of criteria each
cocktail must fit; a clever name is just the clincher.

Olsen tells me that the SXSE is a traditional punch ratio: two parts strong and two parts weak alcohol, one
part sweet and one part sour. The tequila is aromatic, with hints of pear and warm mulling spices — a
perfect match, Olsen says, for the sweet orange blossom and peach profile of the J.J. Prüm Riesling. His
housemade chamomile syrup is there to marry these two characters.

Olsen mixes these ingredients, shakes and strains them into a wavy Nick and Nora glass. The liquid looks
like a pale limeade, but Olsen isn't finished. A lavender-purple foam rests atop this liquid, and it is made up
of Rioja wine, Ancho Reyes liqueur and just a tiny dab of sucrose ester — an emulsifier used to convert the
liquid into froth. This so-called garnish is as fluffy as the cloud on a cappuccino, and though pretty, it is
anything but decorative.

I taste the foam first: a heady mix of salt, spice and just a hint of red wine. The texture and the flavors don't
add up, and my palate is rocked. Olsen admonishes me.

"You have to taste the tequila with it," he says. "That's the whole point." I do as he says, and I'm further
confounded. I want to compare Olsen's SXSE to an elegant margarita, but I don't feel that does his creation
justice. As I drink, he talks.

"The flavors of any wine will change based on where they come from and what they are," he says. "In a
cocktail, I think they can allow you to add depth and character without compromising the spirit. In this drink,
you can taste the tequila and the Riesling, but the sweet-and-sour profile isn't overbearing. It allows you to
feel like you're drinking a strong drink, but it's not as strong as it would be."

Plus, Olsen adds, using a small quantity of less-expensive wine in a cocktail means that he can offset the
cost of a more spendy spirit like Tequila Ocho, which makes the drink a little more affordable for his guest.
And while Bluestem isn't about to make any "cheap eats" lists, it says something that, at $12 a cocktail, I
feel comfortable ordering a second — hell, maybe a third — SXSE.

SXSE (South By Southeast)
1 ounce Tequila Ocho Plata

1 ounce J.J. Prüm Riesling
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce chamomile syrup
Foam:
1 1/2 ounces Rioja wine
1/2 ounce Ancho Reyes liqueur
1/4 teaspoon Sucrose Ester

For the drink, shake ingredients together and strain. For the foam, combine ingredients in a stick blender
and charge.

September 5, 2017
Circulation: 66,200,000

Rejoice, Tequila Drinkers! Now You Can Be Socially Responsible

Santiago Perez
Mexican biologist urges liquor fans to order ‘bat friendly’ brands from makers who allow the creatures to
eat a percentage of their agave plants

ARANDAS, Mexico—Tequila might benefit from a closer relationship with the lesser long-nosed bat, and
the bat could sure use a little more tequila.
So let’s reunite them, even if thousands of agave plants need to die.
You can help down at the tavern.

That’s the message from Mexican biologist Rodrigo Medellín, who wants bars to start
stocking tequila made from agave grown by farms that let some of the plants flower
so bats can imbibe their nectar at night.
For more than a century, Mexican farmers have harvested their blue agave—tequila’s
raw material—before they blossom, because they die when they flower. Dead agave
plants don’t make good tequila.
But the lesser long-nosed bat loves the blossoms and was vital to pollinating blue
agave before humans took over, Dr. Medellín says. So tequila only exists, he argues, because of what
some Mexicans call “the tequila bat.”

And now more than ever, he says, bat and agave need each other for the greater good.

Bats pollinate other flowering species, so blue-agave blossoms will help sustain the broader plant kingdom,
he says. And bat-pollinated agave, he says, will produce seeds of varieties that are more genetically diverse
than what now dominate tequila production.
The bats, meanwhile, are suffering from human encroachment and would benefit from more tequila-agave
nectar.
Among creatures people tend to despise, “no one does more for the welfare of humans than the bat,” what
with their flower-pollinating and bug-eating habits, says the 59-year-old Dr. Medellín, a researcher at
National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Bats, he says, get a bad rap from vampire mythology and “are the ones who suffer the most from this
injustice.”

Dr. Medellín, known in his field as “The Batman of Mexico,” has persuaded three long-established tequila
makers to set aside 5% of their blue-agave crops to flower in some fields, through an initiative launched by
his university and Tequila Interchange Project, a group that advocates for sustainable and traditional
production techniques.
For their pains, they get to call tequila from those fields “bat friendly” and slap on the bottles a hologram Dr.
Medellín provides with an image of a bat near an agave flower.
One of the distillers, Tequila Tapatío, produced a bat-friendly version of its Tequila Ocho that its owner,
Carlos Camarena, found “to present traces of pepper and pineapple as well as orange blossom aromas.”
He allows that those characteristics have nothing to do with bats but stem from “terroir.”
The sight of flowering agaves in Mr. Camarena’s fields is so uncommon that nearby farmers come to ask
incredulously why the agave are being allowed to blossom. “In this project, you are basically turning tens
of thousands of dollars worth of agave into bat feed,” Mr. Camarena says.
“But this is a love story.”

Americans can share the love at bars like San Antonio’s Esquire Tavern, which offers a bat-friendly-tequila
cocktail dubbed “Batman of Mexico.” The spicy $12 drink includes fresh corn syrup, a blend of chilies and
lime, and bat-friendly tequila.
“It’s a conversation starter,” says the tavern’s beverage director, Houston Eaves, who calls Dr. Medellín´s
project an “eye-opening kind of concept.”
The bat-friendly Tequila Ocho version can be found for around $45 at some U.S. liquor stores.
Dr. Medellín has spent decades in hot caverns studying bats, including the lesser long-nosed bat, the
Mexican long-nosed bat and the Mexican long-tongued bat.
For much of that time, he was trying to convince tequila makers that bats are good for business as well as
nature. He finally persuaded the three tequila makers three years ago, including Mr. Camarena, who says
he was won over by the environmental concerns.

He and a team of students now moonlight sometimes as bat-friendliness compliance officers. Near midnight
recently, they paced one of Mr. Camarena’s fields inspecting agave crops that qualify for bat-friendly status.
“Did you bring some tequila?” Dr. Medellín asked. One replied: “Sorry Doc, I don’t drink at work.”
They verified nectar levels of the flowering spikes and set bat nets to study the creatures that fly in as far
as 60 miles from their caves. “Bats remember,” Dr. Medellín said, feeding sugary water to an exhausted
bat. “After 150 years, they are now back pollinating.”
Since the late 19th century, farmers have propagated agave fields, mostly in western Jalisco state, using
clonal shoots rather than seeds. The bats have had to content themselves with flowering agaves in ditches
or the wild.

As a result, Dr. Medellín says, many of Mexico’s blue agave plants aren’t very genetically diverse. That
could make them susceptible to disease, he says, and bat pollination could help change that.

Tequila companies and the industry’s trade group have made huge investments to fight disease, says
Carlos Humberto Suárez, head of institutional relations at José Cuervo, the world’s best-selling tequila
maker. “There’s a strict control of production methods to avoid risks. Blue agave isn’t a wild plant, and its
cultivation is closely supervised.”

Tequila Patrón, a major distiller, has commissioned a study with Mexico’s National Center for Genetic
Resources to analyze the genetics of agave shoots and to check into Dr. Medellín’s claims they lack
diversity. “We want to do the right thing,” says Francisco Soltero, head of strategic planning at Patrón, “but
we feel that we need more information about it.”

Tequila sales are booming, and distillers have a hard enough time finding enough blue agave, which takes
about six years to grow.

In Mr. Camarena´s tequila warehouse, Dr. Medellín marvels at one of the
results of the bat friendly crop: 350,000 blue agave seeds. “This is a genetic
treasure,” he says.

Having turned several distilleries batty, he has had to pitch bat-friendly booze
to bars. He’s taken American bartenders to fields in Mexico to show them bats
at work at night. “They ended up wanting to have their pictures taken with bats.”

A visit last year to a field made a believer of Joaquín Meza, owner of El Rancho
Grande restaurant in Providence, R.I. Before, “I wasn’t that friendly to bats,” he
says. Now he is offering the bat-friendly spirit to clients.

“Many customers don’t like such creepy creatures,” he says, “so they get really
intrigued when they try bat-friendly tequila.”





August 11, 2017
Circulation: 32,000

Tequila Ocho Plata 2016 Review

Cheri Loughlin

Tequila Ocho is currently the only single estate tequila to produce
vintage designated tequila. What does that mean? It means every
bottle is designated with its vintage year and the specific agave field
harvested. Each vintage produces tequila with aroma, flavor and
character unique to that year and agave field. Tequila Ocho is
sustainably managed and produced using long standing, respected
production methods.

Tequila Ocho Plata 2016 provided by brand representatives. All
photos and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated.

I reviewed Tequila Ocho Plata 2009 in May 2011. The tasting notes
within that review differ from the tasting notes contained within this
review. Take a close look at each label and you will see the tequilas
were harvested from two different fields. Just another reason each
tequila had different flavor profiles. Read the previous review to see the
differences between these two vintages and get the Ocho Limón
Café recipe here.

Tequila Ocho Plata 2016 Review

80 proof – 40% alcohol | $49.99 price point

@TequilaOcho on Facebook and Twitter | TequilaOcho.com

First Impressions: Simple bottle with simple modern label. The muted
colors are relaxing and easy on the eyes. That immediately alludes to
the fact that this is easy going tequila. The top is wooden with synthetic
cork beneath.

Color: Clear

Aroma: Classic tequila aroma is evident as soon as the bottle is
opened. There are sweet grasses, creamy vanilla, and fresh roundness
on the nose.

Tasted Neat: There is very little burn to this tequila. There is definite
warmth and good mouthfeel. The flavor is light on the tongue with
vanilla creaminess in the background. Very flavorful.

Tasted with Ice: Vanilla and spice flavors are abundantly clear. There is minor sweetness with pinch of
pepper, sweet grass and earthy flavors. It has medium to full body mouthfeel. The flavor is clean with
medium to mild agave notes.

Overall Impressions: This tequila is comparable to other tequilas within the same price range. Tequila
Ocho Plata is excellent sipped neat. That is not something I would do with most tequilas as many pack
quite a bit of burn straight from the bottle. This also makes a good base for unique cocktails. It could be
used in a margarita of course, but why be ordinary?! It would work quite well in something that would play
up the tequila spice. Perhaps something with Campari or another potable bitter.

Tequila Ocho Plata 2016 Hidden Treasure Recipe

This cocktail is elegant and complex in flavor using minimal
ingredients. It would make an excellent fall to winter after dinner drink.
There is light sweetness with rich caramel-like flavor. Cherry is buried
beneath the surface like hidden treasure. The orange twist is the
finishing touch that brightens this cocktail.

Hidden Treasure – recipe by Cheri Loughlin

1-1/2 ounce Tequila Ocho Plata 2016
1/4 ounce Sandeman Amontillado Sherry
1/2 ounce Heering Cherry Liqueur
5 drops Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
Orange Twist

Combine liquids in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled. Strain into
a chilled cocktail glass. Twist orange peel over glass to disperse oils.
Swirl peel side of twist around rim of the glass and then drop in to the
drink.

May 22, 2017
Circulation: 15,000

Review: Tequile Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire Plata- A Vintage Marvel

Steve Ruygrok

Jalisco is home to some of the best tequila distilleries around the world. There, agave is grown across the
landscape and agaves of all types can be found there. Distilleries come to Jalisco for the excellent agave,
and one of them is the highly respected Tequila Ocho.
The distillery’s approach to creating tequila is never to rush its production. Production methods of the
past are honored by Tequila Ocho. The agave is slow cooked in order to bring out the agave’s greatest
flavor. Taking inspiration from fine winemakers, Tequila Ocho brings the best to its tequila, and this is true
in its marvelous 2016 Puerta del Aire.
Its farm to bottle approach has helped make this tequila plata a fine tequila to enjoy. The single-estate
vintage tequila features agave that was seven years old. The tequila comes from 100 percent blue agave.
Quality is obvious when enjoying Tequila Ocho’s plata, particularly when you think about the time they put
into it.
The plata has a fairly straight forward nose, as aromas like menthol and banana come across most
prominently. Other hints you’ll find are subtle notes of cinnamon and even asparagus. The aromas set up
the palate quite nicely, though tastes when sampling vary from those found in the nose.

The palate of Tequila Ocho’s plata comes across in an exceptionally smooth fashion. The tequila
possesses great balance and finishes extremely well. Tasting notes you’ll find are characters such as
molasses and brown sugar. I detected those notes immediately when enjoying a neat pour of it.
Secondary characters will be hints like coffee and even basil.

This is a perfect tequila for tequila lovers everywhere. For those who can appreciate a good plata, they
need only look to Tequila Ocho for it. The plata has a high level of accessibility, no matter the sort of
tequila drinker you are. This is a marvelous plata and is one I highly recommend.

Bats have become an endangered species in Mexico and companies are taking steps to help foster their
growth and survival. Tequila Ocho’s plata is the first bat friendly vintage. Carols Camarena, who is the
master distiller at Tequila Ocho, spoke about the work they’re doing to protect Mexico’s bats.

“We’re not just in the business of making tequila. We’ve been agave growers in Jalisco for five
generations. Our aim is to make single estate tequilas that are as complex and unique as the fields they
grow in, and that means sourcing from a diverse range of agave plants.

“Healthy bats depend on allowing some of our plants to reach full maturity and not harvesting before
flowering. We in turn benefit from biodiversity and more complex genetic material that will sustain our
agave for generations to come,” Camarena said.
If you are looking for an original recipe to enjoy the plata with, Tequila Ocho has you covered. The
cocktail we’ll discuss is the Petty Cash Margarita and it is a simple, yet unique margarita worth making.
Creating one of these margaritas doesn’t involve a whole lot of time and is fairly straight forward.
In order to create a Petty Cash Margarita, you’ll need to have on hand Tequila Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire
Plata, fresh lime juice, lemon juice, citrus-spiked agave curaçao, a shaker, ice, salt and a lime wedge.
First, fill your shaker halfway with ice and then add in the ingredients.
Add in one and a half ounces of Tequila Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire Plata, one half ounce of fresh lime
juice, one half ounce of fresh lime juice and one ounce of citrus-spiked agave curaçao. From there, cover
and shake the ingredients until you are happy with the blend.

Rim your margarita glass with salt and then add ice into it. Take your strainer and pour the blend into your
margarita glass. Finally, garnish the drink with a lime wedge and you’re good to go! Obviously, salt on the
rim and the lime wedge garnish are personal preferences.
The Petty Cash Margarita is a very refreshing way to enjoy Tequila Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire Plata.
Camarena went onto speak further about their efforts in protecting bats throughout Mexico.
“Bats are an un-loved animal but it is amazing how opinions change when we realize their natural
connection to our most beloved export, tequila. We’re in a unique position as farmers and tequila-makers
to monitor these ecofriendly practices first-hand,” Camarena said.
Tequila Ocho 2016 Puerta del Aire Plata is now available for $49.99. It is a tequila I recommend to any
fan of the spirit, particularly those who appreciate craft and quality. Stick around here at We Write
Things for more on the spirits industry.