Tequila Ocho blanco, reposado, anejo (episode 44) tequila review

ding! Ding!! DING!!! School is in session, Boys and Girls.  It looks like Th’ Lip has finally met his match in TEQUILA OCHO Founder, Tomas Estes.  Watch in awe and delight as Sr. Estes leads Lippy through detailed tastings of the various Ranchos (vintages) of his mighty tequila.  They go head to head, taste for taste in this educational display of palate prowess!

Tomas Estes explains how he brought the notion of “TERROIR” to gourmet tequila by creating specific bottlings defined by certain agave fields.  Once a Rancho has been bottled, those agave plants won’t return in that area for some 10 years, so the bottles have an instant “limited edition” appeal.  Some great take-aways from this episode; Tequila Ocho is BURSTING with sweet and smoky natural agave flavor.  Th’ Lip claims it to be THE most agave-forward blanco he has ever tasted! Learn the process and the motivations behind starting a gourmet tequila brand from the ground up!

TEQUILA STATS:

BRAND: TEQUILA OCHO

NOM: 1474

AGAVE SOURCE: highlands, Single-Estate sourced agaves

GENERAL TASTING NOTES:

Are you ready for a BIG, WET, smack of full-frontal agave?  If so, then hunker down with any Rancho (vintage) of Tequila Ocho blanco.  This blanco is an agave lover’s best wish fulfillment.  It just can’t be overstated how much thick agave flavor is packed into every sip from beginning to end.  Though individual Ranchos bring specific flavor notes to the table (“Los Mangos” for instance introduces a tropical honeyed mint to the loads of agave) the agave is always up-front and commanding attention.  If you’ve never tasted cooked agave look no further.  Educate your palate.  THIS is the agave taste you’ll be wanting to find in all other brands hereafter.

The aged varieties of Ocho feature an extremely light touch with the introduction of wood.  It’s a barely discernable difference between the blanco and the repo – and from the repo to the anejo.  There IS some sweetness introduced and a bit of “polishing” to the flavor, but the strong agave core of the flavor profile remains intact and ever-present.  Look for the introduction of an “Extra Anejo” to the product line in the coming months.  This “XA” will bring a bit more of the familiar vanilla and oak flavors to the “palate-party” again-  without diminishing the agave presence at the core of Tequila Ocho.

FLAVOR Profiles (out of a possible 4 points)

Music Picks From This Show

“Eight Miles High” – The Leathercoated Minds
[audio:https://tequilawhisperer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/07-Eight-Miles-High.mp3|titles=Eight Miles High]
“Let’s Go Trippin'” – Dick Dale & The Del-Tones
[audio:https://tequilawhisperer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/12-Lets-Go-Trippin.mp3|titles=Let’s Go Trippin’]