Tequila Ocho has doubled down on its mission to put terroir into the spirits conversation with the launch of a new range of single-region tequilas.
Terroir refers to the soil’s influence on alcohol production and is synonymous with winemaking. Its relevance to spirits remains debatable, but the blue weber agave used to produce tequila takes up to eight years to mature. Over time, agave plants experience different climates and absorb different minerals across Mexico’s designated growing regions, leading to large variations in flavor.
Tequila Ocho was founded on the principles of single-field tequilas and vintages, and every bottle can be traced back to where and when the agaves were harvested. It’s a revolutionary practice in an industry where it’s often hard to distinguish the distillery a bottle has come from.
Ocho’s new Terroir Select series will showcase the qualities from all eight Highland regions whilst simultaneously supporting local agave farmers. The aim is to provide a boost to traditional family farms at a time when the wider industry is experiencing a downturn, with some agave crops being abandoned.
The first Terroir Select vintage, Comunidad, is made with agaves grown exclusively at El Nacimiento de Abajo in Arandas, Jalisco, the neighboring community of Ocho’s distillery, Tequilera Los Alambiques. The vintage will be released in both a plata and reposado expression, both bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof.
Ocho’s master distiller, Carlos Camarena, said: “Terroir Select enables us to tell an even deeper story of the agave’s life, and to help smaller agave farmers who share our commitment to growing only the best agave on some of the best land Mexico has to offer.”
Tequila Ocho Terroir Select Comunidad will be available at bottle shops and back bars in the US beginning in late December 2025, ochotequila.com
