Sabor de la Tierra Episode 1: How Tequila Ocho Turns Subtle Nuances Into Big Appeal [Video]

Most tequila makers have long aimed for a consistent spirit that always tastes the same. But at Tequila Ocho, the opposite is true, master distiller Carlos Camarena explains. “It was a negative thing back in the day to have different batches of tequila that would taste differently,” he says. Even at the distillery, agaves sourced from different fields show off distinct aromas and flavors, challenging producers who prioritize consistency. “So what we decided to do with Tequila Ocho was to stop hiding that element and actually enhance it.”

In this video, Carlos Camarena discusses where Tequila Ocho’s agave is grown, accompanied by his daughter, fourth-generation tequilera Fany Camarena. With over 40 different agave fields and harvests to date, Tequila Ocho’s single-estate approach means that each release gives drinkers plenty of nuances to discover. A field with clay soil might show off earthy characteristics and dried fruit, Fany Camarena notes. Carlos Camarena adds that more calcium in the soil might result in bigger agave plants, which can also contribute elegant black pepper notes. Those flavors and aromas express themselves clearly in the raw agave, as well as in finished products like Tequila Ocho Plata.

“For me, a bottle of Plata is the perfect way to show what the surroundings were — how the field was, the soil, the altitude, the climate,” Fany Camarena says. “Everything matters.”

That’s a big part of the story of Tequila Ocho. But as Carlos Camarena notes, the story is also about agave itself, which his great-great-grandparents began growing in the famous Jalisco Highlands some 140 years ago. “We want the agave to tell you a story,” he says. “What was the soil like? How was the microclimate?”

Tequila lovers know that those subtle differences aren’t faults. Instead, they’re what makes a great spirit worth seeking out.

Video by: Marshall McDonald

This article is sponsored by Tequila Ocho.