Sabor de la Tierra Episode 2: How Tequila Ocho Expresses the Complexity of Tequila’s Terroir [Video]

Just like fine wines, great spirits can express a real sense of place, highlighting the unique character of the region, a.k.a. terroir, where their ingredients grow. When it comes to tequila, the location, terrain, and environmental conditions of each agave field can make a huge difference in the finished spirits.

In this video, master distiller Carlos Camarena and fourth-generation tequilera Fany Camarena explain how Tequila Ocho expresses agave’s terroir. With its single-estate focus, Tequila Ocho spotlights the particular character of one field and harvest with every release.

For Carlos Camarena, agaves from different fields are like twins who grow up in different places. Although they have the same genetic background, they are deeply influenced by their environment.

The red soil of a field in the Jalisco Highlands generally indicates high amounts of iron and potassium, he explains, while uneven terrain might mean the agave plants have to work hard to thrive. “I can anticipate that the tequila from this field would be more fruity, more floral,” he says. “It is rocky, it is hilly, and therefore the plant is struggling a little bit more to get to full maturity, and that will result in more sugar content, and therefore a sweeter profile.”

The tequilero, or tequila maker, can help reveal those differences, Fany Camarena notes. To date, Tequila Ocho has showcased the growing conditions of over 40 different fields and harvests. “Each of those is different in aromas and flavors,” she says. “It is the choice of every tequilero to find that balance.”

Because Tequila Ocho uses agave plants that grow for up to 10 years, the full complexity of the terroir shines through. “These agaves, getting over-matured — they will provide the most complexity,” Carlos Camarena says. “At the end of the day, that is what we want.”

Video by: Marshall McDonald

This video is sponsored by Tequila Ocho.