Tequila Ocho's New Release Is the Best Tequila We've Tried So Far This Year
Over the next two years, tequila is poised to overtake vodka to become the top-selling spirit category in the United States. Across the globe, in fact, the beloved Mexican export has never been as broadly received as it is right now. So, it’s no surprise that seemingly every week brings the arrival of a new expression to shelf. They’re not all equal in importance, of course. But today we’re able to tell you about one that’s mightier than most.
Tequila Ocho has just unveiled the 2024 edition of Plata Puntas. At 54 percent, it’s the highest ABV release to date from the revered brand. And it’s high in the running for best tequila we’ve tasted all year.
Tequila Ocho was co-founded in 2008 by none other than Carlos Camarena, the legendary fifth generation farmer and tequilero behind some of the most respected agave offerings on earth. With this particular label, he set out to establish the world’s first single estate tequila. Each bottling relies entirely on extra-mature agave from a specific farm in the highlands of Jalisco.
In so doing, Camarena could implement an unparalleled degree of control over the evolution of his spirit, from agricultural product in the field to distilled liquid in the glass. It was an immediate hit amongst connoisseurs and bartenders before eventually catching on with even the most casual of consumers.
Fast forward to 2022. Ocho was ready to dial things up for the brand, figuratively and literally. Introducing a high proof mark was the way to do it. Although the vast majority of tequilas on shelf today sit at the 80-proof mark—the legal minimum for the category in the U.S.—agave enthusiasts typically prefer something closer to “still strength.” That is, a liquid that hasn’t been watered down after distillation. It affords a more assertive spirit, exhibiting the unadulterated essence of the plant itself.
That’s what you’ll get with Plata Puntas. The latest example noses with vegetal earth. Aloe and eucalyptus lead the charge. A slow and steady sip of the spirit conjures up connections to rain-washed stone, before creme brûlée and cacao take hold. Those sweeter threads are the result of all that mature agave, roasted and fermented with patient resolve.
As pleasing as these notes all are, perhaps the most striking characteristic of the juice is its impossibly creamy mouthfeel. It coats the palate and sustains all the aforementioned tasting notes in place long after each swig goes down. There’s not even that much heat to speak of, given its 108-proof bottling strength.
It’s the type of tequila that you’ll enjoy sitting with for quite some time in the snifter. The very name of the release, “puntas,” references the distiller’s cut, which tequileros traditionally hold back for friends and family on special occasions. So count yourself in Camarena’s inner circle, if you’d like. Just make sure you don’t move too slow in seeking some out. At $75 a bottle, this latest Plata Puntas won’t just be high-proof, it’ll be in supremely high demand.