Tequila brand guide
Carlos Camarena and Tomás Estes built Ocho around a question worth exploring: how does tequila change with the growing place and harvest? Single Estate and Terroir Select now offer two ways to compare.
Explore the range ↓
The idea behind Ocho
Ocho puts the agave’s place and harvest year on the label
Carlos Camarena and Tomás Estes launched Tequila Ocho in 2008 to explore how the place where agave grows affects tequila. They kept each field’s harvest separate and put its name and vintage on the bottle. Ocho means “eight”: the name comes from the eighth sample Camarena made for Estes.
Ocho’s Single Estate range identifies one growing field. Terroir Select brings together agave from a growing region: the 2026 Río Lerma releases use five fields across Jalisco and Michoacán. Both approaches make the growing place part of the bottle’s story.
Heaven Hill acquired Ocho in 2022. Carlos Camarena is its master tequilero. His work connects Ocho to the Camarena family’s La Alteña distillery, home of El Tesoro and Tapatío.
Carlos Camarena
Co-founder and master tequilero
Developed Ocho with Tomás Estes. His earlier work at La Alteña includes El Tesoro and Tapatío; Jenny Camarena now leads La Alteña and El Tesoro.
Tomás Estes
Co-founder and tequila advocate
Founded the Pacifico restaurant group in 1976, brought Mexican food and tequila to European audiences, and served as the Mexican National Tequila Chamber’s European ambassador. He published The Tequila Ambassador in 2012.
Ocho’s expressions
Plata, aged tequila and special releases
The four established US expressions are 40% ABV. Barrel Proof Reposado and Puntas are stronger, separately named releases.
Plata is Ocho’s unaged blanco. Reposado spends eight weeks and eight days in barrel, Añejo one year and Extra Añejo three years. Their American oak barrels first held whiskey, then several fillings of tequila. Repeated use reduces the wood’s influence, leaving more room for agave flavor.
Flavor notes below are the maker’s descriptions.
- Blanco
Plata
40% ABV
Unaged
$42US shop price
About $15 a shot9 US menus · October 2026
Cooked agave, citrus, fresh herbs, white pepper and mineral notes.
- Reposado
Reposado
40% ABV
8 weeks and 8 days (64 days)
$50US shop price
About $17 a shot8 US menus · October 2026
Cooked agave, cinnamon and vanilla.
- Añejo
Añejo
40% ABV
1 year
$75US shop price
About $20 a shot3 US menus · October 2026 · small sample
Cacao, coffee, nutmeg, dried fruit and salted caramel.
- Extra Añejo
Extra Añejo
40% ABV
3 years
About $249US suggested retail · 2024 release · 750 mLRelease details
About $67 a shot2 US menus · October 2026 · small sample
40% ABV describes the US 2024 release. The photograph shows La Ladera 2021, labeled 42% ABV.
Cooked agave, roasted coffee, nuts, orange peel, cherry and oak.
- Reposado
- Higher proof
Barrel Proof Reposado · Las Raíces 2024
50.5% ABV · 101 proof
Up to 6 months
$80 · sold outUS shop price
About $85US suggested retail · initial 2025 release · 750 mLRelease details
Bright agave, baking spices, dark chocolate, peach, caramel and white pepper.
- Blanco
- Higher proof
Puntas 2026 · Río Lerma
55% ABV · 110 proof
Unaged
About $75US suggested retail · Río Lerma 2026 · 750 mLRelease details
Cooked agave, citrus, tamarind, ripe pineapple and herbs.
The photographed core bottles show examples of the range; estates and vintages change. Barrel Proof Reposado’s first batch used Las Raíces agave harvested in 2024 and reached shops in two waves in 2025. Puntas 2026 uses Río Lerma agave and is bottled at 55% ABV, the maximum permitted for tequila.
Explore Ocho’s estates, read an actual label and compare Puntas and barrel releases →
How it is made
Brick ovens, wooden vats and two Arandas distilleries
Ocho cooks mature agave for 48 hours in brick ovens, followed by 24 hours of cooling. A roller mill extracts the juice, which ferments for about 100 hours in wooden vats with natural airborne yeast. Two pot distillations follow, with copper used for the second pass.
Ocho began at La Alteña and moved production to Los Alambiques in 2021. By February 2026, it was producing at both distilleries to meet growing demand, according to Jesse Estes. The Los Alambiques visitor center opened in 2023. Both distilleries are in Arandas, Jalisco, and Ocho uses NOM 1474 at both.
Ocho’s growing fields extend beyond the distilleries’ Highland location: Corralillos, for example, lies north of Lake Chapala, outside the Highlands.
Ocho’s distilleries · Arandas, Jalisco
The map locates Arandas municipality, home to Los Alambiques and La Alteña. Estate locations are described in the estates and vintages guide.
Explore other tequila distilleries on our full map →
Explore Ocho’s bottles and producer →
Production details · Jesse Estes on the two distilleries · Visit Los Alambiques
What it costs
Tequila Ocho bottle and shot prices
US shop prices below cover the named expressions. Suggested prices are separate launch references for the release shown.
| Bottle | Suggested retail (USD) | Shop price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Plata | — | $42 |
| Reposado | — | $50 |
| Añejo | — | $75 |
| Barrel Proof Reposado · Las Raíces 2024 | $85initial 2025 release | $80Unavailable |
| Extra Añejo | $2492024 release | — |
| Puntas 2026 · Río Lerma | $75Río Lerma 2026 | — |
Prices are subject to change.
Price sources and details
US bottle listings, checked October 4, 2026. Tax and delivery are extra.
- Old Town Tequila: Plata, about $42 (750 mL). In stock online.
- Old Town Tequila: Reposado, about $50 (750 mL). In stock online.
- Old Town Tequila: Añejo, about $75 (750 mL). In stock online.
- Old Town Tequila: Barrel Proof Reposado · Las Raíces 2024, about $80 (750 mL). Stock unclear; shown as sold out.
- Suggested US retail: Extra Añejo, $249; 2024 release. Brand announcement
- Suggested US retail: Barrel Proof Reposado · Las Raíces 2024, $85; initial 2025 release. Brand announcement
- Suggested US retail: Puntas 2026 · Río Lerma, $75; Río Lerma 2026. Brand announcement
Suggested prices for the Río Lerma releases
The 2026 Terroir Select Río Lerma releases launched at about $50 for Plata, $60 for Reposado and $75 for Puntas in the US. These are 750 mL bottle prices. The special-release comparison also covers Old Fitzgerald Barrel Select.
Río Lerma Plata and Reposado announcement · Puntas 2026 announcement. Prices are subject to change.
Is Tequila Ocho additive free?
Yes, Tequila Ocho is additive free.
Its ingredients are agave, water and natural airborne yeast.
Sources and earlier records
Heaven Hill — Tequila Ocho portfolio · Tequila Ocho — Process (official source) · Ocho Puntas 2026: Rio Lerma Terroir Select and 55% ABV · Spirited Agave additive free brand list — August 2025
Our August 2025 directory recorded Ocho at NOM 1474 using earlier Tequila Matchmaker records. The current answer is supported by Heaven Hill’s company statement; the historical entry is not a claim of present independent certification.
Keep comparing
What to compare with Ocho
El Tesoro and Fortaleza make useful comparisons for Ocho’s production methods. Their standard blancos share Ocho Plata’s US strength; the stronger releases form a separate group.
Three unaged tequilas at 40% ABV
- Blanco
Tequila Ocho Plata
40% ABV
Unaged
Roller milling and named estate vintages. The growing place varies with the bottle.
$42US shop price
About $15 a shot9 US menus · October 2026
- Blanco
El Tesoro Blanco
40% ABV
Unaged
Tahona milling and fermentation with agave pulp at La Alteña.
$50US shop price
About $12 a shot9 US menus · October 2026
- Blanco
Fortaleza Blanco
40% ABV
Unaged
Tahona milling and copper pot distillation in the Tequila Valley.
$85 · sold outUS shop price
About $21 a shot5 US menus · October 2026
Two stronger blancos
- Blanco
- Higher proof
Tequila Ocho Puntas 2026 · Río Lerma
55% ABV · 110 proof
Unaged
A selected early distillation cut from the Río Lerma regional release.
About $75US suggested retail · Río Lerma 2026 · 750 mLRelease details
- Blanco
- Higher proof
Fortaleza Blanco Still Strength
46% ABV · 92 proof
Unaged
Fortaleza’s regular Still Strength Blanco, bottled at 46% ABV.
$110 · sold outUS shop price
Quick answers
Questions about Tequila Ocho
Who owns Tequila Ocho?
Heaven Hill owns Tequila Ocho, which it acquired in 2022. Co-founder Carlos Camarena is its master tequilero.
Why is Tequila Ocho called Ocho?
Ocho means “eight” in Spanish. Carlos Camarena and Tomás Estes chose the eighth sample Camarena made during the brand’s development.
Is every Tequila Ocho bottle from one estate?
No. Ocho Single Estate uses agave from one field. Terroir Select represents a growing region and can combine fields; the 2026 Río Lerma releases use five.
Does the year on Tequila Ocho mean its age in barrel?
No. Ocho’s vintage identifies the agave harvest year. The expression gives the maturation: core Plata is unaged, Reposado spends 64 days in barrel, Añejo one year and Extra Añejo three years.
How strong is Tequila Ocho Puntas?
Ocho Puntas 2026 is 55% ABV, or 110 proof. Puntas 2024 is 54% ABV, or 108 proof.
Was Tequila Ocho Puntas 2024 bottled without dilution?
No. Ocho Puntas 2024 was diluted with deep-well water to reach 54% ABV. “Puntas” describes the selected part of distillation, so the name alone does not mean no water was added.
Is Tequila Ocho additive free?
Yes, Tequila Ocho is additive free. Its ingredients are agave, water and natural airborne yeast.
Sources and photographs
Product facts and flavor notes: the producers linked below. Retail price sources appear beside the price comparison. Bottle photographs: brand and importer sources.
- Ocho Barrel Proof Reposado launch: 50.5% ABV and up to six monthsChecked 2026-10-04.
- Heaven Hill portfolio history: Ocho acquired in 2022Checked 2026-10-04.
- Tequila Ocho — Limited (official source)Checked 2026-10-04.
- Tequila Ocho — Mexico (official source)Checked 2026-10-04.
- Tequila Ocho — Origins (official source)Checked 2026-10-04.
- Tequila Ocho — Process (official source)Checked 2026-10-04.
- Tequila Ocho — Products (official source)Checked 2026-10-04.
- Ocho Puntas 2024: Mirandillas, 54% ABV and proofing waterChecked 2026-10-04.
- Ocho Puntas 2026: Rio Lerma Terroir Select and 55% ABVChecked 2026-10-04.
- Tequila Ocho — Terroir (official source)Checked 2026-10-04.
- Spirited Agave additive free brand list — August 2025Checked 2026-10-06. August 2025 list preserves earlier Tequila Matchmaker entries.
- Jesse Estes interview: Ocho expands with passion and purposeChecked 2026-10-08.
- Heaven Hill — Tequila Ocho portfolioChecked 2026-10-08.
- Ocho — Río Lerma Plata and Reposado, September 2026Checked 2026-10-08.
- Ocho — Extra Añejo release, October 2024Checked 2026-10-08.
- Ocho — Old Fitzgerald Barrel Select, March 2025Checked 2026-10-08.
- CRT — tequila requirementsChecked 2026-10-08.
- Ocho Mexico — tequila collectionChecked 2026-10-08.
- Heaven Hill — Widow Jane and Ocho collaboration historyChecked 2026-10-08.