Perhaps it’s just because I don’t have a real bead on agave spirit geek culture in the way I do for American whiskey, but it’s always been interesting to me the way overproof tequila and mezcal don’t really seem to have widely penetrated the consumer mainstream in the U.S. Compared with the world of bourbon or rye whiskey, where a good percentage of the geek market isn’t even interested in releases unless they’re at least 100 proof or far stronger, the agave spirit market has seemingly held quite firmly to its tradition of lower proof points. I would struggle to think of any hyped American whiskey released at the minimum of 40% ABV (80 proof), and yet that’s still perfectly normal for many ultra-premium tequilas–even those spirits that seem to be celebrated by the agave cognoscenti. With that said, the overproof agave spirits are certainly out there on the fringes with rabid fanbases, and once you sample one like Tequila Ocho Plata Puntas, it becomes easy to see the allure.
Tequila Ocho is a company we’ve recently become more familiar with, visiting the first-of-its-kind agave estate distillery in person last spring. This brand has been built around the aesthetic of being a good steward to the agave plant and its legacy in Mexican distillation, and then translating the terroir of that agave to the bottle. Nowhere is that more direct than in Plata Puntas, the company’s overproof silver tequila release, currently in its second year. The first expression released in 2022 was received with acclaim, weighing in at 50.5% ABV (101 proof). This one pushes even further, to 53% ABV (106 proof). Like the former it is made with agave from the company’s own fields, this time at Rancho Mesa Colorada, overseen by Tequila Ocho co-founder Carlos Camerena, and distilled at Tequilera Los Alambiques in eastern Jalisco. This differs slightly from the first year’s batch, which came from agave harvested at the fields of Rancho La Ladera. It should likely go without saying to enthusiasts that this is a very traditionally produced tequila, with agave pinas cooked in brick ovens before fermentation and distillation in copper pot stills. Tequila Ocho likely sees this as the pinnacle of their unaged tequila-making method, and after tasting it we wouldn’t jump to disagree.
With that said, this is a limited release in the U.S., with “just over 1,100 cases” being distributed in a little more than 20 states, according to the brand. It retails for a quite reasonable $75, while its name refers to the puntas, or so-called “distiller’s cut” from the very end of the heads to the very beginning of the hearts in distillation.
In other words, this is some serious blanco tequila. So let’s get to tasting it.
On the nose, Tequila Ocho Plata Puntas displays vivacious agave notes and candied fruitiness. Roasted agave is big up front, joined by floral vanilla and salted, bruleed grapefruit. I’m also getting a hint of clove-like spice, some burnt sugar and floral notes. It likewise has a nutty dimension that strikes me as almond in particular, verging on marzipan, though the sweet agave is really the star of the show.
On the palate, this displays powerful agave flavors, favoring the sweet, roasty and spicy sides of the equation. There’s a big peppery character, but also vanilla pudding, citrus, baked fruit, some resinous notes and a little underlaying herbal bitterness that keeps the overall flavor from registering as more than mild residual sweetness. The profile is bold and bright, with complexity that agave geeks will want to dissect in far more detail than someone like me–a relative neophyte compared to true tequila obsessives–is capable of bringing to bear.
In short, it’s an absolutely fantastic, delicious blanco, and one where even its advanced proof point never becomes a burden. In fact, it carries its heat extremely well even without any wood aging, and its profile drinks exceptionally well neat. I’ll say this: Rarely do I have much of an urge to drink neat tequila, typically preferring cocktails, but with this one it feels like perhaps the most obvious way to consume it. That’s a testament to the depth of flavor present in this blanco. Tequila Ocho has done a tremendous job in carrying out their stated mission.
Distillery: Tequila Ocho
Region: Jalisco, Highlands
Style: Blanco tequila
ABV: 53% (106 proof)
Availability: Limited, 750 ml bottles, $75 MSRP
Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident craft beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.