Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links. We do receive a small commission when you click on our links and make a purchase (at no extra cost to you). We always give our honest opinions, and these opinions are fully our own. See our Disclaimers →
818 Tequila Blanco
About 818 Tequila Blanco
818 Tequila Blanco is produced by 818 Spirits Inc. in partnership with Grupo Solave – a distillery in the Amatitán region of Jalisco, Mexico. It was launched in 2021 by celebrity Kendall Jenner, with the name representing the 818 area code where her hometown of Calabasas, California is located.
Their tequilas are made with Blue Weber agave sourced from the Los Valles area, which are harvested after 7 years of maturity and then slow cooked for at least 30 hours. It is then tahona crushed, fermented for 48 hours, and distilled twice using hand-built copper alembic pot stills. This particular bottle of Blanco Tequila is unaged.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 40%
❖ Distillery: Grupo Solave, SA de CV
❖ Aging: none
❖ Price Point: lower moderate
My Tasting notes
The aroma of this tequila had a bit of agave, with an airy quality wafting upwards towards the nose. After a couple sniffs, there was also a strong burst of brown sugar scent.
As I began to sip, I found this tequila to be pretty harsh with a burning sensation on the tongue. The heat and harshness really overpowered any sort of flavor, and did not dissipate as I continued. I did not really enjoy my straight tasting.
Looking to order your spirits online? At the Let's Drink It! blog, we're a fan of ReserveBar:
Shop ReserveBar!
Cocktail
Gilda
Ingredients
- 2oz blanco tequila
- 1/2oz pineapple juice
- 1/2oz lime juice
- 1/2oz cinnamon syrup
- garnish: lime wheel
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a small glass
- Garnish with a lime wheel if desired.
Inside of a cocktail, this tequila was pretty disappointing. At first, there seemed to be a reasonable level of smoothness, however, this illusion was quickly shattered by a harsh aftertaste. It really brought down the quality of the cocktail, which otherwise had nice flavor coming from the mixers.
Bottom Line
RATING: 1/5
At the end of the day, I was very unimpressed with this bottle of 818 Tequila Blanco. Somehow, it managed to fall short of my already very low expectations. The flavor was just disgusting, with no redeeming flavor notes to speak of. In a market full of perfectly palatable bottom shelf tequilas, I’m just not sure why anybody would want to drink this. Even the additives were not able to cover up the poor quality, and honestly I couldn’t even taste the flavor additives over the harsh bite of the alcohol.
Of course, this review would not be complete without mention of the controversial nature of 818 as a celebrity brand. For me, the fact that Kendall Jenner seems to have little respect for Mexican culture is aggravating but completely unsurprising. While researching similar cultural appropriation from other brands has made my blood boil, researching 818 has honestly just made me sigh a lot. There’s a lot to hate about their marketing – from the tone deafness of naming the brand after a highly affluent American neighborhood to the whitewashed promotional materials, and everything in between. The brand does seem to be making an effort to improve their positions on labor rights in response to being called out, even gaining B Corp status in 2023.
Even so, I absolutely cannot recommend supporting 818 Tequila overall, and the disgusting flavor of their tequila makes it even easier to avoid.
As always, drink responsibly.
Not Quite what you're looking for?
SEE OUR OTHER BLANCO TEQUILA REVIEWS:
JOIN THE NEWSLETTER!
Get more from Let’s Drink It! by subscribing to our monthly email newsletter