818 Blanco is a tequila from Jalisco, the western Mexican state where the category is anchored, and it is bottled unaged. Blanco, or plata, is tequila at its most direct: clear, and bottled without the wood that would darken it. What separates one blanco from another is the agave itself and how carefully the distiller handles it.
- Tequila, 100% blue agave, Jalisco, Mexico.
- 40% ABV, 750ml.
- Unaged blanco, clear in the bottle.
How it is made
Tequila is a protected category with a rule that does most of the work: it must be made from blue agave, and only in five permitted Mexican states. Jalisco is the largest and the best known, and the town of Tequila gives the spirit its name. The agave is a slow crop, taking years in the field before the heart of the plant is ready to be cooked and distilled. Blanco means the spirit goes into the bottle without time in oak, so nothing sits between the agave and the glass.
How it tastes
Fresh agave leads, with citrus alongside it and a faint thread of vanilla. Black pepper arrives on the back end and stays through a clean, crisp finish. It is smooth rather than heavy, and the peppery note is the part that lingers.
Good to know
Blanco is the oldest style of tequila, the way the spirit was drunk long before reposado and añejo existed. Ageing in wood came later, and it was as much about storage and transport as about flavour. The clear bottle is not a shortcut; it is the original form of the drink.
Contains alcohol.
