Ocho Tequila ramps up production
Heaven Hill Brands-owned Ocho Tequila has resumed production at its former brand home, Destilería La Alteña, to expand its capacity.
In March 2023, Ocho opened its first dedicated distillery and visitor experience in Jalisco, Mexico, to boost the brand’s production capacity.
The new site, called Los Alambiques, includes an on-site cantina, restaurant and a visitor centre with a barrel centre underneath.
The brand has now resumed production at its former home, La Alteña, which is located just 15 minutes down the road from Los Alambiques.
The additional space will enable Ocho to expand production capability and maintain its ‘high standards’, while continuing to roast, ferment, and distil Blue agave at Los Alambiques.
Ocho will assign production staff currently at Los Alambiques to similar roles at La Alteña.
Select vintages of Ocho will be produced at La Alteña at various times throughout the year.
In 2008, the late Tomas Estes co-founded Tequila Ocho, a single-estate brand now sold in more than 20 countries. The brand was the result of a collaboration between Estes and the Camarena family, who produce Tequila Tapatio.
Co-founder Carlos Camarena said: “When Tom and I started this company almost two decades ago as an experiment to prove terroir exists in spirits just as it does in wine, we never could have imagined the response would be this overwhelmingly positive.
“Put plainly, increasing production without compromising standards will give more people the opportunity to fall in love with Tequila Ocho and fully understand the beauty of the agave and the power of this incredible land. What better place to do it than where it all started?”
Each expression of Tequila Ocho is made from only three ingredients: agave, water and natural airborne yeast.
The brand was given a global redesign in March last year. A month earlier, Ocho teamed up with Brooklyn-based Widow Jane Distillery to launch an añejo aged in Bourbon barrels.
Ocho and Widow Jane have been part of Heaven Hill’s portfolio since 2022, following the acquisition of their parent company Samson & Surrey.
La Alteña is also home to the production of Tapatio Tequila and El Tesoro.
Earlier this year, El Tesoro promoted Jenny Camarena, third-generation Tequila maker at La Alteña Distillery, to the role of master distiller and CEO. She took over the positions from her brother, Carlos Camarena.
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