There are always a lot of great values in the tequila aisle of the liquor store, even if you’re not in Mexico. One of the best values is a bottle that normally sells for $35 to $50 but out-tastes some that sell for two, three, or four times as much. The 1800 Añejo (aged) tequila is a fine sipping spirit that deserves a place in your home bar or consideration as a classy gift for a client.
It’s a shame that the Jose Cuervo name has been so tarnished by its cash cow product, the artificially colored dreck that’s most consumers’ first encounter with something called tequila. The company wisely keeps that name off the front of this pyramid-shaped, heavy glass bottle. In fact until I took the Cuervo Express train out to the distillery from Guadalajara, I didn’t even know 1800 was part of their portfolio.
When I did a private tasting after the tour of the Cuervo plant, of course I expected the Reserva de la Familia to be great. This is the company’s pride and joy and it usually retails for more than $100 a bottle. I came away really impressed with this 1800 Añejo tequila though and bought a bottle right then and there. I pulled it out whenever I had something to celebrate and every time I was delighted.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last all that long.
In the years since then, I’ve gravitated back to 1800 tequila several times, picking this up as a good sipping tequila to have on hand that I know will please visitors with a discerning palate. It’s one that tastes far more expensive than the price tag would suggest and the bottle feels nice in the hand when pouring.
About 1800 Tequila
This premium 1800 tequila is made from 100% blue agave and the añejo version is aged in new French and American oak barrels for a minimum of one year, but with some barrels aging for up to three. In Mexico it’s 38% alcohol, which I find preferable for sipping, but in the international market it’s 40%.
This is an easy tequila to find in duty free stores, so it’s a reliable choice to bring home or pick up as a last-minute gift. (If you’re using it for cocktails though, step down to the reposado or silver version.) It’s also a staple in U.S. liquor stores, with the marketing of Cuervo and Proximo Spirits behind it.
Where does the name 1800 come from? History says that tequila started officially selling in 1795, when permission from Spain came down, and 1800 was the first year they started aging the spirit in wood barrels.
If you buy this tequila in Mexico, the bottle label may be slightly different but it’s equally easy to find. The price can be a bit misleading if you compare it to what you’d pay in the USA because it’s not apples to apples. Bottles are 700 ml in Mexico, compared to 750 in the USA, plus there’s that slight alcohol difference. As I write this the price at the La Comer supermarket is the equivalent of US$43 and at Leuken’s in the USA it’s $47 plus tax when not on sale, so basically a wash.
Tasting 1800 Anejo Tequila
For most people, the first word that comes to mind after sipping this is either “smooth” or “delicious.” It’s very well-balanced and doesn’t have a lot of bite to it. The long aging in new oak barrels definitely brings about a smoothing out of the edges and a mellowing of the alcoholic bite.
That doesn’t mean it’s lacking in complexity though. Most will taste the usual caramel, clove, and vanilla notes, plus despite the aging there’s a fresh agave taste that isn’t overwhelmed by the oak. You may detect some hints of coconut, cinnamon, and orange peel as well.
The other defining characteristic of this aged tequila is the consistently good experience from beginning to end. The hefty glass bottle with wood stopper cap feels solid in the hand and the first whiff of the glass after pouring immediately makes me start salivating. It’s a pleasant sensation when it first rolls across the different taste buds in the mouth and the finish is equally satisfying. There’s a warm and harmonious lingering of the flavor elements after it’s long gone.
Get more info at the 1800 Tequila website. The site has some tequila cocktail recipes, but I can’t bear to mix good aged tequila like this. I’ll use a younger version for that.
Hand me $45 – $50 to buy anything in the tequila section and I’ll gladly make this purchase again, looking forward to some nice sipping sessions.
What you won’t find me buying is one of two tequilas scoring a top gold prize in the 2024 International Wine & Spirit competition in London. The related cousin that won was the 1800 Milenio Extra Añejo Tequila, a version in a fancier tall bottle that is matured at the end in French Oak Cognac bottles. Sounds wonderful, read more about it here, but at $249 and up for a bottle, it probably won’t be going into my cart anytime soon.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxury Latin America and has been covering the region as a travel journalist since the mid-2000s. He has visited each country we cover multiple times and is based in a UNESCO World Heritage city in central Mexico, where he owns a home. See contact information here.
