Eight Reserve, the ultra-premium Añejo from Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand, is a veritable Mariachi band in a bottle – lively, upbeat and engaging.
The fourth and final expression in the 818 range, Eight Reserve is a blend of one, three, and eight year añejos, aged in French white wine and American ex-bourbon barrels, for additional complexity and depth.
When 818 Tequila launched in the UK early 2023, it caused something of a social media sensation, selling out at Selfridges within minutes.
So how does Eight Reserve, this Ultra-Premium Añejo, compare? I attended its UK launch, at Ixchel Kings Road London, eager to make an early assessment
The fourth and final expression in the 818 range, Eight Reserve is a blend of three aged añejos…
818 Eight Reserve tequila tasting notes
Ideal for sipping, Eight Reserve is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks (for cocktails, opt for the 818 Blanco, we can vouch for it in a tequila sour). Crafted in Jalisco, Mexico, the liquid is spicy yet smooth, as befits its premium status.
Unlike the Blanco, the liquid boasts a slightly golden hue, and offers aromas of caramel, orange peel and vanilla. On the palate, it’s predominantly sweet (honey), with hints of cherries. It’s also lightly floral, the influence of the French casks used for the resting process coming to the fore.
The blend is key to its approachable flavour profile. In addition to the standard añejo tequila, there’s a five year old añejo which has been aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, and this adds some toastier notes, with a third Extra añejo layer, aged for eight years in French White Wine T5 barrels, for extra sweetness.
Immediately recognisable behind the bar, Eight Reserve comes in a handmade ceramic decanter, in a distinctive 8 shape. Produced by local artisans in Pachuca, using a variety of raw and recycled materials, this isn’t so much a bottle as a collectible keepsake.
If your interest is piqued, the 818 line also includes a Blanco (defined as less than two months old in a barrel, rested rather than aged), a Reposado (which can be aged anywhere between two and 12 months), and an añejo (which 818 parks for 14 months).
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Eight Reserve, the ultra-premium Añejo from Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand, is a veritable Mariachi band in a bottle – lively, upbeat and engaging.
The fourth and final expression in the 818 range, Eight Reserve is a blend of one, three, and eight year añejos, aged in French white wine and American ex-bourbon barrels, for additional complexity and depth.
When 818 Tequila launched in the UK early 2023, it caused something of a social media sensation, selling out at Selfridges within minutes.
So how does Eight Reserve, this Ultra-Premium Añejo, compare? I attended its UK launch, at Ixchel Kings Road London, eager to make an early assessment
818 Eight Reserve tequila tasting notes
Ideal for sipping, Eight Reserve is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks (for cocktails, opt for the 818 Blanco, we can vouch for it in a tequila sour). Crafted in Jalisco, Mexico, the liquid is spicy yet smooth, as befits its premium status.
Unlike the Blanco, the liquid boasts a slightly golden hue, and offers aromas of caramel, orange peel and vanilla. On the palate, it’s predominantly sweet (honey), with hints of cherries. It’s also lightly floral, the influence of the French casks used for the resting process coming to the fore.
The blend is key to its approachable flavour profile. In addition to the standard añejo tequila, there’s a five year old añejo which has been aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, and this adds some toastier notes, with a third Extra añejo layer, aged for eight years in French White Wine T5 barrels, for extra sweetness.
Immediately recognisable behind the bar, Eight Reserve comes in a handmade ceramic decanter, in a distinctive 8 shape. Produced by local artisans in Pachuca, using a variety of raw and recycled materials, this isn’t so much a bottle as a collectible keepsake.
If your interest is piqued, the 818 line also includes a Blanco (defined as less than two months old in a barrel, rested rather than aged), a Reposado (which can be aged anywhere between two and 12 months), and an añejo (which 818 parks for 14 months).
Priced at £250, Eight Reserve is available from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.
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Maker’s Mark has launched a new airport‑exclusive Artist Series, pairing its handmade Kentucky bourbon with limited‑edition labels inspired by major global cities. The collection forms part of a wider programme of travel‑retail exclusives from the distillery. Each release is defined not by a unique liquid or cask profile, but by its artwork. The whisky inside…
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Chocolate has long been one of whisky’s favourite tasting notes. The Lakes Distillery has now made it the inspiration for an entire single malt. Its limited-edition Chocolatier expression has arrived in the UK following international recognition at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2026, where it became the only English whisky to receive a Gold…
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