1800 Tequila Debuts Orange Liqueur-Finished GuachiMonton Añejo

Finished in orange liqueur casks and honoring the “terroir of the Tequila Valley.”

Inspiration strikes in many forms when it comes to crafting premium spirits, especially tequila, where patience (starting with the years-long growth of the agave plant itself) is quite literally a time-honored part of the process. And when time-honored process meets historical inspiration and innovative aging, a special alchemy tends to arise.

That alchemy is on display in fine fashion with the new launch of 1800 Tequila’s GuachiMonton, which hits all the right marks, nodding to the past while displaying modern tequila craftsmanship.

First, there’s the craft: The spirit within is a luxury añejo tequila aged in American and French Oak barrels before being finished in orange liqueur barrels (that’s a first for an añejo, 1800 notes).

Then, there’s history and heritage with a twist.

Not many bottles of luxury tequila draw their inspiration from a UNESCO World Heritage site, but that’s where the alchemy sprang to life for 1800 Tequila: That is, at Los Guachimontones, a rolling site with rich, red soil that’s filled with ancient circular pyramids of vast religious significance.

The bottle’s wooden cap and eye-catching design nod to the site’s importance as a gathering space before Hispanic times, and Guachimontones is known as the “jewel of Jalisco.”

As Maxim found out during a March trip to the historical site, as well Mexico’s sprawling agave fields and the historic town of Tequila, a sense of respect for the past seems to hum on the breeze.

Naturally, the experience is made all the better by a sip (or several) of the richly nuanced, pleasingly balanced GuachiMonton expression, which works wonders on the rocks or in several vibrant twists on old-school cocktail favorites (try it on for size in an Old Fashioned, for instance).

“1800 GuachiMonton not only represents the roots of Mexican tradition and culture but also Mexican terroir and ritual,” said master distiller and head of production Alex Coronado. “A nod to the fragrant orange trees surrounding the pyramids of Los Guachimontones and our family-owned distillery, the liquid is inspired by the timeless ritual of plucking fresh oranges to garnish a glass of Añejo.”

The orange citrus finishing process gives the liquid a distinctive quality, Coronado said, adding a “premium, modern twist to an already luxurious Añejo tasting experience.”

Single-estate, 100 percent Blue Weber agave (with an age statement between six and eight years) undergoes 40 hours of cooking in masonry ovens, not unlike traditional processes undertaken years and years ago.

A minimum of 12 months of aging in American and French oak barrels carries forward the añejo before finishing in orange tequila liqueur casks, resulting in a “well-structured and complex tequila with a fresh citrus finish.”

While a trip back in time to the days of Los Guachimontones isn’t within reach, a luxurious new bottle of outstanding tequila, complete with a history lesson all its own, is very much attainable. Look for 1800 Tequila starting now in California and Texas (and elsewhere down the line) for an SRP of $159.99.