Tequila OCHO has announced the release of Tequila OCHO Añejo Barrel Select Widow Jane 2024, a limited edition tequila aged for 12 months in bourbon barrels from Brooklyn-based Widow Jane Distillery. Bottles will arrive on retail shelves and back bars starting in February.
Building on the success of the two brands’ first collaboration—a reposado aged for eight weeks and eight days in Widow Jane bourbon barrels—this single-estate, single-field añejo was distilled in 2022 before spending a full year in recently emptied Widow Jane barrels at Tequila OCHO’s home in Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico. The result is a liquid that reflects more influence from the barrel than Tequila OCHO’s core añejo. It’s a playful illustration of OCHO’s commitment to innovation, while remaining true to the core tenet of celebrating terroir in tequila.
As with all other tequilas in the OCHO range, Añejo Barrel Select Widow Jane is crafted using overripe agaves harvested exclusively from a single field, this vintage’s agaves harvested from Rancho El Nacimiento, one of many fields, or ranchos, owned and operated by the family of legendary tequilero and Tequila OCHO co-founder Carlos Camarena.
Said Camarena, “The philosophy of OCHO has always been to showcase the terroir of the agave plants, but we also love to try and experiment with new, innovative ideas.”
This extraordinary expression of OCHO Añejo marries the finest agave-forward tequila with the heady aromas, rich caramel and baking-spice notes from the Widow Jane barrels. The enhanced 96 proof adds a further dash of intensity. The collaboration between makers from two very different parts of the world means an expression of tequila that shines brightest in its profile of agave, yet framed up beautifully by the specifically-chosen bourbon barrels, making for a true OCHO sipping experience.
Tequila OCHO Añejo Barrel Select Widow Jane 2024 is confirmed 100% additive-free and is best enjoyed neat, sipped from a tequila flute.
By the numbers:
- ABV: 48%/Proof: 96
- Recommended SRP: $90/750ml bottle (find it in FL, GA, NJ, NY, MA, IL, CO, CA, TX)
- Total cases: 1300
- Aging: Bourbon barrels from Widow Jane Distillery, 12 months
Tequila OCHO Global Brand Ambassador Jesse Estes added, “Given the immensely positive feedback we received about Tequila OCHO Reposado Barrel Select Widow Jane, it made sense to apply what we learned and channel that same spirit of innovation to an añejo. With that said, I could not have imagined how well the Añejo Barrel Select Widow Jane has turned out. The higher ABV carries even more flavor and makes for a superbly rich and delightful sipper.”