1800 Tequila

1800 Tequila
TypeTequila Silver / Reposado / Añejo / Extra-Añejo / Cristalino / Flavored Tequilas
Manufacturer1800 Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico
DistributorProximo Spirits Inc
OriginMexico
Introduced1967
Alcohol by volume35–50% abv
Proof (US)70–100
Related productsList of tequilas
Website1800tequila.com

1800 Tequila is a Mexican brand of tequila owned by the Beckmann family, who also own the Jose Cuervo tequila brand.[1] The 100% blue agave tequila is bottled in Jalisco, Mexico.[2] 1800 is named after the year tequila was first aged in oak casks,[3] and is sold throughout the world. In the United States, the brand is distributed by the Beckmann family's company, Proximo Spirits.[4][5]

History

The first officially licensed tequila manufacturer was Jose Antonio Cuervo of Jalisco, Mexico, in 1758, after he was given the rights by King Ferdinand VI of Spain to cultivate a portion of land. Shortly thereafter, the production of tequila was banned, until 1795, when King Carlos IV lifted the ban. 1800 is widely known as the year in which tequila was first successfully aged in wood.[6]

Originally known as Cuervo 1800 Tequila,[7] 1800 Tequila was launched in 1967 as a premium sipping tequila.[8] The brand launched with the introduction of their first expression 1800 Añejo on December 4, 1967. The Silver and Reposado labels were later introduced in 2004.[9] Since 2008, it has been distributed in the US by Proximo Spirits.[5] That year, the Select Silver label was introduced, as the first and only 100 proof clear tequila.[9] In 2006, 1800 introduced The Ultimate Margarita, 19.9 proof and the only pre-mixed, ready-to-serve margarita mix made with 100% blue agave tequila (1800 Silver).[10]

The 1800 Tequila crest has 3 main elements: A Mayan Pyramid; a cross and the letters JB (the initials of the owner Juan Domingo Beckmann) and a ribbon with the brand values: work, passion, honesty (in Spanish trabajo, pasion, honestidad).[11]

Production and Product Varieties

Production

1800 Tequila is made from farm to bottle in Tequila, Mexico. The farm is family-owned and the 3,000 dedicated workers called jimadores harvest the agave hearts by hand. All 1800 tequilas are made with 100% agave. The agave is mashed, fermented and distilled to create the pure super-premium tequila.[12] As of 2026, 1800 offers: 1800 Blanco (a silver tequila that is cited as the most popular super-premium tequila). This blanco is made following the original recipe that was created in the year 1800. They also offer: 1800 Reposado; 1800 Añejo; 1800 Coconut; 1800 High-Proof Blanco; 1800 High-Proof Reposado; 1800 Cristalino; 1800 Milenio, an extra-añejo; and 1800 Guachimonton, an añejo tequila[13].


Products

Name ABV (US) Notes
1800 Silver (Blanco) 40% 100% blue agave tequila unaged. Also available in High-Proof expression (45% ABV).
1800 Reposado 40% 100% blue agave, aged in new American and French oak barrels for less than one year[3]. Also available in High-Proof expression (45% ABV)
1800 Añejo 40% 100% blue agave, aged in new American and French Oak barrels for more than one year[3]
1800 Cristalino 40% Crystal-clear añejo tequila finished in port wine casks. After aging, the tequila is filtered to remove its color.[14]
1800 Coleccion 40% Rare extra añejo tequila aged over three years in French oak barrels[15][16] and presented in a custom-designed, limited edition decanter.[17]
1800 Guachimonton 40% Añejo tequila finished in orange tequila liqueur casks[18]
1800 Milenio 40% An extra añejo tequila first produced in 2000 for the new millennium[19]
1800 Coconut 35% Coconut-flavor infused silver tequila[20]
1800 The Ultimate Margarita 9.95% Ready-to-serve margaritas in classic and popular fruit flavors.

Honors and Awards

At the 2008 San Francisco Wine and Spirits Competition, the Silver, Reposado and Añejo tequilas each won the silver medal, while the Milenio and Select Silver both received the bronze medal.[21] In 2009, Bloomberg Businessweek named 1800 Select Silver one of the world's 20 best-tasting tequilas.[22] Wine Enthusiast placed the 1800 Coleccion, an extra añejo, in its "96–100" scoring category.[8] It was described by The New York Times as "sweetly vegetal and very rich with an elegant aftertaste."[15]

Pitched as the most-awarded tequila family, 1800 has a long list of accolades.[23]

  • 2025 Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge - Best Tequila Reposado 2025 - 1800 Reposado[24]
  • 2025 International Women's Spirits Competition - Double Gold - 1800 Cristalino
  • 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold - 1800 Milenio[25]
  • 2025 International Women's Spirits Competition - Best of the Best - 1800 Milenio
  • 2025 Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge - Best Tequila Extra-Añejo 2025 - 1800 Milenio
  • 2025 World Tequila Awards - Añejo Winner - 1800 Guachimonton tequila[26]
  • 2025 Los Angeles Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge - Gold - 1800 The Ultimate Margarita Original[24]

Packaging

Bottle

1800s bottles have a trapezoidal shape, which is a celebration of the Mayan pyramids that are found all over Mexico. The bottle used to have a top designed to serve as a shot glass, by loosening the top slightly, turning the bottle upside down, and filling up the top.[7]

Essential Artist Series

In 2008, 1800 Tequila released a special limited-edition Essential Artist Series, with 12 unique bottle designs. A second series was released in 2009 with one "celebrity artist" bottle created by Shepard Fairey's firm Studio Number One, plus 11 new designs picked from 15,000 online submissions from across the United States, including a $10,000 grand prize winner.[2] The Essential Artist Series has ranged from 6 to 12 bottle collections - more recently they have all been 6 bottle collections.

Series 1 - Artillery, Chris Dean, Hannah Souffer, Urban Medium, Jeremy Bacharach, Josh Ellingson, Dosa Kim, Jorge Aldergate

Series 2 - Nickelyn Reames, Mark Sweeney, Banden Tintiango, Michelle Villasenor, Danielle Salinas, Steveorama, Ian McGillivray, Chad Shore, Chuck Trunks, Lee DeVito, Danyol, Shepard Fairey

Series 3 - Gary Baseman, Yuko Shimizu, Tes One, Tristan Eaton, Ray Smith, Alex Hank

Series 4 - Stephen Bliss, Nathan Fox, ilovedust, Kai and Sunny,Tara McPherson, Sandro Tchikovani

Series 5 (2013) - Bo Joseph, William Betts, Nicole Coehn, Vincent Szarek, Rebecca Chamberlain

Series 6 (2014) - Basquiat

Series 7 (2015) - Keith Haring

Series 8 (2017) - Enoc Perez

Series 9 (2018) - Shantell Martin

Series 10 - Okuda San Miguel

Series 11 - Dustin Yellin

Series 12 - Raúl de Nieves

Marketing

Celebrity endorsements

In October 2013, 1800 launched a new international advertising campaign featuring actor Ray Liotta in four commercials, directed by Anthony Mandler. Each of the moody spots are free of dialogue (with the exception of several where Liotta orders the tequila, with the only piece of dialogue being "1800"), were filmed in Buenos Aires and show Liotta traveling to get to a glass of 1800 Tequila.[27] A previous 1800 campaign from 2011 featured actor Michael Imperioli in eight[28] different commercials with a straightforward approach coveting the values of an older generation;[29] and in 2009, rapper Rick Ross and his crew, the Triple C's, became brand ambassadors by publicly endorsing Select Silver.[30]

1800 Tequila has partnered with various musicians including Travis Scott, G-Eazy, Mike WiLL Made-It, Rae Sremmurd, Wale, Future[31] and many more. Sports endorsers include Carmelo Anthony[32]. In fact, in 2025 1800 tequila also launched a $225 senaker-inspired decanter.[33]

In 2025, 1800 debuted the first tequila diamond crafted from its ultra-premium tequila at the Met Gala in New York. The diamon was worn by singer and actress Janelle Monáe.[34]

Sponsorships

1800 Silver has two sponsorships with two NBA teams, signing marketing agreements with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 (becoming the first spirits brand to sponsor the Lakers),[35] and with the New York Knicks the following year. The agreements with both teams include ad placement at their respective stadiums, the Staples Center and Madison Square Garden, on the teams' websites, and various promotional activities throughout the NBA season.[36][37]

In recent years, 1800 Tequila has boosted its sports partnerships with many properties including Los Angeles Football Club[38] and LA Rams. These were added to the New York Knicks, Miami Dolphins, Orlando Magic, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Washington Wizards.[39]

References

  1. ^ Michael J. de la Merced, "Diageo Is Said to Be in Talks to Buy Jose Cuervo," DealBook, May 24, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Lewis Wallace, "1800 Tequila Gives Artists a Shot at Boozy Fame," Wired, October 28, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c 1800 Tequila, TequilaKnight.com. Accessed February 27, 2014.
  4. ^ "Cuervo Weighs Its Options After Failure of Diageo Talks," Shanken News Daily, December 12, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Diageo Loses Cuervo to Proximo," The Chuck Cowdery Blog, March 1, 2013.
  6. ^ "Tequila's History: Part 2 of 3: 18th & 19th Centuries," In Search of the Blue Agave, May 2011.
  7. ^ a b "1800 Tequila Bottle Design – What Goes Wrong When Form Doesn't Follow Function," Archived 2013-12-19 at the Wayback Machine betterspoon.com, January 31, 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Proof66.com Awards Summary Page for 1800 Coleccion Extra-Aged". Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  9. ^ a b "1800 Tequila," Archived 2014-03-04 at the Wayback Machine tequilawisdom.com. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  10. ^ Colleen Graham, "1800 The Ultimate Margarita," Archived 2014-04-12 at the Wayback Machine About.com. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  11. ^ "Discover The Vibrant 1800® Tequila History". 1800 Tequila. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  12. ^ "Learn About The 1800® Tequila Craft & Quality Ingredients". 1800 Tequila. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  13. ^ "Browse 1800® Tequila Products - Find Your Tequila Flavor". 1800 Tequila. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  14. ^ "Collect 1800 Cristalino Tequila - Unique & Luxurious". 1800 Tequila. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  15. ^ a b Florence Fabricant, "Tequila, by the Snifter," The New York Times, November 29, 2006.
  16. ^ Frank J. Prial, "We'll Have The Chateau Cuervo," The New York Times, March 15, 1998.
  17. ^ "Collect 1800® Colección Tequila - Rarest Tequila in the World". 1800 Tequila. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  18. ^ "Collect the 1800® GuachiMonton Red Ceramic Tequila Bottle". 1800 Tequila. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  19. ^ Geoff Kleinman, "Review: 1800 Milenio Extra Anejo Tequila," Drink Spirits, April 28, 2014.
  20. ^ 1800 Anjeo Coconut Tequila Archived 2018-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, Influenster. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  21. ^ "1800 Select Silver Tequila Review," Archived 2014-03-09 at the Wayback Machine Behind the Bar Show, July 14, 2009.
  22. ^ David Kiley, "The World's Best-Tasting Tequilas," Bloomberg Businessweek, March 12, 2009.
  23. ^ Source: Based on awards received by 1800 from Acadamia Mexicana del Tequila, A.C. between 2001 and 2023
  24. ^ a b "Los Angeles Invitational Wine and Spirits Challenge". LA Invitational Wine Challenge. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  25. ^ "Home". The Tasting Alliance. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  26. ^ "World Tequila Awards 2025". World Drinks Awards. Archived from the original on 2026-02-15. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  27. ^ Tim Nudd, "Ad of the Day: Ray Liotta Says It All by Saying Nothing for 1800 Tequila," Ad Week, October 30, 2013.
  28. ^ Hohwieler, Rupert (2024-11-18). "Top 10 sport and spirits collabs from 2024". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  29. ^ Tim Nudd, "Ad of the Day: Michael Imperioli Returns for 1800 Tequila," Ad Week, May 27, 2011.
  30. ^ Allison Shafir, "Rapper Rick Ross Backs 1800 Tequila," Ad Week, June 10, 2009.
  31. ^ Pitchfork (2020-01-28). "Future and 1800 Tequila Release Documentary on the Making of 1800 Seconds Vol. 2". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  32. ^ Hohwieler, Rupert (2024-11-18). "Carmelo Anthony spotlights 1800 Cristalino". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  33. ^ Madsen, Miona (2025-02-11). "1800 Tequila unveils $225 sneaker-inspired decanter". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  34. ^ "1800 Tequila Unveils the First Tequila Diamond, Alchemizing its Ultra-Premium Tequila into an Ultra-Precious Jewel". PR Newswire. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  35. ^ "1800 Tequila Becomes First Spirits Brand to Sponsor the Los Angeles Lakers," Marketing Weekly News, August 29, 2009.
  36. ^ Ken Belson, "Knicks Add Tequila to Roster of Sponsors," The New York Times, October 25, 2010.
  37. ^ Elana Glowatz, "1800 Tequila Inks Deal With L.A. Lakers," Ad Week, August 13, 2009.
  38. ^ Hohwieler, Rupert (2024-11-18). "Top 10 sport and spirits collabs from 2024". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  39. ^ "1800 TEQUILA NAMED OFFICIAL TEQUILA OF THE HOUSTON TEXANS". Retrieved 2026-03-09.
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