Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila has expanded with the addition of an ultra-premium añejo: Eight Reserve by 818.
Just in time to celebrate 818 Day on Aug. 18, the spirit brand’s expansion comes just months after its one-year anniversary in May.
“The launch of Eight Reserve is a milestone moment for the 818 Tequila brand,” said Jenner, founder of 818 Tequila. “We are constantly looking to innovate and with this new liquid we are building on what makes 818 Blanco, Reposado and Añejo so beautiful and
complex and taking it to the next level. It’s been incredible to work alongside our team in Mexico to develop Eight Reserve.”
Eight Reserve has been top of mind for the 818 team since the brand’s inception. However, as explained to Modern Luxury by CEO Mike Novy, they had to hold off on the ultra-premium añejo for both logistical and branding purposes.
In addition to establishing to the public what 818 was all about over the last year, they needed a plentiful supply of “really beautiful añejo,” which required time to develop given that añejo is aged a year, not to mention their three- and eight-year-old extra añejos.
Retailing for $200, the 750 mL-shaped bottle houses the blend of the añejo and extra añejos. It was developed in Jalisco, Mexico, while the appropriately eight-shaped handmade ceramic decanter is produced by artisans in Pachuca, Mexico.
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But long before that, the inciting idea for the bottle design first sparked while Jenner was on vacation with her family. A family of entrepreneurs on vacation, after all, is ripe breeding ground for business brainstorming.
“We were talking about this kind of reserve-level item, and when they were talking about the packaging, they’re literally sketching things out on a cocktail napkin,” Novy said. “It's obviously representative of eight for 818. But also it connotes infinity on its side. It's actually really soft in style, just in terms of how smooth and round it is.”
Like the brand, the glazed Eight Reserve bottle is all about approachability, and the elegant simplicity of its color leaves room for 818 to do future collaborations with artists.
“It’s almost literally a blank canvas… This is something that we can really play with and have fun with,” Novy said.
Though a special edition, Eight Reserve is still an extension of the 818 flavor profile, known for notes of sweetness and pepper from the agave. “We wanted to have that,” Novy said, “but then [also] these layers of things like vanilla and caramel and praline spices— all these things that actually come from the aging of tequila in barrels.”
“Our Eight Reserve Tequila Añejo is a blend that is as harmonious as it is unique,” added David Yan González, director of tequila operations. “Aged in French and American barrels, the Tequila is a masterful añejo blend that is wonderfully rich and layered. We’re proud to introduce this delicious product.”
As Jenner and the team get ready for their annual 8.18 celebration, Novy reflected on how engaged their consumers are. In addition to having a million Instagram followers, 818 often gets requests from around the world requesting the tequila in their countries.
One of the greatest compliments, he said, is fan recreation of their box wall, which they first used at last year’s family and friends launch party at The Nice Guy in Los Angeles.
“When your brand becomes a way that people want to celebrate and it becomes a reflection of them, an extension of them and their personality,” Novy said. “To me, that's something I think we're all most proud of.”
Eight Reserve will be available for purchase starting in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Nevada, and Illinois on Sept. 19, with more states launching through the end of 2022. It is available for pre-order now on eightreserve.com, and will later be available through online marketplaces like ReserveBar.
Photography by: Courtesy 818 Tequila
