Tequila Ocho Releases Puntas 2026 at 110 Proof
Most tequila is made from the "heart" of the distillation run, but Tequila Ocho's Puntas uses a narrower cut that distillers have traditionally kept for themselves. Puntas 2026 is the brand's first Puntas in two years, and for the first time it will be available around the world. It is bottled at 55% ABV (110 proof), which the brand says is the highest proof tequila allowed by law, and it carries a $74.99 SRP.
Did You Know?
Puntas means "distiller's cut," a slice taken from the very end of the heads and the very beginning of the hearts, traditionally set aside to enjoy with friends and family on special occasions.
This is the first Puntas to blend highlands agaves grown in both Jalisco and Michoacán, from fields along the Rio Lerma, a natural border between the two states.
The US allocation is 2,200 nine-liter cases. That works out to roughly 26,400 bottles if they are standard 750 ml size.
The Release
Distillation separates a spirit into parts. The "heads" come off first and are harsh. The "hearts" are the clean core most producers bottle. The "tails" come last. Puntas sits right at the seam between heads and hearts. According to Ocho, other high-proof tequilas on the market use only the heart cut, not this more selective one.
Puntas 2026 is made from agaves harvested in five fields more than 5,000 feet above sea level in the Rio Lerma zone, and it is the first Puntas in Ocho's single-region, multi-field Terroir Select vintages. Terroir is the idea that soil, climate and place shape flavor, the same way they do in wine.
The Rio Lerma zone is mostly flat, with gray, medium-nutrient soil and a warm, dry climate for most of the year, followed by heavy rain in late summer. Ocho says those conditions make the agaves work harder to find nourishment. They take five to seven years to mature and reach nearly 60 pounds each, with shorter, thicker fibers and a medium-high sugar content. The brand says the result is a tequila that is bold and round, with concentrated agave flavor.
According to the brand, the nose offers guava, green pineapple, kiwi, apple, white pepper, olives and bell pepper, with sweet and herbal notes in balance. The palate brings cooked agave, lemon peel, sour orange and tamarind, with subtle smoke and ripe pineapple. The finish has hints of eucalyptus and menthol.
On the US side, the 2,200 cases will go to on-premise accounts (bars and restaurants) and to retail. A limited allocation will also reach duty-free shops in Mexico, select European markets and the USA.
The Story of Tequila Ocho
Tequila Ocho was founded to prove that terroir exists in spirits just as it does in wine, and it calls itself the world's first single estate tequila. It grew out of a shared dream between maestro tequilero Carlos Camarena and tequila ambassador Tomas Estes. The agaves come from the Highlands, and the tequila is distilled in Arandas, Jalisco.
Ocho keeps control of its raw materials from seedling through agave selection and fermentation. Each vintage reflects a specific agave field, and the annual vintages are a signature of the brand. Cooking happens in slow-cooking stone ovens, fermentation in wooden vats, and distillation in copper pot stills. Every expression uses only agave, water and natural airborne yeast. The brand says Ocho Plata has been recognized by Forbes as the World's Best Blanco Tequila.
The aged expressions (reposado, añejo and extra añejo) rest lightly in old bourbon barrels. The aim is a gentle rounding from the wood that supports the cooked agave character rather than covering it.
Puntas is a high-proof, distiller's-cut take on that approach. Research notes show the 2024 edition was 108 proof, so 2026 goes a little higher.
Why It Stands Out
Terroir-driven tequila is Ocho's whole reason for being, and Puntas 2026 pushes that idea by drawing from fields in two states. It is also the first time the Puntas is going global, which gives collectors outside the US a chance at a bottle. With only 2,200 cases earmarked for the US, expect it to move.
The Details
Style: Tequila (Puntas, distiller's cut)
ABV/Proof: 55% ABV / 110 proof
Agave: Highlands agaves from five fields in the Rio Lerma zone, Jalisco and Michoacán, over 5,000 feet above sea level
Release Size: 2,200 nine-liter cases for the USA, plus a limited duty-free allocation
Price (SRP): $74.99
Availability: On-premise and retail in the USA; limited duty-free in Mexico, select European markets and the USA
US Availability: Yes, 2,200 nine-liter cases for on-premise and retail
Release Date: Announced September 29, 2026; no on-shelf date given
Tonights Poison Take
Puntas is the kind of bottle that rewards curious drinkers, because the distiller's cut is a part of the run most people never get to taste. At 110 proof and $74.99, it gives tequila fans a chance to see how place and a narrow cut shape the spirit. A bottle with a clear story, a defined field source and a limited US allocation is an easy one for collectors to want.
Bar Talk: Puntas is the distiller's cut from the seam between heads and hearts, and Ocho's 2026 version is its first to go global.
Send this to the tequila fan who always asks what the distiller keeps for themselves, and tell us in the comments if you've tried earlier Puntas.
Please enjoy responsibly.
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