Tequila Ocho, which just arrived here from Arandas in Jalisco, Mexico, bills itself as "the first ultra premium single estate tequila to be introduced into the U.S. market in vintages." Rather than the usual method of blending crops, the agave plants from which Ocho is made are sourced from single estates, i.e. individual plots of land with their own microclimates.
Because of the time it takes the agave to mature, each estate's fields cannot be replenished for almost ten years after a harvest, making each one unique and, according to Ocho, highly collectible. The agave is slowed cooked in stone ovens and undergoes open-air fermentation in wooden casks. Each bottle is numbered by hand and stamped with the estate name of each vintage. Ocho is available in Plata, Reposado, and Anejo (above) bottlings.
Ultra-premium may be a popular buzz word for marketers, but there is a difference between the truly high-end spirits and the ones that are simply "ok". 
