1800 Colección

1800 Tequila, a Proximo Spirits brand, has announced its newest offering, 1800 Colección. The aged, limited-edition extra añejo tequila comes in a pewter decanter designed by celebrated artist Gary Baseman. The design is inspired by a tragic Mexican folk story about a love-struck warrior and magical mermaid.

With a price tag of $2,000 per bottle, Colección caters to the luxury tequila connoisseur. Just 40 bottles of this handcrafted spirit  will be available in retailers across the country.Using the same methods that create 1800 Tequila, Colección is handcrafted in Mexico’s esteemed tequila producing region of Jalisco in the town of Tequila.The result is a culmination of over 50 years of knowledge, innovation and craftsmanship passed down through generations of Mexican tequileros.Blue agave is harvested upon optimal maturation and is hand-selected and steamed-cooked in stone ovens for several days. It then goes under double distillation in copper pot stills to create a remarkably smooth liquid.

The final step requires aging the tequila in charred French Oak barrels for over three years, which the company says gives the spirit a rich, complex character. Each bottle of tequila is carefully filled, hand-numbered and shipped in wooden crates.

1800 Tequila commissioned Los Angeles-based artist Gary Baseman—known for his dynamic pop art imagery—to create a pewter decanter to encase the tequila bottle. Baseman’s “Sirena Del Deseo” (translated to “Mermaid of Desire”) tells the  story of a soldier who perishes in the sea after traveling down ocean depths in search of his enchanted mermaid. The handmade decanter took close to three years to create.

1800 Colección (40% ABV/750 ml) is packaged with Gary Baseman’s decanter design and will be available this month in select retailers across the country. This tequila is best enjoyed neat or over ice, according to the company.