“Discover the unexpected”: Proximo Spirits launches 1800 GuachiMonton Tequila in select EU airports

Proximo Spirits is partnering with Gebr. Heinemann to launch 1800 GuachiMonton Tequila at stores in Vienna and Frankfurt airports.

Activations highlighting 1800 GuachiMonton are live and will run until the end of July. They mark 1800 GuachiMonton’s first appearance in global travel retail outside of the United States.

At Vienna Airport, 1800 GuachiMonton is featured in an eye-catching promotion in the airport’s main shop while the Frankfurt activations run across three stores in three terminals T1A, T1Z and T2S.

The 1800 GuachiMonton promotions are supported by brand ambassadors with sampling available of the new expression, along with 1800 Añejo and Silver. A gift-with-purchase offer – on purchases exceeding €49 (US$58) – features a collectible boxed 1800-branded glass from Austrian glassware specialist Riedel.

Commenting on the launches, Roy Summers, Proximo Spirits Head of Global Travel Retail, says, "Our outstanding 1800 Tequila brand has reached new heights of liquid luxury with 1800 GuachiMonton, its most super-premium expression yet.

“It is befitting, therefore, that these product and activation spaces, as we introduce 1800 GuachiMonton, to the European market, are truly stunning and clearly differentiated.”

1800 GuachiMonton: Celebrating Mexican tradition and culture

Inspired by the archaeological jewel of Jalisco – the pre-Columbian pyramids of Los Guachimontones in Western Mexico – 1800 GuachiMonton celebrates Mexican tradition and culture.

It honurs the shared terroir of the Tequila Valley and the UNESCO World Heritage site Los Guachimontones and is the first and only luxury añejo tequila aged in American and French oak barrels and finished in orange tequila liqueur casks.

1800 GuachiMonton is crafted with the finest 100% Blue Weber agave, grown and matured between six to eight years and sourced from a single estate in the lowlands regions of the Tequila Valley.

1800 GuachiMonton is presented in a striking ceramic trapezoidal-shaped bottle with a distinctive wooden circular cap.

Inspired by the jewel of Jalisco, Los Guachimontones, the red bottle and wooden cap take shape from the circular pyramids dating back to before the Hispanic era, where communities would gather for ceremonial rituals. To protect and preserve this shared heritage, 1800 Tequila will be providing long-term support to conserve the UNESCO site, its museum and the cultural, art and educational initiatives tied to the area.

“A modern twist to an already luxurious Añejo tasting experience”

Master Distiller and Head of Production, Alex Coronado, comments, “1800 GuachiMonton not only represents the roots of Mexican tradition and culture but also Mexican terroir and ritual."

“A nod to the fragrant orange trees surrounding the pyramids of Los Guachimontones and our family-owned distillery, the liquid is inspired by the timeless ritual of plucking fresh oranges to garnish a glass of Añejo. Its decadent and persistent orange citrus flavor profile provides a premium, modern twist to an already luxurious Añejo tasting experience.”

Driving the tequila category in GTR

Summers underlines 1800 Tequila’s standing in the global travel retail tequila category, noting  how the brand “is not only driving the tequila category, but is also growing faster than the category itself.” According to IWSR 2024, it is the number one super-premium tequila brand in the United States.  

“As tequila knowledge grows and taste preferences mature, new luxury tequila drinkers are trading up to higher quality tequilas that are meant to be sipped and savoured. 1800 GuachiMonton is a perfect fit,” says Summers.

He notes the emergence of a new, luxury tequila consumer profile: younger, modern and seeking authenticity and cultural significance, exclusivity and lifestyle brands. This new luxury tequila consumer is also on the lookout for premiumization, experiential engagement and educational experiences.

“Consumers are not just buying tequila; they’re looking to learn about it,” he adds.

But how does 1800 Tequila stand out in the crowded luxury space full of celebrity-endorsed and heritage-focused brands and expressions? According to Summers, 1800 GuachiMonton aims to own the space between the mainstream view and the insider view, between being an opulent lifestyle brand and a deeper, authentic heritage brand.

Innovation in the luxury tequila category

Summers is adamant that innovation remains a key distinguishing factor for brands within the sector, with 1800 GuachiMonton tapping into the luxury tequila drinker’s thirst for exploration. “This is unlike anything that has come before, offering a new pinnacle of taste, and, at the same time, expanding the prestige and prestige plus segments,” he says.

1800 GuachiMonton is produced from harvested agave that is cooked for a duration of 40 hours in masonry ovens, distilled twice and then matured for a minimum of 12 months in American and French oak barrels. The golden amber Añejo liquid is then finished in orange tequila liqueur casks creating a well-structured and complex tequila with a fresh citrus finish.

With an ABV of 40%, its perfect serve is neat, on the rocks, in a traditional cocktail like an Old Fashioned or by exploring a new tequila tasting ritual and pairing with Mexican chocolate.