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Kendall Jenner announces launch of her own Tequila brand, 818
Kendall Jenner has revealed that she is behind start-up spirits brand 818 Tequila, confirming the news on her Instagram after recent speculation.
Though the news is undoubtedly significant for the Tequila market, few consumers will have yet been able to taste 818 Tequila – the brand’s Instagram says the spirit is coming soon.
The spirit is described as “hand-crafted tequila from Jalisco, Mexico” on its Instagram page.
The range comprises three variants: 818 Blanco, 818 Reposado and 818 Añejo.
Bottled at 40% ABV, the Tequilas are believed to be made from 100% Agave Azul in small batches in Jalisco, Mexico.
Announcing her foray into the spirits world, Jenner took to her own Instagram to tell her 152 million followers:
“[For] almost 4 years i’ve been on a journey to create the best tasting tequila. after dozens of blind taste tests, trips to our distillery, entering into world tasting competitions anonymously and WINNING (🥳) ..3.5 years later i think we’ve done it! this is all we’ve been drinking for the last year and i can’t wait for everyone else to get their hands on this to enjoy it as much as we do! @drink818 coming soon”
The caption was accompanied by videos of the 25-year-old model tasting Tequilas and partying with friends.
Her sister Kim Kardashian lauded Jenner’s accomplishment in the comments section, writing, “So proud of you! I wasn’t a drinker until I tried 818. Tequila shots all day!!!”
However, not everyone was so thrilled by the news. Some commenters took to Twitter to accuse the model of looking to profit off “Latinx culture”. One widely shared tweet reads:
“Kendall Jenner starting a tequila brand, with zero knowledge on Mexican culture and calling it “818 tequila” is GENTRIFICATION. The 818 does not claim Calabasas. What about those smaller, family owned Mexican tequila/mezcal brands? They deserve the hype & support.”
Kendall Jenner starting a tequila brand, with zero knowledge on Mexican culture and calling it “818 tequila” is GENTRIFICATION. The 818 does not claim Calabasas. What about those smaller, family owned Mexican tequila/mezcal brands? They deserve the hype & support.
— princesa (@jenjocelyn) February 17, 2021
Jenner becomes the latest in a long line of celebrities to enter the spirits world, joining names like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, Post Malone and many others.