We Asked Real Latino Bartenders What They Think About 1800 Tequila

For Latino bartenders, tequila isn’t just another bottle behind the bar. It’s culture in a glass. And when it comes to 1800 Tequila, it’s a love that runs deep. 

From its family-owned legacy to its versatility in cocktails, 1800 has become a go-to for bartenders who want to honor tradition while still keeping things fresh and fun. 

We spoke with Latino bartenders across the United States about why 1800 Tequila is always within arm’s reach when they’re mixing drinks, and one thing’s clear: their love for it runs as deep as the tequila is smooth.

A family legacy that honors la cultura

In a world where celebrities or faceless corporations own many tequila brands, 1800 Tequila remains proudly a family-owned company. This is something Latino bartenders honor as it speaks to their roots. 

Bartender Luis Alejandro Garcia, also known as @bartenderbarbudo, says that it represents the importance of family, plus the bottle’s distinctive design is a must for his backbar display.

“So many celebrity-owned tequila brands on the market forgo quality for slick marketing campaigns. They usually lend their name to an industrial producer owned by a corporate board that does not necessarily care about what goes in the bottle,” he shares. “I like the fact that 1800 remains family-owned for generations. They truly care about what they are putting out there, and it shows in the final product.”

Owned by the Beckmann Family, 1800 Tequila has been around for over 200 years and is hand-harvested agave from the Weber blue fields in Jalisco, honoring its Mexican heritage. Even the shape of the bottles pays homage to the Mayan pyramids of Mexico. 

Isabella Cuspián, a bartender at The British Open Pub in Fort Myers, shares that one of the joys of bartending for her is using spirits like 1800 that remind her of Latino vibrancy.

“⁠⁠As a Latina bartender, serving tequila rooted in Mexican tradition means honoring Latin culture and opening opportunities for others to research our culture,” she says. “It also shares our heritage with pride, and gives guests a true taste of our history and spirit!”

1800 is great for Margaritas, shots, and beyond 

Whether it’s a classic shot with lime and salt, or a shaken Margarita on the rocks, 1800 is built for the world’s most iconic cocktails. Both Leonardo Valencia, a former bartender in Miami, Paris, and New York, and Eddie Fuentes, a bartender at Miami’s The Dead Flamingo, call the margarita their go-to drink for using 1800. 

“At The Dead Flamingo in Miami, my go-to is the Margarita,” Fuentes says. “To me, it’s a building block cocktail that’s stood the test of time. You can go classic or modern with something like Tommy’s Margarita. It’s versatile enough to work in a variety of settings, from happy hour after work to celebrating a friend’s birthday or even Sunday brunch. You can have it frozen, shaken, clarified if you’re fancy, or make it spicy if you need that extra kick. However you dress it up, you can never go wrong with the Margarita.” 

Fuentes loves that 1800’s body and character pair well with any direction you want to take as a bartender. “There’s truly an expression for whatever you’re creating. 

He adds, “If you want something crisp and refreshing, the peppery notes of the Blanco shine in a classic Ranch Water. If you want something rich and spirit-forward, the Reposado works beautifully in an Old Fashioned. And if it’s late night and you need a boost, you can even pull off a Carajillo or an Espresso Martini with it. 1800 really has it all, it gives you the versatility and reliability behind the bar to create across the spectrum.” 

Valencia says the simplicity of the Margarita stands out regardless of where you are in the world.

“Fresh lime juice, a splash of Grand Marnier, and 1800 Reposado on the rocks with some salt on the rim. France and Mexico may not have always seen eye to eye in history, but in a Margarita, they get along just fine,” he says. “People always come back for that cocktail. It lets the tequila shine while staying refreshing. Even today, if someone hands me a bottle of 1800, that’s the cocktail I make. It never fails.”

Meanwhile, Garcia enjoys experimenting with it and taking it to the next level. 

“One of my favorite cocktails with 1800 is called the Fuego Royale,” he shares. “It’s made with agave nectar, lime juice, 1800 reposado, chile liqueur, topped with champagne, and garnished with a chile seco. It’s bright, earthy, spicy, and sparkling.” 

A tequila that represents legacy and stands the test of time

Legacy is 1800’s middle name, and that’s because no matter what, it’s a tequila brand that can stand the test of time. Even before agave spirits gained popularity, 1800 was already established with 200 years of legacy behind it. 

“When I was bartending, it was before the tequila and mezcal boom we see today,” Valencia says. “Back then, not everyone was asking for agave spirits, and most tequilas on the shelf were rough around the edges, more about getting the job done cheaply than about quality, but 1800 stood out because it was smooth, consistent, and reliable. You could pour it neat, on the rocks, or into a cocktail and know it was going to taste good. It gave people a real introduction to what tequila could be, long before the category exploded into the global phenomenon it is today.”

And beyond serving cocktails, one thing 1800 always represents for these bartenders is legacy. 1800 is born in Mexico, but resonates throughout our Latino culture. 

“The older I get, the more legacy and tradition matter to me. I’m a first-generation Cuban American, the child of immigrants, and I see a lot of parallels in our cultures,” Fuentes says. “Perseverance, work ethic, love for family, those values show up every time I make a cocktail with 1800. Behind the bar, I’m not just serving drinks; I’m pushing forward for my team, for our community, and for our families. Every time I pick up a bottle of 1800, it represents that for me. It basically means everything.”