Inside The Taste Collective with 1800 Tequila

For the team at 1800 Tequila, taste isn’t just a priority—it’s a full-blown obsession.

From sourcing to distillation to the way each bottle is poured behind the bar, taste is at the center of everything the brand does. It’s a mindset that’s now fueling The Taste Collective, a nationwide education platform redefining how bartenders approach the art of taste.

1800® Tequila was born in 1967 when its 11th generation tequila-making family introduced the world’s first Añejo tequila. The tequila takes its name from a time when the family received the first-ever license to produce, transport, and sell tequila across Mexico. Since then, a singular driving force has guided the family: Push the boundaries of taste. Through these generations of hard work, passion, and honesty, 1800 Tequila has earned its claim as the World’s Most Awarded Tequila.

For The Taste Collective, 1800 Tequila is most important in a cocktail, but every ingredient matters. The Taste Collective aims to educate and connect the bartending community through flavor-based skill development. Thus, the initiative is backed by leading experts, including flavor scientist Dr. Arielle Johnson, legendary bartender Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez, Chef Ana Castro, and Jaime Salas, Head of Legacy & Advocacy for Proximo Spirits, to bridge science, heritage, and creative cocktail making.

The hands-on educational portion of The Taste Collective turns the program’s passion into a professional development tool. A digital platform expands access to expert-led masterclasses, deepening the understanding of taste and technique with flavor mapping, guided lessons, and curated resources to support bartenders at every stage of their craft.

For example, Dr. Arielle Johnson, flavor scientist, educator, and author, led the development of a five-question Taste Analysis, grounding The Taste Collective in science and helping bartenders understand how genetics, experience, and environment shape individual taste. Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez, bar owner, roots his approach in community and how it shapes hospitality.

Chef Ana Castro, award-winning chef and restaurateur, explores how to balance head and heart while cooking—focusing on sourcing, seasonality, nostalgia, cultural identity, and memory to create meaningful culinary tastes. Jaime Salas, Head of Legacy & Advocacy for Proximo Spirits, makes sure 1800 Tequila’s heritage is honored every step of the way.

Photo by Mónica León

The program workshops tour four cities including Chicago, New York, Dallas, and Miami—offering immersive in-person Taste Analysis sessions where bartenders engage in personal palate discovery through guided cocktail labs and local flavor exploration.

In doing so, 1800 Tequila isn’t just producing award-winning spirits; it’s investing in the future of cocktail culture and empowering bartenders to understand flavor more deeply, express it more creatively, and craft unforgettable drinking experiences—one taste at a time.