818 Tequila, the Jalisco-produced brand founded by Kendall Jenner in 2021, has built a following among Gen Z drinkers through pocket-sized bottles, festival marketing and a Sazerac Company investment disclosed in April 2026.
The Spirits Business reported the Sazerac deal on April 29, 2026, noting that 818 had recently dominated social media at Coachella as the most-mentioned brand in the festival's tagged content over its first weekend, a marker the trade outlet tied directly to the brand's pull with younger drinkers.
What the mini bottles and bag charms actually are
In August 2025, 818 introduced 50 milliliter bottles of its Blanco and Reposado, priced at 3.99 dollars and 4.99 dollars, designed to be worn clipped to a handbag rather than stored in a minibar. The rollout carried the name Free the Nip and reached retailers including BevMo, Total Wine and More, and Remedy Liquor starting in September 2025. Kathleen Braine, chief marketing officer of Calabasas Beverage Company, 818's parent, framed the format as a strategic step that strengthens the brand's position at the intersection of culture and premium spirits, and said the launch responded to fans asking for a more accessible everyday version of the product. Limited-edition bag charm bundles holding the minis were also sold through the delivery app Gopuff. The push followed an earlier collaboration, an espresso martini kit paired with Emma Chamberlain's Chamberlain Coffee, which sold out its coffee packets in four hours, according to the coffee brand.
The Sazerac deal and what preceded it
BuzzBallz owner Sazerac announced a partnership with 818 in late April 2026 and made an undisclosed investment in the brand, described as a strategic partnership that includes an exclusive US sales and distribution agreement. Sazerac would not say whether it took a minority or majority stake when asked by The Spirits Business. Sazerac chief marketing officer Sara Saunders said tequila continues to be a bright spot in spirits, driven by strong consumer interest across a growing range of occasions and price points. The Kentucky-based company has made a string of acquisitions over the past year, including the vodka brands Western Son and Svedka and the ready-to-drink brand Dirty Shirley, adding 818 to a spirits portfolio that already includes Corazón and Margaritaville, according to Food Dive. Sazerac's move follows an earlier round: Grupo Solave, the Mexican producer that has worked with 818 since its 2021 launch, made its own investment in the brand in 2025 to support what it called a solid and sustainable future.
The volume numbers behind the marketing
818 chief executive Mike Novy told Shanken News Daily that the brand reached 133,000 cases in 2024 after a pricing adjustment aimed at turning 818 from a special-occasion purchase into a more frequent one. Reporting from Food Dive and Marketing Dive put 818's 2024 volume growth at 40 percent year over year, against roughly 2 percent growth for the tequila category as a whole, based on figures the brand itself supplied. 818 has also expanded its footprint to a presence in 34 countries since its 2021 launch, according to Marketing Dive.
The 100 percent agave lawsuit still in court
Separate from the marketing narrative, 818 is defending a class action filed in September 2025 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida by plaintiffs Lauren Negrin and Arturo Vallejo. The suit alleges that independent laboratory testing showed certain 818 products did not meet the 100 percent agave standard the brand advertises, and that consumers overpaid as a result. Calabasas Beverage Company and K & Soda, which trade as 818 Spirits, filed a motion in January 2026 to dismiss the case, arguing the claims are legally flawed and contradict existing regulatory approvals. In a statement to The Spirits Business, an 818 representative said the lawsuit lacks merit and that the brand is made in Jalisco, Mexico, under the oversight of the Tequila Regulatory Council and certified 100 percent agave azul. The case is one of several similar suits filed against tequila brands over the same period, including actions naming Diageo's Casamigos and Don Julio and Michael Jordan's Cincoro.
What this means
818 Blanco and 818 Reposado carry Verified Pure marks in this publication's own blind tasting database, at scores of 81 and 80, a finding about liquid quality at the table rather than a ruling on the pending litigation. What is not yet known is the size of Sazerac's stake, the outcome of the agave lawsuit, or whether the Coachella-driven attention converts into sustained case growth once the mini-bottle novelty fades.