Kendall Jenner has been back in the news for about a week now, after going dark for several months following the backlash from her gross, maskless LA birthday party/Halloween party. First she was in the news because she posted some sketchy Instagrams where she made her body look like a Barbie doll. But the real story is this: Kendall has launched a tequila company, and it’s something she’s been “working on” for years. What in the Hilaria Baldwin?
Kendall Jenner is blazing a new trail within her famous family — diving headfirst into tequila … and is finally ready to introduce what she’s been working on. KJ announced her new tequila line Tuesday — which she’s dubbed “818,” the area code in Calabasas — while going on to explain the years-long journey she’s been on to get to make what she considers the best spirit.
She writes, “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!”
Kendall added this too … “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.”
She attached a video of herself doing a taste test, which appears to have led to a final approval of her new product. There are also photos of her and friends downing her concoction, plus photos of a bunch of harvested agave plants.
This isn’t a total shocker, BTW — there’ve been subtle hints … especially based on photos she posted from a recent getaway down to Mexico.
It also looks like 818’s been in a bunch of tequila competitions recently (winning several) … but has yet to hit the market widely. Up until now, there was a ton of buzz over 818 — but no one knew how to get it, when it would officially launch or who was behind it. Surprise … it’s Kendall, bitches.
In 2018/19, it often felt like every celebrity woman was trying to launch their own makeup line out of nowhere – makeup lines were the new celebrity lifestyle blog or something. That entire time, I kept thinking “no, the money is in celebrity-founded liquor companies.” People were trying to emulate Rihanna instead of George Clooney, who founded Casamigos and then sold a majority stake in the company for, like, a billion dollars. The profit margins in liquor companies are HUGE, and I do feel like it’s a smarter business to start out of nowhere. That being said, Kendall Jenner starting a tequila company and calling it 818 after the Calabasas area code is pretty white.
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.
— Jennie Molina (@jenjocelyn) February 17, 2021
Something about Kendall Jenner making tequila rubs me the wrong way..like the idea of white celebrities taking from local Mexican artisans and profiting off our traditions and agricultural business yet only visit Cabos and Puerto Vallarta for vacation spots…
— LaMesaQueMasApluada (@estyledesma) February 17, 2021
“They’re both strong but this is a little less strong”
-Kendall Jenner, catadora profesional de tequila.— vol (@val_esmar) February 16, 2021
Kendall Jenner starting a tequila company does not sit right w me at all… she’s an unseasoned white privileged rich girl from Calabasas what the hell does she know about tequila?! couldn’t you have started wine company instead? pic.twitter.com/MmIwIfXsjr
— 𝕵𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖆𝖓 (@jjordanxS) February 17, 2021
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instagram.
Oh puleez!! All this family does is stand in front of cameras and hold something in their hand. They have zero input in these things. WTF would she know about it anyway??
Same as Kylie the makeup billionaire.
Yeah. I get the backlash, I just think they are overestimating her actual input.
Does this mean we can stop calling her a model/supermodel?
Did we all say there was something about white guys starting tequila companies that didn’t sit well with us?
Or is the idea that making tequila = cultural appropriation only a thing if a white woman does it?
Agreed. I really don’t see what’s wrong with her making tequila if that’s what she wants to do. Who is she taking money away from? Jose Cuervo himself? /s
I agree!
I only have 1 issue with this. Did we need another tequila choice mass marketed?
I think a better approach would have been to research a small company that makes quality tequila and grow it. You don’t get a boom in heavy profits, but you make consistent money.
Idk… this family gets attacked for everything, but they also profit off that free publicity. If we stop paying attention I’m pretty sure they’ll fade away.
Agreed. I also agree with comment about making it and only visiting glorified Mexican cities. Also, when I need a bottle of tequila I won’t be reaching for her brand because it’s hers.
I *love* mezcal. I would never knowingly buy a tequila made by white celebrities like George Clonney, Bethany Franked or Kendall. Because the drink is steeped in history and tradition.
Agave cactuses (main ingredient) were considered sacred in Mexico pre-colonisation. I prefer to buy mezcal from Mexican owned companies. Instead of giving money to millionaires who don’t invest back into the communities where mezcal originated from.
White womxn are accused of cultural appropriation by BIPOC folk… because we commit acts of cultural approbation.
TLDR if a Latinx person says a Kardashian is committing cultural appropriation than believe them. Unless the Kardashian proves them wrong; by visibly caring about how social justice issues disproportionately impact BIPOC. I’m yet to see a Kardashian choose compassion over profiting by being a culture vulture.
100% this.
I’m glad you said this. At some point, things should be considered part of public culture. I think the copyright on Mickey Mouse should have expired 100 years ago. Tequilla is a drink for everyone. If you want to support Mexican owned companies, feel free to do so.
Thank you!! Never once heard cultural appropriation when any of the rando hollywood/rock star dudes wanted to make it
Riiiight, great way to twist things and defend this worthless family. I have never supported any celebrity brands, men or women, and not about to start now with Kendall and tequila.
She is distinctively under-educated, rude, selfish and vapid. Which is really saying something – it takes a special lady to stand out among all those vapid sisters. Every time I watch KUWTK, she is shown to be an absolute nightmare. I will NEVER understand the idea that she’s the “chillest one”. Now she’s saying dumb stuff like “this one is less strong”, and about to make several million bucks off tequila… ugh. No.
To me, she is the human embodiment of the “eye roll”
Unlike others, I have no issues with her starting a tequila company. There are enough alcoholics to keep the industry afloat.
But why the name 818 which is a reference to Calabasas? Are the plants grown there? Is the tequila made there? From the bottles, no it’s made in Jalisco, Mexico? Considering her tasting party, none of them are smart enough to tell her the name was a bad idea.
Legally she can’t call it tequila if it’s not produced in Jalisco or a few other mandated regions in Mexico.
Tequila is actually a type of mezcal that is produced in a specific area of Mexico, around Tequila the city. Similar in naming to how champagne is sparking wine from a specific region. Cognac vs Armagnac is another example.
If she actually grew the plants and produced in calabasas it would have to be called mezcal instead. And that’s definitely not bougie enough for her
Tequila and mezcal have different production methods, so tequila is not a type of mezcal. Both delicious though!
Hmm I must have misunderstood then, I was taught mezcal was same process but used agave from other regions.
Wiki says tequila is a type of mezcal too?
Help! What’s the difference?
818 is the area code for the entire San Fernando Valley, not just Calabasas. It comes across as low budget, IMO.
Ha I guess she figured it worked for that old show that was so popular.
My memory of what people drank at that age and thought was good is far too clear to trust a young 20 something socialite with something as complex as tequila.
She named it after the valley’s area code?? 🤬🙄
MTE! Why would you pick that for a name?
Maybe because she is targeting that type of a demographic? Her friends and others like her.
Personally, if I had her money and platform, I would put my energy into something more worthwhile than liquor. Actions speak louder than words.
I’m sure she was exhausted after taking the private jet to the distillery after “dozen of taste tests”. Poor girl. They work far too much.
Oh please.
I’m not in the habit of defending Kendall Jenner, and I won’t say her achievements are equivalent to what Bryan Cranston has done in his career, but if we have something to say about Kendall starting a tequila company, we need to have a conversation about Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s company as well.
I wonder if everyone commenting “i see nothing wrong” is Mexican.
The homemade/’rustic’ looking bottle is sending me lol.
if you want to look at some more reactions by mexican people look at diet prada’s insta account. they also provide a list of authentic mexican owned tequila brands you should buy from instead. also….. is it just me or should all those white dudes who tried to make/have made enormous profits of tequila before her also be called out in a massive way? Everything about this is wrong, what kendall is doing, but she is getting the flack (however deserved it is) and all these famous white guys just skated by……… I also smell just a little bit of misogyny in here……
I saw all of the uproar and I’m like OK where was the uproar for George Clooney or The Rock or even Diddy who all have Tequila brands. I am not a big fan of the Kardashian/Jenner clan but give me a break. If she wants to do a Tequila company then I say go for it.
This is my thought too.
Not to mention Justin Timberlake, Sammy Hagar, one of the Jonas brothers, Adam Levine, AC/DC, Billy Gibbons, Jimmy Buffet and more. There is some misogyny at play.
That said this isn’t something she developed and crafted. She’s just slapping her name on it and I bet it’s gross.
Also Billy Gibbons tequila, Pura Vida is really good. One of my favorites.
Yeah I hate Justin Timberlake and I was like “didn’t he do the tequila and area code thing before Kendall?” And he probably isn’t even the first for that.
Would i rush to purchase her tequila? Nope. Would i refuse to drink it if offered? Probably not unless it was nasty.
You also forget that Diddy also made a lot of money from Ciroc in addition to Clooney and casamigos.
I love tequila but I won’t be trying this. Kendall has always come across as incredibly lazy so I doubt t here is anything special here.
Exactly. No way am I putting any money into Kardashian hands regardless of the quality of the product.
The celeb liquor/wine thing isn’t exactly new. Sammy Hagar started Cabo Wabo tequila back in 1996, and Dan Aykroyd started his Crystal Skull vodka in 2008. Heck , Francis Ford Coppola got into the wine business back in 1975. It just seems that in the last few years the number of celebrities entering into the spirits and wine business has really ramped up. Do a quick search for “ celebrity liquor” or celebrity “wine” and you’ll be surprised how much is out there.
Espolon is my go to.
She doesn’t drink right? I have no issue developing tequila but don’t push that she was really involved in the process.
She drinks plenty
She got tatted while drunk, kicked a bottle someones head while drunk, forgot she had been given a RR because she was drunk and got steaming drunk on the show and face planted off her bike into gravel
She doesn’t drink is a myth as she has been drinking in Europe since she was 18
Maybe you’re confusing her with Kim? I’m pretty sure Kim has been saying for a while that she doesn’t enjoy drinking / doesn’t drink.
I long for the days that I don’t have to hear about what Kardashians are doing anymore. Then I’d have to stop reading gossip news entirely. And get my priorities right and actually be happy with myself.
I think it’s safe to say that this family does targeted approaches to maximize the press cycle and eliciting outrage is part of this. I swear these bozos are appropriating cultural appropriation, if that makes sense. Cultural appropriation is a real thing and should be part of a larger discussion, but should not be wasted on these dodos
I’m Mexican, I find the name horrible.
Did she just white washed Tequila ?
This is just like Kim’s Kimono…
Just like Mexican Scotch Absolo then?
Waiting for that golden day when the Kardashian Jenners are cancelled- completely and forever. Stop buying whatever they are shilling and stop supporting this toxic family.
The labels on the bottles and her green catsuit are equally horrible.
Don’t these people have enough money? They all spread out and take money away from hard working people who don’t have fame. This family makes me so sick. I loathe every single one of them.
In the video she looks like she is disgusted by the taste of both of them
I read “nearly 4 hours” and wasn’t even chocked!