The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Raise a glass to Women’s History Month with female-run Mijenta tequila
It’s a nice coincidence that we’re highlighting one of our favorite newer spirits, Mijenta tequila, during Women’s History Month. Mijenta is led by industry veteran Ana Maria Romero, a certified maestra tequilera, or tequila master. Her premium tequilas not only are made artisanally, but the company also is dedicated to sustainability far beyond the standards of most spirit brands.
Mijenta is the first B Corp-certified tequila, which means it has a commitment to sustainability that is both environmental and social. Mijenta is certified carbon-neutral, and all of its packing materials are eco-friendly, including using recycled bottles and labels created from agave waste. The company also promotes biodiversity by never using herbicides or pesticides in its agave fields. And, in keeping with the name Mijenta coming from the expression “mi gente,” or “my people,” the company sets aside funds to help its community and the people growing the agave.
Romero has worked in the industry for more than 25 years and wrote a book, “The Aromas of Tequila: The Art of Tasting.” In it, she developed a tasting wheel of tequila flavors and identified 600 aromas.
When it came time to make her own tequila, Romero had certain standards she wanted to follow. First, she uses fully mature blue Weber agave grown in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Romero thinks that area imparts unique flavors, just like winemakers talk about terroir.
She slow-roasts the agave and uses a special native yeast, believing both techniques add to the delicate flavors of the tequila. The tequila also is unfiltered, leaving subtle aromas and flavors that would be lost through filtration.
These are our tasting notes for the most available offerings in the Mijenta lineup:
■ Mijenta blanco. This is a very clean expression of tequila. We tasted hints of apricot, grapefruit skin, underripe mango and fresh poblano pepper. You could make great cocktails with this, but it also is enjoyable on the rocks.
■ Mijenta reposado. This reposado is aged up to six months in American white oak, French oak and French acacia barrels. The wood does not overpower the tequila. We tasted roasted pineapple and tamarind, with a light nuttiness and salinity of pistachio and a hint of capsaicin heat.
■ Mijenta anejo gran reserva. Mijenta’s anejo is aged up to 18 months in the same three types of barrels used in the reposado, but with a fourth type, cherry wood, added. The barrels add hints of eggnog and vanilla custard but do not overwhelm the fruit aromas of plum, banana and ripe mango. There is a subtle, white-pepper finish. This is great sipped neat or with a large ice cube.