Mijenta pushes innovation with Maestra Selection

The new series from the mind of Mijenta maestra Tequilera Ana María Romero debuts with an exploration of agave seeds.

Additive-free, B-Corp certified and woman-made Mijenta has been charting its own path through Tequila since it was founded in 2020. For its latest release, the Tequila brand from the highlands of Jalisco has tapped maestra Tequilera Ana María Romero to innovate in ways previously unseen in the category. “People have one idea [of how] to make Tequila,” said Romero, “and we want to change the different parameters and the processes that people don't understand.” Debuting this month, the Mijenta Maestra Selection Series will give Romero a platform to explore the flavours and aromas of Tequila in small, innovative annual releases. Romero has a background in wine and Cognac and wonders why terroir isn’t discussed in Tequila the way it is in other categories. Maestra Selection No 1 is made from 100% agave de semilla, or seed agave. Most agave is harvested from plant clones, or hijuelos, while working with seed agave requires an additional two years of waiting, as naturally pollinated seeds are taken to a nursery to grow before they are transplanted back into the fields. For this release, Romero worked with agaves grown on a single estate in Presa de Otomites in Jesus Maria in the highlands of Jalisco. The agaves averaged eight years old. “This project has been incredibly exciting because, attempting something that had never been done before, I did not know what the result would be,” Romero said. “However, the sugar content of the agaves was so high, I knew as soon as we harvested them that we were going to have a very special Tequila.” Maestra Selection No 1 is bottled at 50% ABV and priced at US$100. The blanco Tequila shows notes of tropical fruits, dulce de leche, cinnamon, and cardamom. “The flavours and aromas leap out of the glass, and I believe the higher ABV showcases the full richness of the expression,” Romero said. “Through the Maestra Selection series, I am excited to continue to explore a type of innovation in Tequila that remains true to the terroir and the heritage of this amazing spirit.” A fast riser According to Danny Mandelbaum, chief marketing officer for Mijenta, the brand has grown by triple digits year after year since its inception. He believes the brand's core values of sustainability and transparency resonate with consumers who perhaps entered Tequila through more ubiquitous brands but are looking to branch out. “When you look at everything that we do, there's no other brand, even in the competitive set, that is ticking all of those different boxes,” he said. Mijenta is now available in 29 countries and has found success, Mandelbaum says, through process-oriented advertising, food and beverage trade events, and bar pop-ups. The team work closely with some of Mexico City's top cocktail bars like Handshake Speakeasy, Hanky Panky, and Licorería Limantour. It is also stocked at New York hotspots Overstory and Martiny’s. The Maestra Selection Series gives Mijenta another point of differentiation and an opportunity to innovate in an increasingly crowded field. “What we know is that we want it to be a first of its kind every time that we launch, pushing the boundaries of where the Tequila category has been, and always from a point of authenticity and transparency,” Mandelbaum said.”Thankfully, Ana has a chest full of ideas.”