Mijenta's Latest Expression Explores Tequila's Wider Terroir, Using Agave From All Across Mexico

Most tequila makers source their agave from Jalisco—the most prominent of the five Mexican territories permitted to make tequila under government rules. Those focused on terroir often tout either Highland agave (grown in Jalisco’s colder high-altitude areas ) or Lowland agave (from warmer valley terrain).

Mijenta distills its tequilas from agave grown in the Highlands, specifically in Arandas, where mineral-rich red clay soil skews more toward fruit notes than its herbaceous counterparts in the Lowlands. But Mijenta’s latest release, Maestra Selection No. 2, has taken things beyond those borders—by tapping agave grown not only in Jalisco, but in all five of tequila’s blue agave-growing states.

Multi-State Influence

Maestra Selection No. 2 is a blend of five single-estate blancos. These components were distilled separately, each using 7 year old agave from one of the five states permitted to make tequila. According to maestra tequilera Ana María Romero, they all bring something different to the table. The Jalisco portion—made entirely from Lowland agave rather than the brand’s signature Arandas Highlands agave—contributes notes of herbs and citrus. Along the coastline just north of Jalisco is Nayarit, whose tequila has flavors of herbs, preserved fruits, and almonds. To the southeast of that area lies both Mihoacan and Guanajuato, which contribute citrus/red fruit and caramel/spice respectively. Last but not least is Tamaulipas, a state on the other side of the country in the northeastern corner of Mexico, which offers a complex profile of mint, fresh grass, sage, minerality, and spice. Each component accounts for 20% of the blend.

Inspiration for the project first came some 30 years ago, when Romero was just getting her start in tequila. A trained sommelier, she was already familiar with the concept of terroir from studying various wine regions, and she wanted to see if some of the same principles also applied to tequila. She spent time traveling across Mexico, sampling tequilas from upwards of 52 distilleries focusing primarily on those in the Highlands and Lowlands. She noticed subtle regional differences in how they tasted, eventually compiling her findings into a book called “Los Aromas Del Tequila” in 2007. But all the while, she was thinking about what other differences could be found in the other states within the denomination—envisioning what it would be like to blend agave from all five of them. When she co-founded Mijenta in 2020, it finally gave her the opportunity to pursue that idea.

This expression is the second entry in Mijenta’s annual Maestra Selection series, which is a relatively new development at the brand, but one that is fairly interesting. Each expression is characterized by experimentation, with Romero having the creative freedom to pursue whatever flavor profiles or production methods she wants. The collection kicked off last year with a single-estate blanco touted as the world’s first-ever tequila distilled entirely from agave de semilla (seed-grown agave).

Mijenta Maestra Selection No. 2 Blanco

ABV: 40%
SRP: $75
Availability: Online and via select retailers nationwide