Mijenta Maestra Selection No. 1 Blanco Tequila

40% ABV, 750 ml

"Mijenta, the award-winning, additive-free, sustainable tequila from the highlands of Jalisco, today announced the release of the first expression in its newly created Maestra Selection series.

The concept behind the series is to give Maestra Tequilera Ana Maria Romero a platform to explore the immense world of flavors and aromas of tequila in small, innovative annual releases. Leveraging her meticulous approach to production that is equal parts art and science, Romero will unleash her creativity as she experiments with what is possible using only agave, water and yeast.

Embodying this ambition, Maestra Selection No. 1 is small batch, limited edition crafted from agaves grown on a single estate in Presa de Otomites in Jesus Maria in the highlands of Jalisco. Hand-selected by Romero, these agaves averaged approximately 8 years old, while their high natural sugar content has resulted in an exceptionally rich tequila.

What makes this inaugural release in the Maestra Selection series truly unique is that it is the first tequila to be made solely from agaves de semilla, or agaves grown from seed. Nearly all agaves used for tequila production today are clones – or hijuelos – which over generations become weaker due to lack of genetic diversity. Agaves de semilla, the first of a new generation of plants, possess deep, complex and nuanced flavors that are unlike any other agaves.

“This project has been incredibly exciting because, attempting something that had never been done before, I did not know what the result would be,” said Romero. “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. The flavors and aromas leap out of the glass, and I believe the higher ABV showcases the full richness of the expression. 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.”

Bottled at 50% ABV, the expression possesses powerful flavors and aromas of cooked agave as well as tropical fruits such as roasted pineapple and melon. These are followed by chocolate, caramel, dulce de leche, and spices including cinnamon and cardamom. Finally, notes of gardenia and a minerality reflect the terroir of the highlands.

The recyclable caps on the bottles, made from sugar cane fiber-based biopolymer, also reflect Mijenta’s commitment to sustainability. Not only is sugar cane a renewable resource, but its photosynthetic efficiency helps contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases."