Mijenta And Tres Tribus: Tequila and Mezcal with a Sustainable Heart

Every so often, spirit brands emerge that stand head and shoulders above the rest of their categories. Mijenta Tequila and Tre Tribus Mezcal Artisanal are the world’s only B Corp tequila and mezcal brands –  independently certified by B Lab as using business for good.

These incredible spirits are produced by the Alto Planos Collective – a passionate collective committed to doing well by doing right.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE TEQUILA BRAND

From the beginning, Mijenta Tequila’s mission has been to create a product that not only delights consumers but also positively impacts the environment and the communities it touches.

Rooted in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, Mijenta is sustainable, artisanal small-batch tequila that offers a unique super-premium proposition. Mijenta is inspired by “Mi Gente”, meaning “My People”, and refers to a collective mindset, a way of being and a community of like-minded people who come together to celebrate life.

To celebrate Australia’s growing thirst for premium 100% Agave Tequila and Mezcal, Spirits Platform spoke to Juan Coronado, who oversees the Altos Planos Collective’s tequila and mezcal production.

“We have been called the tequila provocateurs,” says Juan. “We’re here to provoke change within the industry, within the tequila segment, and we want others to be able to do the same.”

As a global ambassador for the world’s most sustainable tequilas and mezcals, one of Juan’s roles is to “check every point from zero to hero and be able to come up with the most sustainable practices as we can.”

Central to this philosophy is the exclusive use of fully mature, certified Blue Weber Agave from the highlands of Jalisco, where rich red soils and a unique microclimate contribute to the agave’s exceptional flavour.

“The agave plants there have to really strive and get really exhausted trying to get nutrients from the soil at that altitude,” says Juan. “They grow very tall compared to the plants in the valleys. They say that at a distance, you can’t distinguish the blue tips of the agave with the blue of the sky – hence the name ‘Blue Agave’.”

TRADITIONAL PROCESS = SUPERIOR PRODUCT

“In the tequila universe, there are two main characters,” says Juan, “One is the ‘Agavero’, the grower, the farmer, and the other is the producer. Connecting a good product with a great traditional process and doing it sustainably is the best.”

Juan believes in making tequila the old-fashioned way.

“I believe in cooking like a grandmother to caramelise the sugars – I always use this analogy: My grandmother used to have a low heat when cooking tomatoes, so they hold their flavour. That’s the approach I take to cooking the agave. We just want to soften those sugars so the yeast can have a feast and the whole distillery smells delicious – like fruit like tropical fruits like mangoes and tamarinds floating around.”

Ask Juan about his favourite cocktails with Mijenta, and he could go on for hours.

“Mijenta manifests good quality agave in a Margarita, Paloma, Tequila Negroni, or an Espresso Martini. You definitely taste the good quality agave – it doesn’t hide or go incognito. So perfumed, so aromatic, and so rich all at the same time, with lots of layers of flavour and aromas.”

Tasting Notes – Mijenta Blanco

Mijenta Blanco is bright and transparent with a powerful body. The nose offers intense aromas of cooked agave, vanilla, caramel, and floral and fruity notes of cantaloupe and peaches. At the same time, the palate delivers rich flavours of cooked agave, vanilla, fresh fruit, and spices like cinnamon.

Tasting Notes – Mijenta Reposado

Mijenta Reposado is aged up to six months in a blend of American white oak, French oak and French Acacia. This ‘rested’ 100% Agave Tequila offers a light golden hue that is bright and transparent. A delicate and inviting vanilla nose features notes of bergamot, honey, preserved fruits and orange blossoms. The palate offers rich flavours of cooked agave, honey, and vanilla, with a mid-palate of cacao nibs leading to a long and generous finish.

“Mijenta is not a celebrity tequila – actually, I lie,” says Juan Coronado, “the celebrity is the liquid inside of the bottle.”

“It’s like cocktail ketchup – it will make everything taste good!”

TEQUILA WITH SUSTAINABILITY AT ITS HEART

Mijenta’s commitment to sustainability extends across all stages of the tequila production process, ensuring a minimal environmental footprint. To ensure environmentally friendly production, Mijenta’s dedicated team of ‘jimadores’ hand-select agave plants grown without pesticides, preserving biodiversity in their fields. By choosing strong and mature agave, Mijenta avoids shortcuts and ensures the best quality tequila possible.

Part of Juan’s job is to “check every one of those points from zero to hero and be able to come up with the most sustainable practices as we can”.

The brand believes in giving back to the skilled farmers who help harvest the agave. Mijenta donated a percentage of its profits and established the Mijenta Community Foundation to support local communities, providing healthcare assistance and education development for team members and their families.

CARBON-NEUTRAL COMMITMENT

Mijenta Tequila takes its carbon footprint seriously and partners with Climate Care, an Oxford-based company with a track record of cutting CO2 emissions. In 2020, Mijenta offset 25kg of CO2 emissions per bottle sold. Mijenta seeks to reverse its environmental impact by taking responsibility for its carbon emissions.

ECO-CONSCIOUS DESIGN AND PACKAGING

Sustainability is not just a buzzword for Mijenta; it permeates every aspect of the brand.

From labels and note cards, agave waste (called bagasse) and recycled jute fibre from used coffee bean bags are creatively combined, resulting in smooth, sturdy labels that divert waste from landfills.

“I don’t use cork stoppers like most high-end tequilas,” says Juan. “Cork is organic matter, and we don’t want to add to the deforestation of cork trees. So we created a glass stopper with a biodegradable gasket, which makes a nice click when you close it.”

Mijenta continues to explore ways to reduce its carbon footprint and support biodiversity in the Jalisco region and beyond. In partnership with Whales of Guerrero, the brand protects whales, fostering long-lasting practices for the well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants.

FROM TEQUILA TO MEZCAL, THE SUSTAINABLE JOURNEY CONTINUES

Another product close to Juan’s heart is Tres Tribus Mezcal Artisanal – a small batch of mezcal from the remote mountains of Oaxaca.

Its name – Tres Tribus, pays homage to the three tribes that initially settled the region.

The idea for Tres Tribus Mezcal Artisanal was born when Juan Coronado met 5^th-generation Mescalero Juan Antonio Coronel. A descendant of the Zapotec and Mixtec people, Coronel’s family has handed down the secrets of mezcal for generations. The two Juan’s goal was to share the extraordinary flavours of the agave plants native to the region with the world, using the traditional methods the Coronel family had perfected.

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL – WHAT’S THE DIFEFRENCE

Unlike tequila, made from steamed Blue Agave, mezcal comes from various agave plants, domestic and wild. Tres Tribus is made from fully mature, wild agave foraged from the region’s lush, pine-covered forests.

“We’re blessed because this area grows a wide range of different species,” says Juan Coronado. “Some of the pinas (agave hearts) used are up to 29 years old and weigh up to 750 kilos – which is incredible. Few people have seen pinas like that, as big as dinosaur eggs.”

TIME-HONOURED ANCESTRAL TECHNIQUES

The agave is cooked for up to a week at low temperatures in an underground conical oven, layered with volcanic stones and using hard long-burning Encino oak. This elevates the natural flavours of the agave.

Using wild local yeast, the agave is then fermented for up to a week in underground amphoras – adding floral notes of rose, jasmine and deep umami flavours. Then, it is double-distilled in a wood-fired, hand-built copper still that brings forth the pure, rich and complex profiles of the wild agaves.

“Because our Mezcals require time, wisdom and patience to create, we say it is born aged,” says Juan Coronado.

“I CALL THEM ‘TEARS FROM HEAVEN’ BECAUSE THESE MEZCALS ARE SO UNIQUE”

Artfully crafted from a mixture of wild and cultivated agave, Tres Tribus Ensamble is a complex combination of three magueys that creates a playful spirit ideal for cocktails. The Ensemble includes:

• Wild Salmiana ranging from 15 up to 35 years old in some cases.
• Wild Jabalí averaging between 10 and 15 years old.
• Cultivated Espadín averaging 8 years old.

Tasting Notes – Tres Tribus Ensamble

Tres Tribus Ensamble features alluring notes of jasmine, mango and honey with a delicate minerality. The mid-palate of cooked agave showcases a toasty elegance and hints of stone fruit with a long finish of citrus and earthy flavours.

Tres Tribus Cuishe comes from plants that range from 10 to 25 years old. This mezcal has an unmistakable identity.

Tasting Notes – Tres Tribus Cuishe

This mezcal’s completely distinct flavour profile includes elegant herbal notes of rosemary, as well as hints of vanilla and cinnamon and tangy blue cheese.

THE ONLY B CORP CERTIFIED MEZCAL

The only mezcal to earn B Corp certification, Tres Tribus is committed to being environmentally responsible.

Mescalero Juan Antonio Coronel replants four new ones for every wild agave he harvests.

He also replants between 1,000 and 3,000 trees each year.

The distillery is entirely carbon neutral. All packaging is environmentally friendly, including bottles made from recycled glass and labels made from recycled paper and reprocessed aluminium.

Tres Tribus is mezcal made in a way that honours the land, tradition and even spirits from local indigenous mythology – who receive prayer through the process and whose images feature on every Tres Tribus label.

MIJENTA & TRES TRIBUS – A SPECIAL COMMITMENT

In creating Mijenta Tequila and Tres Tribus Mezcal Artisanal, the Alto Planos Collective has made a special commitment.

“We’re committed to the land, our people and life,” says Juan Coronado. “We want to do the right thing and great things, and the only way to do that is to commit to the materials and the process.”

If you feel the same way about the cocktails you create and the customers you serve, the Spirits platform would like to help you take advantage of these exceptional brands. Contact your local Spirits Platform State Manager today.

If you’d like to know more about our portfolio or need education for you or your staff, please contact your state’s relevant Spirits Academy Brand Ambassador. You can also keep in touch with the latest trends and new releases and take advantage of exclusive offers by subscribing at https://spiritsplatform.com.au/subscribe/