Mijenta Released an Excellent New Symphony Barrel Tequila
As we’ve covered before, there is a whole lot of good añejo tequila out there to try, referring to tequila that has been aged between one and three years in barrels. But one of the newest additions to this category is also one of the most unique—Mijenta Symphony Series No. 3, which was aged in specially designed symphony barrels made from four different kinds of wood.
Mijenta is a relatively new brand, having been founded in 2020 by former Bacardi CEO Mike Dolan, Juan Coronado, and Elise Som. While it doesn’t specifically market its tequila as additive-free anymore due to the CRT’s crackdown on labeling practices, the brand eschews the use of additives across its portfolio. Maestra tequilera Ana Maria Romero is the woman behind the spirit, and while she is currently working with other brands she continues to shape the liquid that is in Mijenta’s bottles as well.
And that liquid has been very good across the board, with a few expressions that stand out. The Symphony Series launched in 2024 with the Cristalino expression, a rare example of how this unofficial category of aged tequila that’s been filtered to remove color can actually succeed. Before filtration, this tequila was aged for eight months in symphony barrels, which are made from oak staves sourced from forests in Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, each of which is said to imbue the spirit with a different flavor. The second release was a reposado version of this symphony barrel maturation, and to my palate this tequila was a bit raw and woody. But the new anejo, Symphony Series No. 3, has succeeded where the reposado did not after 18 months in these special casks.
“Each release in our Symphony Series, from our initial Cristalino, to our Reposado last year, to this exquisite añejo, showcases how we can highlight different aspects of both the terroir of the agave and the unique, unpredictable characteristics of our symphony barrels,” said Romero in a statement. “For me, doing small batch releases is incredibly inspiring because there is always so much more we can discover when it comes to tequila.” The oak staves from the different forests are toasted over a “chaufferette” at a low temperature, according to the brand, while being sprayed with water. This is supposed to open the wood’s pores and allow the toasting to penetrate deep into the staves.
Mijenta’s claims about the use of symphony barrels are intriguing, but it’s really impossible to distinguish how they have affected the tequila without being able to taste the same liquid aged in casks made from each type of wood. That being said, this third release is still a really good añejo that has rich notes of chocolate, cherry, deeply roasted agave, grass, earth, citrus, and some botanicals floating around in the background. And at a higher 90 proof, there is some welcome spice and heat as you sip. As mentioned before, this is a marked improvement over the reposado—if you have a chance to try the two side by side, see how you think they compare. Mijenta Symphony Series No. 3 (SRP $120) is available now at liquor stores around the country and websites like Total Wine.
