Teremana Anejo Review

My go-to drink is almost always whiskey. Tequila doesn’t often make it into my body unless it’s in the form of a shot. However, I’m trying to expand my palate with more drinkable or sippable tequilas. Naturally, that led me in the direction of aged tequilas such as Teremana Anejo. I did not expect it to take me to a spirit crafted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

In this review we’ll discuss some of the history, the partnership, and, of course, the taste and price of Teremana Anejo tequila. Tequila and whiskey enthusiasts won’t want to miss this.

Teremana Tequila History

While Dwayne Johnson gets a lot of credit for being the founder of Teremana Tequila, things really start with Jenna Fagnan and Ken Austin. The two had partnered together in 2010 to form Tequila Avion. After selling their business in 2019, Austin received a phone call from The Rock’s manager about a possible partnership.

Dwayne Johnson, Austin, and Fagnan had numerous meetings before really getting into distilling tequila together. Johnson had very specific ideas about how he wanted to do things. He wanted to produce tequila sustainably, he wanted to help Mexican families, and communities, and he wanted to honor his own heritage.

With Teremana Tequila, he was able to do all of these things. First, Teremana honors his Polynesian heritage. Tere, while Latin, translates to earth, and mana is a Polynesian word for spirit. So, Teremana translates, roughly of course, to spirit of the earth.

Next, they were able to work with a family located in the highlands of Jalisco. The Lopez family had started a distillery on their land in order to create more jobs for their community. Johnson, Austin, and Fagnan were able to come in and help them and their community while providing the right infrastructure to produce tequila sustainably.

Teremana Tequila launched in March of 2020 right as COVID was shutting things down. Their bottles began disappearing from shelves left and right, and it left many people looking toward an anejo, or aged version. Eventually, in November of 2021 Teremana Anejo was released.

What is Teremana Anejo Tequila?

Before we get into the taste of Teremana Anejo, let’s talk about what it actually is, about what we can expect. There are a couple different labels for tequila, but we’re going to discuss just 3 of them – blanco, reposado, and anejo.

• Blanco – Tequila that is unaged and silver or clear in color.
• Reposado – Tequila that is aged 2-12 months in oak barrels. This will give it a very light wood color.
• Anejo – Tequila aged between 1-3 years in oak barrels. It’ll be darker than a Reposado tequila, but still fairly light.

Distilled liquor is naturally clear whether its vodka, tequila, rum, whiskey, or anything else. It’s the aging process in barrels that gives whiskey, rum, or tequila its color. However, be careful because some tequilas will add gold coloring to give the impression of age – Jose Cuervo Gold being one of those.

Teremana Anejo is a small batch tequila aged 1-3 years. Based on when Teremana launched their blanco tequila and when they launched the anejo, I’d presume it to be around the 1 1/2 – 2 year mark. Prior to barreling and aging, the agave is slow roasted in brick ovens and distilled in copper pot stills. Teremana Anejo Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV and is gluten-free.

Teremana Anejo Taste

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about what’s actually inside this bottle. Is it good tequila? What does it taste like? With an ounce and a half poured in my glass, I’m ready to find out.

Nose: The first thing I noticed was how sweet the aroma was. Vanilla and caramel are prominent with citrus and roasted agave notes in the background.

Taste: Fairly light and sweet. Vanilla and agave sit at the forefront with citrus and black pepper rounding it out.

Finish: Short to medium finish in length. Smooth with some light black pepper earthy notes.

Teremana Anejo Taste Summary

There’s no mistaking this for a tequila. Both on the nose and palate, there are prominent agave notes. However, that isn’t all there is. In fact, it’s not even mostly that. A sweet caramel vanilla takes center stage that is more reminiscent of a light whiskey than tequila. Prominent agave flavors along with citrus and pepper remind you that it is indeed a tequila.

As someone who much prefers whiskey to tequila, I find Teremana Anejo to be a great choice. I’m no stranger to taking shots of Patron or El Padrino, but this is a tequila I’ll gladly pour over an ice cube and enjoy.

Teremana Anejo Price

Okay, so Teremana Anejo is a good tequila, especially for those who like a lighter whiskey. However, tequila done right isn’t the cheapest to produce which begs the question, how much does Teremana Anejo cost? Let’s take a look.

• Teremana Anejo 750ml: 39-42$

Total Wine offers Teremana Anejo for right around $40 at pretty much every location across the US. It’s certainly not the cheapest option out there, but for a quality tequila that is aged 1-3 years, it is more than fair.

Teremana Anejo Value

In this section we answer the question, is Teremana Anejo worth buying? The simple answer is yes! Well at least to me. If you like tequila, whiskey, or are interested in trying some sipping tequilas, you should definitely pick up Teremana Anejo.

Teremana Anejo might be a little sweet or light for more seasoned tequila drinkers, but it’s great for an entry level anejo tequila. If it’s not your favorite, it also works much better than other tequilas in mixed drinks.

If you’re plan is to rip tequila shots there are plenty of cheaper blanco options to go for, but if $40 isn’t a stretch for you, I recommend buying a bottle.

How to Drink Teremana Anejo Tequila

Anejo tequilas are generally meant to be sipped neat or on the rocks, and that’s certainly true for this tequila. If you’re looking for a tequila to mix with club soda, there are cheaper options available to you. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some good cocktails that can call for anejo tequila. My favorite is a tequila old-fashioned.

Teremana Old-Fashioned

Ingredients: 2 oz. of Teremana Anejo Tequila. Sugar cube. Bitters (Orange or Angostura).

Instructions: In a mixing glass, crush up half a sugar cube, add 2-4 dashes of bitters, and pour in 2 oz. of Teremana Anejo Tequila. Stir. Transfer your cocktail over to a glass with rocks, and enjoy!

Teremana Anejo Review Summary

There’s a lot to like about Teremana Anejo Tequila. First, who doesn’t love Dwayne The Rock Johnson? In addition to his quality movies, he seems to do things the right way, whatever it is. Their selling point isn’t having a superstar be the founder, it’s on their tequila. In addition, they are producing tequila in a sustainable manner and taking small margins so their employees can make more and so you can buy a fairly priced tequila.

Even with all of that, you still have to make a good spirit. Teremana Anejo may not be the best tequila out there, but it’s pretty darn good. I think tequila and whiskey drinkers alike will appreciate the aged tequila from Teremana.

Teremana Anejo Tequila FAQ

Below are frequently asked question, many of which are answered in the article above.

When Was Teremana Anejo Released?

Teremana Anejo was released in November of 2021.

Is Teremana Real Tequila?

Teremana produces real tequila using 100% blue agave from the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

Where To Buy Teremana Anejo Tequila?

Teremana Anejo is available at most liquor stores across the country. In addition to having Dwayne Johnson as the founder and spokesperson to push sales, it’s also a very good tequila.