(Photo: La Gritona)
Since its inception in the 16th century, the tequila industry has largely been understood within a male-dominated legacy of maestro tequileros and business owners. However, agave spirits — particularly mezcal — have historically been family-led affairs, defined not only by patriarchs but a rich and often untold lineage of female distillers.
Today, a new generation of brands is taking that history in stride.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re looking at seven exceptional women-owned and made brands that redefine additive-free agave spirits. From rosé-finished reposados to mezcal de pechuga (distilled with real turkey), we’re examining the breadth and depth that the category has to offer.
TCapri
(Photo: TCapri)
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Launched by Tiffany Capri Hainesworth in 2019, TCapri earns distinction as the first tequila brand solely created and owned by a black woman.
The brand’s short-and-stout Blanco and Reposado expressions offer a lot to like. Distilled under the same roof as acclaimed imprints like Pasote and Tepozán, TCapri’s formula shines through loud and clear with distinct flavors of cooked agave, guava, green pepper and gobs of herbaceousness. Priced at $60 and $65 respectively, these are excellent options within the oftentimes ultra-expensive, hard-to-find category of additive-free tequila.
Real Minero
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The Ángeles family has been distilling Real Minero in one form or another since the 1970s. Today, the brand is headed up by general manager and co-owner Graciela Ángeles Carreño, who oversees the production of over a dozen distinct expressions and counting.
“My grandmother wasn’t allowed in the distillery,” Graciela told Hemisphere Magazine in 2021. “A woman in the distillery at that time was considered a catastrophe. [They believed] the pots would break, the maguey wouldn’t cook; it was a curse to be a woman then. To me, being a woman isn’t a curse—but I live in a world where I’m allowed in the distillery.”
Real Minero, without doubt, makes some of the finest high-ABV mezcal on the market; we’re especially fond of its Arroqueño and Pechuga expressions, rich in terroir, gentle ash and honeyed sweetness. Though bottles cost around $100-$200 each, they’re well worth seeking out for discerning agave spirits lovers.
La Gritona
(Photo: La Gritona)
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La Gritona — named after “The Mourning Woman” of Mexican folklore — is distilled by Melly Barajas alongside a staff of women at the Vinos y Licores Azteca distillery. Apart from its eye-catching industrial-esque bottle, La Gritona is noted as one of the few brands that specializes exclusively in a reposado.
Agave spirits die-hards can’t get enough of it. Rested for 8 months in ex-American whiskey barrels, the brand accentuates oaky flavors of black pepper, caramel and cinnamon sure to impress tequila and whiskey lovers alike. Price hovers around an affordable $50; if you’re looking for something even smaller, the brand also sells these especially cheeky 50ml minis.
Desolas
(Photo: Desolas)
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While Oaxaca is best known for Agave Espadin, San Luis Potosi has perfected the art of Agave Salmiana, frequently dubbed “The Green Giant” due to its towering 8-10 foot height and 25-year maturation period.
GG Marvis carries on the city’s mezcal legacy in the form of Desolas. Boasting a low-smoke flavor profile imbued from above-ground roasting, the spirit packs in earthy, terroir-driven flavors of lemon peel, basil, mint and grassiness. If you’d like to learn more, you can find our full interview with Marvis exploring the history and production of Desolas here.
At $52, Desolas is a fantastic spirit to explore the “other” flavors that mezcal has to offer.
Mijenta
(Photo: Mijenta Tequila)
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Mijenta is one of the biggest names in additive-free agave spirits for good reason. Distilled by the renowned Ana Maria Romero Mena — one of the industry’s few maestra tequileras —the brand’s prancing rabbit logo can be found on the menu of many a high-end bar across the country.
Mijenta’s flagship Blanco and Reposado dive headfirst into bright flavors of pineapple, citrus and lingering vanilla. On the limited-edition side, Gran Reserva Añejo and the recently introduced Mijenta Cristalino offer lots of surprises, redefining their respective categories with bespoke cask finishes (in the case of Gran Reserva, an unprecedented combination of American white oak, French oak, acacia and sherry).
Beyond the spirit lies an ethos. Elise Som, Mijenta’s Director of Sustainability, successfully led the brand on its mission to become the world’s first B-Corp certified tequila in 2022.
Inspiro
(Photo: Inspiro Tequila)
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As distillers look to distinguish their products on crowded liquor store shelves, rosa tequila has emerged as a hot investment opportunity. Aged in wine barrels — usually rosé — these reposados take on a pinkish tint and subdued floral flavor.
Inspiro makes the best of the bunch. Founded by former attorney Mara Smith in 2020, the brand hits a delicate balance between recognizable tequila flavor and complex notes of dried cherry, plum and chocolate. Keen-eyed spirits enthusiasts might also like to know that it’s distilled at NOM 1614, the same as Tres Agaves and recent viral cult-favorite Cazcanes.
Yola Mezcal
(Photo: Yola Mezcal)
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Yola Mezcal counts not one but three founders — entrepreneur Gina Agilietti,mezcalera Yola Jimenez and multi-platinum certified artist Lykke Li.
The unlikely trio was brought together in 2015, long before celebrity-backed tequila or mezcal had taken the industry by storm. Distilled on a family farm in San Luis Potosi from a recipe passed down by Yola’s grandfather, the brand specializes in an Espadin, wild-grown Jabalí and recently introduced Pechuga expression distilled using real turkey breast (other interpretations of the technique have seen fit to include rabbit, snake and even alligator).
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