Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is all over popular culture these days. HBO’s Ballers just wrapped. There’s a new sitcom series that gets into Johnson’s younger years. He regularly stars in movies. Now he’s the latest celebrity attaching his name to an alcoholic drink, in this case a new tequila that is now available in Canada.
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Tequila has become hugely popular over the last decade. Gone are the images of drinking cheap tequila shots with salt and lime, and scrunching your face up in distaste. Now, there are a myriad of wonderful sipping tequilas that compete handily with the great whiskies, as the perfect spirit to enjoy.
Teremana has become the biggest launch in the history of the spirits business. In its first year it has sold an astonishing 300,000 cases, and shipped 400,000 cases. That is unheard of. This is just another list of accomplishments to add to Johnson’s resume – actor, producer, TV host, wrestler, football player – and now, tequila mogul. After shattering records in the US, Johnson’s Teremana tequila is now finally available in Canada.
The Rock – fully invested
Johnson is obviously very passionate and takes great pride in his tequila. He has been very successful promoting it across social media, to his millions of followers. This is not a vanity project for him where he is just the face of the brand, Johnson is fully invested in the company.
The name Teremana, means “spirit of the earth” and the tequila is created with 100% mature blue agave from Jalisco, Mexico. It’s distilled using small handmade copper pot stills created by local artisans, and is advertised as “an ultra premium sipping tequila to be served neat or on the rocks.”
Best luxury website 2021 – zesty and tangy tequila
Aesthetically, the tequila itself is presented quite nicely. The bottles have a clean, classy look and feel to them, and there’s nothing gimmicky here. There’s just a subtle signature from Johnson on the back. But other than that you would not know that this is his spirit. He’s obviously letting the tequila speak for itself.
Teremana comes in both a Blanco and a Reposado. The Blanco is grassy and earthy with notes of pepper, lemon and cinnamon. The Reposado is aged in barrels, so it has notes of oak, along with vanilla, caramel and citrus.
The Reposado has a richer finish and is a bit sweeter than the Blanco. But overall I found them both just a bit too crisp, too zesty and tangy. Not as smooth as I would have hoped for, from what is advertised as a small batch tequila with premium qualities. They both seem a bit too simple, with not enough complexity in the aroma and the taste.
Refined and sophisticated
So while it’s advertised as a sipping tequila, I think Teremana is definitely more suited to a mixed drink like a Margarita or Tequila Sunrise or a Paloma … which can all be enjoyable. Hopefully there will be an Añejo forthcoming from the brand, just to add some deeper and more mature tones, and to cement it as a true sipping tequila.
Even though it seems like it has all the right pedigree in terms of how it’s produced, Teremana is not quite the premium tequila it sets itself out to be. It’s missing that refined sophisticated taste. For the price point though, it’s a decent libation. And while it may not be the fanciest or smoothest tequila out there, a lot of people obviously like it, considering how much it’s already sold.
And as with every endeavor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson touches, Teremana is poised for global dominance.
Available at the LCBO
Teremana Blanco – $49.95
Teremana Reposado – $54.95
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