- Meet the Maker
Meet The Maker: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson of Teremana Tequila
First he was a WWE wrestler, winning belts, trash talking opponents and acquiring the ringname ‘The Rock’.
Then he was an actor, claiming the title of highest paid actor in Hollywood for two consecutive years between 2019 and 2020. And now, where others might take their foot off the gas and enjoy the life they’ve worked so hard for, Johnson has embarked on a third act: tequila distiller.
Teremana Tequila is Johnson’s first venture into the alcohol game, though for him, it’s far more than just a business opportunity. It was important to Johnson that Teremana reflected the land from which it came. From the mature agave used in the tequila’s production, to the brick ovens which slow-roast it and the family that oversees the entire process, getting into the weeds was non-negotiable. Years of trial and error, along with a few hard lessons, led to Johnson’s passion project coming to fruition, paying homage to tradition while staying true to its commitment to being a tequila for everyone, not just connoisseurs.
To learn more about the brand, find out what drew him to starting an alcohol business and get the lowdown on what actually goes into making tequila, we sat down with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson himself.
How did Teremana come to be?
“My goal with the Teremana brand was to create a tequila expression that was ultra premium quality, absolutely delicious to the taste and most importantly, affordable for everyone. When we first launched our Teremana brand, many said that I was crazy to deliver such a high quality tequila at such an affordable price, but to me the most important ‘P word’ in my business isn’t profit — it’s people. And that’s why Teremana will always be the tequila of the people. I looked at this as an opportunity to create a tequila experience that brings people together in good times, not-so-good times and everything in between.”
What, if anything, did you know about making tequila before you decided to embark on this journey?
“I felt like in order for the brand to have legitimate longevity, I had to learn and absorb the tequila business and history from day one, going to Mexico and spending time with the families who have been in the industry for generations. We went through 113 distillations before we perfected it. Our goal is to create a tequila that is the best of quality and taste, but done the right way: by hand. Small batch, handcrafted tequila from our Teremana blue agave, maturing in the highlands of Jalisco, for everyone to enjoy.”
Were there any non-negotiables you brought into the journey?
“Our entire team, including co-founder Dany Garcia and industry vets and co-founders Jenna Fagnan and Ken Austin, are excited to partner with Mast-Jägermeister SE to distribute Teremana. Just like us, they are a family business and share the same set of principles, which are rooted in family values, hard work, craftsmanship and the importance of the people – both the consumers and those who bring our product to life. Our team at Destilería de Teremana de Agave uses only one process, including brick ovens, copper pot stills, open fermentation tanks, and, of course, the Tequila. We harvest only fully mature agave, slow roast in old‐world brick ovens, and distill in small [3,800‐litre] handmade copper pot stills to bring out rich, flavourful Tequila that reflects the earth it comes from.”
What makes Teremana stand out from the rest of the bottles on the shelf?
“Terra” means Earth in Spanish and “mana” is part of my culture — I’m half black and half Samoan — and on the Polynesian side, we have a word called “mana” that I use often. It’s spirit. It’s here. I think you feel it in the air when you come to our distillery, and ultimately I believe in the positivity of mana. Teremana is a legacy brand for me. I’m going to work extremely hard to not only deliver legacy to our consumers but also I want to pass on this legacy to my children.”
“What sets Teremana apart from other tequilas on the market is taste,” adds CEO Richard Black. “Dwayne and our co-founders spent a lot of time developing the liquid, they were adamant about not cutting corners and prioritising quality and consistency. It speaks to why Teremana has won seventeen awards, such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold Medal and a Double Gold medal for the Reposado from the TAG Global Spirits Awards. Mana is at the heart of all that we do, it’s about sharing positive energy, bringing people together, and doing the right thing. It’s the driving force behind how we craft our tequila, so that every bottle has the same level of care, no matter where in the world you try our tequila.”
Making tequila and acting are very different careers. What do you love about this new venture?
“This is a brand that is incredibly personal to me. At the bottom, for example, of every bottle of Teremana is an embossed word, in the glass. It’s a little Easter egg: it says TiJaSi: T-i, J-a, S-i and that’s the first two letters of my three daughters’ first names – Tiana, Jasmine and Simone. To be able to share our Teremana Tequila with the world is a privilege and to illuminate its heritage is an honour. Taking the extra time to invest in how we produce our liquid, invest in our people, and invest in the community and land for years to come as we grow. We’re building a mana-fuelled legacy brand and I’m in it for the long term.”
One last question, how do you drink Teremana?
“What I love doing with Teremana is enjoying it neat — especially the añejo. You just need a big ice cube. I always like to say when it comes to Teremana and when it comes to life, let’s make up the rules.”
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