Rey Campero Mezcal Arroqueno 750ml

With over 70 years of combined experience, Rey Campero represents the culture and tradition of Candelaria Yegolé, a small village in Zoquitlán, a municipality nestled within Oaxaca’s southern mountain range, the Sierra Sur. The fertile soil along the Rio Quiechapa is abundant with a wide variety of agave that grow wild along the slopes and canyons, and some of Oaxaca’s most famous maestro mezcaleros call this small district home.

Helmed by Romulo Sanchez Parada, this family collective chose the name Rey Campero, meaning “King of the Countryside”, to reflect the relationship between the landscape and those who work so tirelessly to harvest the magueys from this challenging terrain. Romulo and his family have some of the most diverse and productive agave nurseries in Oaxaca; Espadín and rare varieties of agave such as Tepextate and Jabalí are cultivated side by side. When they achieve maturity, some are allowed to flower and seed, while the rest are harvested and cooked underground for 4–5 days, before resting for up to a week. Then, after being crushed by a traditional stone mill (or tahona), the fiber is placed in wooden vats (tinas) where it is naturally fermented in open air for up to 12 days, depending on the season. The fermented agave fibers and juice (tepache) from the vats are distilled in one of three small copper pot stills, finally offering the delicious elixir which is Mezcal Rey Campero. These distillates express an unflinching translation of the terroir, the family, and the agave which comprise it.

Made from the massive Agave americana, which typically takes from 18 to 25 years to mature, this is a rare Arroqueño release from Romulo and we’re thrilled to see it. Rested for two years and then bottled in a limited batch of 480 bottles, the mezcal opens with assertive high notes before mellowing into soft red fruit and young melon on the mid palate. During a recent visit to Oaxaca, this batch was a clear favorite from the palenque – imagine our chagrin when we were told it wasn’t being bottled yet. Now imagine our joy when we heard it was ready to ship at last! A real treat. 48.2% ABV