Rey Campero Jabali Mezcal

Rey Campero is the single maestro house of Rómulo Sánchez Parada in Candelaria Yegolé, a small town in the southern highlands of Oaxaca, working mainly with wild agave harvested and distilled nearby. This joven is made from Jabalí, Agave convallis, one of the least used magueyes because it foams violently in the still, which makes it risky and low yielding to distil.

Made in the artesanal style, the wild Jabalí is gathered from rocky outcrops and cliffs, pit roasted, fermented on natural yeast in wooden vats, then distilled in copper. Its low sugar and heavy foaming mean it can require three or even four passes. The result is a demanding, rewarding mezcal, with tropical and citrus fruit, an earthy base and a touch of pepper, its rich texture and smoke framing the wild character of the agave.