Rey Campero Tepeztate Mezcal artesanal - Joven

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 49% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Wild Tepeztate agaves shape the character of this artisanal mezcal from Oaxaca. These Agave marmorata plants grow for around 15 to 18 years before harvesting. Rey Campero Tepeztate is made exclusively from this agave species. Its distinctly vegetal profile combines fresh herbs with mild chilli and smoke.

The agave hearts are cooked in a traditional earthen pit oven, then crushed using a tahona, a stone mill. Fermentation takes place outdoors in wooden vats made from pine and cypress: naturally occurring yeasts ferment the agaves with the addition of river water. The mezcal is then distilled twice in copper pot stills. This Joven bottling has an alcohol content of 49% and comes in a bottle containing 0.7 litres.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, the mezcal is dry and spicy. Herbs lead the aromas, complemented by delicate floral hints. Notes of white flowers and yellow bell pepper add to the bouquet.
• Palate: On the palate, silky sweetness combines with vegetal notes of fresh celery, cucumber and parsley. Coriander, freshly cut grass and banana leaf complement this impression.
• Finish: The medium-length finish leaves a peppery spiciness with notes of jalapeño and Sichuan pepper.

Distillery/Bottler:

Rey Campero is a family business led by Vicente Sánchez Parada in Candelaria Yegolé, a village in the Sierra Sur mountains of southern Oaxaca. Numerous agave species grow on slopes and in ravines along the Río Quiechapa. The name Rey Campero roughly means “King of the Countryside” and refers to the people who work this landscape and harvest its agaves.

The family maintains its own agave nurseries, growing Tepeztate and Jabalí alongside Espadín. Some mature plants are left to flower and produce seeds. The family's general production process includes four to five days of cooking in an earthen pit oven, followed by a resting period of up to a week. After milling, the fibres and juice are processed in wooden fermentation vats; natural fermentation can take up to twelve days, depending on the season. Three small copper pot stills are available for distillation.

Facts: