Rey Campero "Madre Cuishe" Mezcal 750ml

Rey Campero is the mezcal brand of the Sánchez Parada family, whose roots in Candelaria Yegolé, a village in the Zoquitlán district of Oaxaca's Sierra Sur, stretch back four generations. Maestro mezcalero Rómulo Sánchez Parada learned the trade from his father and worked the family palenque, known as La Candela, until leaving for several years to work in North Carolina before returning to Oaxaca in 2003 to revive the family business alongside his relatives. Rey Campero, or "King of the Countryside," reflects that deep tie between the family and the rugged canyon terrain they farm, and the brand continues to support local maguey growers through steady work and access to wider markets.

This expression is made from Madre-Cuishe, a variety of Agave karwinskii cultivated at elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in the hills around Candelaria Yegolé. As with the rest of the Rey Campero line, the agave is roasted underground, crushed by tahona, and fermented naturally in open air with wild ambient yeast before double distillation in copper stills. Many batches also rest in glass for several months before bottling, softening the finished spirit.

The result is velvety and approachable, with a palate built around white chocolate and ripe banana. Floral and herbal notes lead on the nose, giving way to a light, elegant smokiness and a mineral-tinged finish.