Reviews / Espina Negra Jabali
Review · · by The Editors
Espina Negra Jabali
Jabalí at 45% – the proof is the ceiling on an agave that asks for more structural support
Score: 3.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Espina Negra Mezcal
- Maestro: Honorato Cruz Molina, Mayolo Cruz, Roque Cruz Molina
- Region: Santa Ana, Oaxaca
- Agave: Jabali
- ABV: 45%
- Price: $70 ($$)
Verdict
Skip this for Rey Campero's jabalí if you can find one – Espina Negra's version is clearly a capable production undercut by a proof ceiling the agave can't work around. Jabalí needs structural room to unfold, and 45% doesn't give it. A reasonable but unremarkable entry. Consensus 3.0 matches; the cap is the whole story.
Jabalí at 45% is the proof floor, and the category shows it every time
Tasting notes
Nose: Hot stone, green pepper, a herbal edge, faint cocoa underneath
Palate: Medium at 45%. Jabalí's difficulty can be handled at this proof but rarely shines; Espina Negra's attempt is competent, not distinctive, the agave's characteristic density is present in silhouette but never fully fills out
Finish: Drying, with a slow herbal fade. Long
The bottom line
Rey Campero Jabalí outperforms meaningfully at higher proof
Where to buy online
We found this bottle at 3 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.
- Hi-Time Wine – $89.99
- Flaviar – $78.99
- Caskers