Rey Campero Espadín + Cuishe

Item: Rey Campero Espadín + Cuishe
Rating: 4.0
Author: The Editors

Espadín-cuishe ensamble – Rey Campero doing value

Score: 4.0/5 agaves

Producer: Rey Campero Mezcal
Maestro: Vicente Sánchez Parada
Region: Candelaria Yegole, Oaxaca
Agave: Cuishe, Espadin
ABV: 48.5%
Price: $70 ($$)

Verdict

The Rey Campero you buy when you want Rey Campero but can't afford the jabalí. Espadín-cuishe is a sensible two-agave: the espadín pays for the bottle, the cuishe supplies the reason to buy it. Candelaria Yegolé production at 48.5% keeps the composition honest. A bridge bottle the producer actually designed as one, which is rarer than it sounds.

A sensible bridge bottle from a serious producer

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked agave with a green pepper, mineral damp

Palate: Clean and layered, the espadín sweetness balances the cuishe herbal spine

Finish: Flinty, drying

The bottom line

A strong mid-tier Rey Campero