Rey Campero Jabalí Mezcal

It's quite surprising how strongly this reminds me of Irish whiskey. It carries that distinct combination of apple and intense floral honey notes characteristic of Irish spirits. The taste profile is somewhat different but retains that pronounced floral character of Irish whiskey, along with honey and apple sweetness, plus notes of cinnamon, ginger, and white pepper spice. This is a genuinely intriguing beverage. It's rather enjoyable to drink neat, although if it were an Irish whiskey, I'd criticize it for being poorly made. That fascinating blend of sweet, floral, savory, spicy, and earthy without being heavily smoky is unexpected for a mezcal, but it's quite delicious. It's very interesting and definitely worth trying. It does feel like it's stretching a gimmick for as long as it can, however. The flavors are distinct and tasty, making it quite good. Kudos also for not tasting nearly as strong as its ABV suggests. The umami has a flavor reminiscent of roasted chicken thigh with crispy skin. This is unusual, but it's also luxurious for a mezcal and it perfectly executes its uniqueness. That floral finish is really pleasant, and while the drink lacks the smoothness and refined elegance of Bushmill's 21, it's like a mezcal version of that, but with many mezcal elements and spiciness mixed with earth. Wow?!

The aroma is primarily driven by minerality, botanicals, and smoke. You'll find notes of freshly mown grass, rock, the smell of rain on dry earth, agave, subtle vanilla, and spearmint. The taste brings a full-bodied experience of toasted agave, damp rock, spearmint, black pepper, sweet sugar, soil, and smoke. This is my second encounter with a jabalí expression, and both have been excellent. They possess an untamed character, offering a vibrant and intricate profile where the flavors emerge with significant intensity.

Slight smoke with a faint trace of incense. Better enjoyed neat than in mixed drinks, in my estimation, though it can be used to impart a subtle smokiness.

The aroma is dominated by nail polish remover. Past batches from previous years seemed more balanced based on what I've heard, perhaps my particular year was flawed.

Initially you taste the sweet floral. Then it finishes with intense pepper heat and a subtle smoky aftertaste.

A little hot upfront, medium to heavy smoke. Struggling to identify tasting notes. Smooth overall