Our Identify
Mezcal Rey Campero is 100% owned and produced by the Sanchez family in Candelaria Yegolé. Their palenque, or distillery, is lead by the 3rd and 4th generation team of maestro mezcaleros: Ramiro Sanchez (father) and Romulo Sanchez (son- head maestro mezcalero). Clara Manzano Rios, Romulo’s great grandmother, built the family’s first palenque in 1870 and began distilling mezcal with her husband, Nicolas Sanchez. It was the first palenque built in Candelaria Yegolé. As a common practice at the time members of the community were allowed use of the it in exchange for mezcal or agricultural goods (i.e. corn, beans, etc.) when it was not being used by the Sanchez family. The introduction of the palenque in Candelaria Yegolé has had a positive impact on the history and economics of this small mountain village.
OUR HOME: CANDELARIA YEGOLÉ
Land of Our Mezcals
Candelaria Yegolé, which is located within the municipality of Santa María Zoquitlán, is nestled in the mountains of the Tlacolula district of the Sierra Sur, approximately 120 kilometers (74 miles) South-East of Oaxaca City. Yegolé is located at an elevation of 1,100 meters (3,609 ft) above sea level and has a warm arid climate with an average temperature of 82°F. This combination of a temperate climate and fertile soil creates the perfect environment for Yegolé’s 7 native species of wild maguey to thrive. The steep hillsides and deep canyons of this region are bountiful with wild agaves. Here you will find magueyes Cuishe, Madre Cuishe and Mexicano, naturally growing alongside cultivated Espadin and rows of corn and beans, historically the other two primary crops in the village. Mezcal production has long been one of the economic drivers, along with the farming of tomatoes, limes, maize and beans for this remote tiny village, an important provider of employment and stability for the community during periods of high demand. However, periods of decreased mezcal demand and economic recession led to villagers emigrating to big cities and in some instances, the United States in search of economic opportunity. Candelaria Yegolé has a current population of approximately 120 inhabitants, and the majority are women and seniors, this is due to past emigration. In recent times, as demand for Yegolé’s mezcal grows, expatriated members of the community are starting to return to the village. Today, Destiladora de Mezcal Sanchez y Asociados, the 100% Sanchez family owned entity that is Rey Campero, provides steady full- and part-time employment to eight people who work in the palenque and who help harvest the agave. Additionally, support fifteen magueyeros (agave farmers) and their families.
OUR MISSION
“Destiladora de Mezcal Sanchez y Asociados” created in 2012 by two
generations of the Sanchez family to accomplish three main objectives:
To preserve and promote the traditions of mezcal that were on the verge of being forgotten, while providing economic opportunities to the community of Candelaria Yegolé.
To introduce the wide variety of agaves, unique terroir and mezcals that originate from Candelaria Yegolé to both Mexico and the world through the Mezcal Rey Campero brand.
To sustainably harvest and institute long-term reforestation of agaves in Candelaria Yegolé and within the region
OUR MEZCALS
Rey Campero
Rey Campero is the embodiment of the tradition and legacy of four generations of maestro mezcaleros from the Sanchez family. The name Rey Campero literally translates to “King of the Countryside,” which perfectly symbolizes the high quality, rustic nature of the wild and cultivated agaves native to Candelaria Yegolé. The maestros ensure that the Rey Campero mezcales capture the flavors and aromas of each agave species, for example: Arroqueño, Espadin, Castilla, Chato, Coyote, Cuishe, Jabalí, Madre Cuishe, Mexicano, Pulquero, Sierra Negra, Tobala and Tepextate.