Mezcal Pechuga de Codorniz (Quail)

• Mezcal produced in Candelaria Yegolé, Zoquitlán, Oaxaca
• Maestro Mezcalero: Vicente Sánchez Parada
• Made from 100% Espadín (A. angustifolia)
• Cooked in a traditional earthern pit oven
• Milled using traditional stone tahona
• Open-air spontaneous fermentation in pine & cypress wood vats (tinas)
• Distilled twice using copper pot stills
• Grilled pineapple, banana, corn cobs, and about 25 breasts of quail (codorniz) added to the still on the second pass
• Flavors of green apple, dark cherry, craisins, peppermint, walnut skin, corn husks, saline, cacao, cracked black peppercorn, damp earth
• Only 811 bottles produced
• 48.8% ABV

Maestro mezcalero Vicente Sánchez Parada distilled this batch twice, adding grilled pineapple, banana, corn cobs, and quail (codorniz) to the still on the second pass. This method is in contrast to many commercial pechugas exported to the USA, which are often made by redistilling finished mezcal a third time with ingredients added to, or suspended in, the still. Vicente’s concentrated, intentional pechuga is particularly bright, with fruit-forward aromatics and a dense, savory finish.

Tasting Notes

Pechuga translates to “breast”; in mezcal, it is both metaphoric (the breast, home of the heart) and literal, as a poultry breast (or other protein) is added to the still or spirit during production along with local fruits and spices. These mezcales are often intended to be shared at important events and gatherings—weddings, memorials, birthdays, holidays—occupying a special place in traditional mezcal culture while capturing the hearts and imaginations of mezcal enthusiasts worldwide.

Rey Campero’s ‘Pechuga de Codorniz’ is a particularly fine example of the category. Maestro mezcalero Vicente Sánchez Parada distilled the batch twice, adding grilled pineapple, banana, corn cobs, and about 25 breasts of quail (codorniz) to the still on the second pass. This method is in contrast to many commercial pechugas exported to the USA, which are often made by redistilling finished mezcal a third time with ingredients added to, or suspended in, the still. Vicente’s concentrated, intentional pechuga is particularly bright, with fruit-forward aromatics of cherry and green apple, followed by a rich, mouth-coating palate full of oily texture and a dense, savory finish.

It’s been a few years since we saw a batch of pechuga from the Sánchez Parada family! While their previous pechugas were released under the Herencia de Sánchez label, they’ve now brought these unique productions under the family’s revered Rey Campero umbrella. 48.8% ABV