With the amount of mezcal becoming available in California, we have been able to be extremely picky with our K&L Exclusive batches. We only purchase the highest quality and rarest distillates we can get our hands on. This is simply put, an epic distillation from Rey Campero. While the vast majority of mezcal rests for 1-3 months after distillation before bottling, its not unusual for a distiller's favorite batches to be kept much longer as they only improve with additional resting. We were able to pry half of this exquisite and rare 50/50 blend of Tepextate and Pulquero from Campero after 30 months resting in glass. The other half was kept in Mexico. Just 120 bottles are in the United States and the flavors are otherworldly. The Tepextate provides a shocking amount of fruit and floral notes ranging from honeysuckle and hyacinth to candied orange and ripe apple all with a bit of fresh cut grass. The Pulquero (now officially recognized, but previously lumped in as a Salmiana) adds an intense pepper medley. It ranges from sweet and crunchy pepperoncini to a more vegetal jalapeno. The real magic is not in the individual flavors, but in the way everything comes together - thanks to the expertise in distillation of Romulo Sanchez Parada and the extended resting period before bottling. It's as though all of those flavors were pureed into a creamy soup or reduced to a sticky glaze. The texture is supple yet the flavors explosive. A perfect batch of mezcal is a thing you can't define, but you certainly recognize it when you taste it. There was no way we could pass this one up.