Campanilla del Palmar Cuerno from Jaime Navarro is produced with maguey Cuerno (Agave salmiana)
About this destilado de agave
Campanilla del Palmar Cuerno from Jaime Navarro is produced with maguey Cuerno (Agave salmiana subspecies Crassispina) that takes 15-20 years to reach maturity. During fermentation, 40 liters of pulque are added to jumpstart the sugar-yeast interaction. The distillation is done in extremely small batches using a campanilla style still.
Campanilla del Palmar
Campanilla del Palmar is produced by the highly acclaimed Maestra Maria de La Luz Martinez and her two sons Jaime and Manuel Navarro in the community of Palmar Segundo in the state of San Luis Potosi, in Central Mexico. The family has been producing mezcal or destilados de agave using rare and very labor intensive clay pot stills for 8 generations.
The Navarro’s work with 4 different subspecies of Agave salmiana that are locally known as Verde, Cuerno, Chino, and Blanco. For all of their destilados, they only ferment the agave juice, the fibers from the heart of the agave, and pulque, which helps to jump-start the fermentation process.
Unlike the Filipino stills, which have an exit spout in the top chamber of the still, their stills are very different in that the top clay pot chamber (caparote) has a smaller 15-liter clay pot hanging inside it that is used for collecting the condensed spirits. The suspended catchment vessel resembles a little bell, or campanilla, which has historically been referred to as being a Mongolian type of still.
Also unique to this clay pot distillation method, is that the water in the copper condenser dish is hand-ladled to keep it cool throughout both distillations, whereas most Filipino stills that have a constant source flowing through the condenser dish.
Older batches also simply go by the name Campanilla on the label of these bottles.
Review this bottle
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Rakhal
430 reviewsApril 2023. It blows my mind that no one else found this one chocolatey. To my palate this is a chocolate bomb! Chocolate malt balls, chocolate ice cream, fig newtons, chocolate cake, and some really cool mushroomy flavor note that I dig a lot. This brand rocks!
COak
238 reviewsApril 2023, 100 liters, 50.90% abv.
Pleasant nose, floral, sweet peppers, olive brine & nutmeg. On the tongue, it doesn’t quite hit for me as much as Jaime’s verde. It’s a bit subdued, but it’s still quite good. Flavors are rustic, with jalapenos and cinnamon.
Jam
179 reviews50.9% abv, lote 4/23
Review #172: The nose has sweet peppers, candied rose, lavender, white florals, and perfumey strawberry.
The palate has lots of sweet candied florals up front, then some lemon oils, honeydew, lychee, carmelized carrots, and sweet peppers.
This is nice and pretty, especially on the nose. This is probably the least intensely aromatic of the Campanilla I got to try. There’s a lot of sweetness on the nose and palate but in a more delicate way. Really well balanced and hits a lot of right notes for me, i just wish it has more oomph to it.
This sample was provided to me free of charge with no strings attached.
50.9% abv, lote 4/23
Review #172: The nose has sweet peppers, candied rose, lavender, white florals, and perfumey strawberry.
The palate has lots of sweet candied florals up front, then some lemon oils, honeydew, lychee, carmelized carrots, and sweet peppers.
This is nice and pretty, especially on the nose. This is probably the least intensely aromatic of the Campanilla I got to try. There’s a lot of sweetness on the nose and palate but in a more delicate way. Really well balanced and hits
El Dawg
227 reviewsApril 2023, 100 liters, 50.90% abv
Cream, pepper, along with the slight classic salmiana notes (not as fragrant to me as the others from this brand). Taste is similar to other salmianas, but a bit more subtle as well. Light peanuts, clay, minerality, and a bit of smokey BBQ. More like 4.25 stars.
Review #224
Ben P
141 reviewsApril 2023, 50.9% ABV
Nose: Much more subtle than the Verde, melon candy, sweet peppers, chalky candy, sweet corn (thanks Forpowder),
Palate and Finish: Spiced honey dew melons, grilled corn with chile, fig, plum, grilled peppers and carrots, this has some great earthiness going, the finish is subtle and almost has a jerky element to it, mesquite and carnitas, chalky clay and earth as it sits
This stuff is awesome. It’s earthy with fruit and grilled veggies. Just like the Verde it’s complex and consistent, so well executed. I prefer this to the Verde slightly, maybe due to the earthiness and subtle fruits. Great mezcal.
This sample was provided to me, no strings attached and honest review above.
April 2023, 50.9% ABV
Nose: Much more subtle than the Verde, melon candy, sweet peppers, chalky candy, sweet corn (thanks Forpowder),
Palate and Finish: Spiced honey dew melons, grilled corn with chile, fig, plum, grilled peppers and carrots, this has some great earthiness going, the finish is subtle and almost has a jerky element to it, mesquite and carnitas, chalky clay and earth as it sits
This stuff is awesome. It’s earthy with fruit and grilled veggies. Just like the Verde it’s
JDB
183 reviews2.5 ounce sample, Apr. 2023, 50.9% abv
Nose: SLP vibe all the way, but not as much green pepper or jalapeño as I usually get from salmiana’s from SLP. Nopal, brown sugar, and light green aromas.
Palate: lime, gingerbread cookies, maple syrup, prickly pear, with a long pronounced finish.
Well integrated and rounded, which you would expect from being aged in glass, very mild heat, a bit smoother than other cuernos that I have tried (I think actually from the same producer/family). Very enjoyable and high quality salmiana.
2.5 ounce sample, Apr. 2023, 50.9% abv
Nose: SLP vibe all the way, but not as much green pepper or jalapeño as I usually get from salmiana’s from SLP. Nopal, brown sugar, and light green aromas.
Palate: lime, gingerbread cookies, maple syrup, prickly pear, with a long pronounced finish.
Well integrated and rounded, which you would expect from being aged in glass, very mild heat, a bit smoother than other cuernos that I have tried (I think actually from the same producer/family). Very
Forpowder
115 reviewsDistilled 4/ 2023 50.9% 100 liters. Sample on 8 / 2024. Aromas out of the bottle are different on this one I get sweet cotton candy, sweet corn, brown sugars and sweet peppermint. No smoke. And just a little bit of alcoholic aroma. After the bottom opened up song, I get sour citrus and some kind of green bean like smell on the aroma. These hid there ABVs really well. Flavors and balance on this one is really toned down and I find it to be very enjoyable. This has has the typical jalapeno cream cheese herbal flavors, but in a much more subtle way that I find incredibly enjoyable, not so much of a punch in the face with this, one more like a fine experience. Out of the 4 experienced from this producer. This is my favorite. It seems the most integrated, multi layered and not leaning towards, the more spicy side. But more balance. I will say I get a nice sweet corn like moonshine flavor on this one? That I haven’t experienced any mezcal before Which when added with the green agave flavor I found very enjoyable almost like an a elote.
Distilled 4/ 2023 50.9% 100 liters. Sample on 8 / 2024. Aromas out of the bottle are different on this one I get sweet cotton candy, sweet corn, brown sugars and sweet peppermint. No smoke. And just a little bit of alcoholic aroma. After the bottom opened up song, I get sour citrus and some kind of green bean like smell on the aroma. These hid there ABVs really well. Flavors and balance on this one is really toned down and I find it to be very enjoyable. This has has the typical jalapeno cream c
Bryen
97 reviewsFirst time trying maguey Cuerno and this one is really cool! The experience from smell to taste is really complex and the flavor changes drastically as the taste goes on! The only other mezcal I’ve had that transitions in taste like this is maguey Carne from minas— the beginning is far different from the end. On the nose the initial whiff is very much like a Salmiana, green vegetables, jalapeño, sweetness but this one is different in that there’s almost a meatiness underlying in the nose. The palate starts off like many Salmianas I’ve had and follows the nose but it becomes more musty and meaty as the taste goes on. Ends back with the green and sweetness but with some
Floral tones mixed in. A bit mineraly and oily but extremely complex. Really, really enjoyed sampling this!
First time trying maguey Cuerno and this one is really cool! The experience from smell to taste is really complex and the flavor changes drastically as the taste goes on! The only other mezcal I’ve had that transitions in taste like this is maguey Carne from minas— the beginning is far different from the end. On the nose the initial whiff is very much like a Salmiana, green vegetables, jalapeño, sweetness but this one is different in that there’s almost a meatiness underlying in the nose.
little agave
64 reviewsApril 2023, 100 liters, 50.90% abv
sipped in a veladora glass. first impressions are that this has reservations, an agave introvert.
aroma: calm, moldy mushrooms. unripe berries whilst they are green, citrus. enjoying the aroma more as the liquid line drops. drifting into olive oil territory.
palette: floral up front, cedar note, olives, cooked collard greens. I’m imagining dried out agave strands where you get a gentle toasty flavor before a sweet droplet finds the light and hits your tongue.
finish: short burst with light fade of citrus, mineral floral with a musty undertone.
general notes: good. lacks some punch to me. at this moment on the verge of bitter or chemical. however overall pleasant. surprised its 50 abv. I look forward to tasting it again.
April 2023, 100 liters, 50.90% abv
sipped in a veladora glass. first impressions are that this has reservations, an agave introvert.
aroma: calm, moldy mushrooms. unripe berries whilst they are green, citrus. enjoying the aroma more as the liquid line drops. drifting into olive oil territory.
palette: floral up front, cedar note, olives, cooked collard greens. I’m imagining dried out agave strands where you get a gentle toasty flavor before a sweet droplet finds the light and hits your to