We first tasted Don Lucio’s zacate limón mezcal in 2018. We'd visited him and his son Oscar several times by that point, and bought at least one batch of espadín from them. In our experience, people in San Dionisio tend to be a bit more reserved than folks in some of the neighboring communities, and while everyone in the Morales family had been perfectly nice to us, their short, direct answers to our open ended attempts at conversation hadn’t given us the feeling that we knew them well. If we didn’t know them well personally, we still knew the high quality of their work. Their palenque was typ ..read more

  Thanks to Tess Rose Lampert for including a few of our favorite expressions in her new book “The Essential Tequila & Mezcal Companion” including: MAL BIEN MEZCAL ARTESANAL Receta Original de Lucio Morales Lopez, San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oax. Espadín (A. angustifolia) An easy-drinking, great value mezcal. Smoked cherries and leather are crisp, autumnal aromas. The flavors start out with a hit of salt and tangy brine before developing into sweet earthy asparagus with a touch of piloncillo. Dried citrus and herbs linger on the finish. MAL BIEN PAPALOTE Ciro and Javier Barranca, Chilap ..read more

An introduction to some of the people, plants and places behind a few of the spirits available on AgaveEnLinea.com. Words by Lalo Ángeles Images by Salvador Periban Music by Casa Abismal ..read more

Agave Spirits Offer Producers Freedom of Expression  Ben Scott is the cofounder of Pueblo de Sabor, which imports the highly regarded labels of Mal Bien, Agave Mix Tape, and Lalocura. One Mal Bien expression is certified as mezcal, but the rest of his products are agave spirits. For Scott, the real issue of certification is whether the requirements alter the end product, because the concept of his company is to import bottles that express their makers’ visions.  Frequently the limits of chemical compounds required for certification just aren’t possible for traditional producers to a ..read more

39. Mal Bien Mezcal ‘Alto’ Isidro Rodríguez Montoya Mal Bien’s packaging evokes the single-use plastic bottles adorned with painters tape that have come to define drinking interesting, small-production mezcal stateside. Far from a gimmick, this producer showcases a curated selection of some of the best small-production mezcals from across Mexico. Produced by Don Isidro Rodríguez Montoya and entirely from the alto variety, this release is clean and mineral-driven, with enticing tropical fruit aromas. A wealth of savory complexity awaits on the palate, ideal for neat sipping occasions or a rock ..read more

First, it’s with sadness that we must mention the loss of two great friends and partners, Don Lucio Morales López and his wife Agustina García López, who passed away earlier this year. The couple first met as school children, married soon after, and spent nearly 60 years together before dying just a few days apart. The Morales family and their espadín have been important to Mal Bien so far, and Lucio and Agustina's legacy will continue through their son Oscar, the longtime day-to-day head of the family business. New Releases GUERRERO Papalote Joven, 48.3%, Antonio Sonido - Don Antonio’s b ..read more

Mal Bien is a label that highlights various mezcaleros from villages throughout Mexico. The clean, oily Mal Bien Alto is produced by mezcalero Don Isidro Rodriguez Montoya from Rio de Parras, Michoacán. "This mezcal, made from the Alto varietal, is bright, mineral-driven with notes of slate, and a touch of watermelon-rind sweetness," says Erik Lund, Bar Director at Pretty Dirty. "It's fermented in underground stone pits with a dash of pulque (fermented agave sap) for only 8-10 days before being distilled in wooden stills." This expression is released in small batches, and is bottled at 46.58 ..read more

Agaves are easy to like and difficult to understand. In this series, we’ll share some super basic field guides from the Mal Bien maestros. Watch them while tasting bottles made from the same plants, or study up before your next trip to Mexico and impress everyone by knowing your way around the fields. Either way, please excuse the recording quality. WATCH MORE ..read more

A Short interview with Ciro and Javier Barranca talking about a batch of papalote that made it into Agave Mixtape Vol. 6 ..read more