Mal Bien Azul

Verdict

48.5% is appropriate. Mal Bien's azul is a legitimate geographic detour – interesting more than essential for drinkers deep in the mezcal catalog. Azul grown and distilled outside tequila's commercial channels reveals a different agave than the one tequila drinkers know: drier, more mineral, less sweet. The bottle works as an education on what azul can do when it isn't being engineered into blanco tequila. Consensus 3.8 is close.

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked agave, then citrus, clean smoke

Palate: Brighter and more vegetal than Oaxacan wild agaves – azul sits closer to tequila's register

Finish: Medium-long, clean, slightly sweet

The bottom line

Niche interest, with real production behind it