Mal Bien Papalote Joven

Item: Mal Bien Papalote Joven
Rating: 3.5
Author: The Editors

Calzada's straight papalote – the everyday Chilapa pick

Score: 3.5/5 agaves

Producer: Mal Bien
Maestro: Refugio Calzada Hernandez
Region: Chilapa de Álvarez, Guerrero
Agave: Papalote
ABV: 48.1%
Price: $70 ($)

Verdict

Refugio Calzada Hernandez's straight papalote is the bottle we'd pour for a table of friends who aren't all mezcal geeks, it has Chilapa's hospitality without demanding the room's full attention. At 48.1% it clears the cupreata proof floor with room to spare. A reliable mid-catalog Mal Bien bottle.

Papalote as the neighborhood you grew up in

Tasting notes

Nose: Cooked agave, then wildflower, green pepper, warm smoke

Palate: 48.1% with copper warmth, a rounder, friendlier papalote than the Barranca benchmark, less edge, more hospitality

Finish: Long, warm, softly spiced

The bottom line

A welcoming papalote