Reviews / Mal Bien Papalote Reposado en Vidrio - Calzada
Review · · by The Editors
Mal Bien Papalote Reposado en Vidrio - Calzada
Glass-aged papalote – rest without wood interference
Score: 4.0/5 agaves
- Producer: Mal Bien
- Maestro: Refugio Calzada Hernandez
- Region: Chilapa de Álvarez, Guerrero
- Agave: Papalote
- ABV: 46.5%
- Price: $70 ($)
Verdict
Aged-in-glass mezcal is the honest cousin of wood-aged reposado – no tannin, no vanilla overlay, just time relaxing the rough edges of a young spirit. Refugio Calzada's papalote en vidrio is a cleaner, calmer version of his straight papalote without losing any cupreata character. Buy this instead of any wood-rested Chilapa mezcal you're offered.
Reposado without the barrel lie
Tasting notes
Nose: Cooked agave, then wildflower, quiet mineral, softened smoke
Palate: 46.5% of Calzada's papalote rested in glass – the harsher edges have relaxed without the wood-fake of a barrel reposado, and the agave reads cleanly
Finish: Smooth, stone – long
The bottom line
The way to age papalote. No wood, more time