June's Spirit of the Month - Mal Bien Mezcal Zacate Limon

June’s Spirit of the Month is Mal Bien Zacate Limon by Lucio Morales Lopez. Vibrant lemon peel/oil flavor up front leads to lean vegetal characteristics. Not surprising that there isn’t a smokiness in this Mezcal, the mouthfeel reminds me of lemon oil as well. Throw some club soda and fresh lemon along with this and have yourself an easy cocktail. Made in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, Lucio Morales originally made this expression for his wife, Agustina, as a gift. The Espadin pinas are roasted in the earth, crushed by a Tahona (very large stone wheel), fermented in pine barrels and is distilled twice in copper pots. It’s before the second fermentation that fresh lemongrass is added. After distillation, more lemon grass is macerated to ensure there is a pop in aromatics and to add a little more color.

Mal Bien is one of the few Mezcal brands that is as transparent as possible when it comes to where they get their Mezcal from. A lot of brands will work with multiple producers and might give you the location or the name of the person who made the distillate. However, Mal Bien not only tells you the name of the producer and where they are located, they also give you the exact coordinates of where you can find the distillery the Mezcal has been produced in. That kind of clarity is rarer in the Mezcal business than you might think. Which is what makes Mal Bien such a respective company.