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Mal Bien Tepextate – Ramos

Mal Bien Tepextate – Ramos is made by Victor and his son Emanuel. They are the 3rd and 4th generations of the Ramos family.

Rating: (4 reviews)
Category:Destilado de Agave
Cost:$$$
Brand:Mal Bien
Mezcalero:Emanuel Ramos, Victor Ramos
Maguey:Tepeztate
Agave:Marmorata
Milling:Tahona
Distillation:Refrescador
Style:Joven
State:Oaxaca
Town:Miahuatlán
ABV: 48.26%
Batch size: 0319VFR: 272 bottles
Website: https://www.mezcalmalbien.com/, opens in new window

About this destilado de agave

Mal Bien Tepextate – Ramos is made by Victor and his son Emanuel. They are the 3rd and 4th generations of the Ramos family to produce mezcal in the Miahuatlán District of Oaxaca, an area famous for its abundance and diversity of A. karwinskii sub-species (madrecuixe, tobaxiche, etc.). The community of Mengoli de Morelos where they live and work has a population of just under 200 people. They are related to the neighboring Cortes family via Victor’s wife (Emanuel’s mother), Cleotilde, whose sister Cesilia is married to Felipe.

The maguey Tepextate (Agave marmorata) used in this mezcal are cooked for 8-10 days in an underground pit oven with Encino and Mesquite. Once cooked, the agave rest 3-5 days before being mashed by ox drawn tahona. They’re fermented with open air yeasts for 3-8 days before being double distilled in a copper refrescadera still.

Mal Bien

Since 2016, the Mal Bien team has been traveling Mexico, driving off the map and into mountains filled with treacherous roads, police officers of questionable moral character, feral dogs, indigenous languages, narcos, ancient relics, machete wielding protestors, insect based meals, mudslides, blockades, corrupt politicians, and many of the world’s kindest, funniest, most brilliant people. In addition to some hard to believe stories, they’ve connected with a wide variety of traditional producers, whose mezcal is now bottled and exported under the Mal Bien name.

Member rating

4 out of 5

4 reviews

Zack Klamn

Zack Klamn

542 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Nose – Salted celery. Poblano pepper.

Palate – Icing sugar. Poblano pepper flavor and heat. Jarred caper salinity. Cacao. Flame grilled corn husks. A dry champagne note and beaucoup menthol tobacco in the finish. Compared to other Tepeztate mezcales this is on the sweet side (and lighter in the fresh pepper department as Tyler noted).

Tyler

Tyler

663 reviews
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

A nice Tepeztate that is a bit lighter on in terms of fresh pepper notes that one might expect. Lots of minerals and a touch of vanilla bean. It is a good mezcal but not one I would reach for if I wanted a Tepeztate. Batch 0319VFR from March 2019.

El Dawg

El Dawg

227 reviews
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars3 years ago

Lote: 0319VFR
Great big, green, and herbal smell. Classic Ramos & Miahuatlan combination right here!
Green olives, jalapeños, oily, juicy, and with some light BBQ smoke mixed in. If I had to make a complaint maybe a bit too hot at the finish. Although it has improved to that regard with some air time. I think the ‘Verde’ is still my favorite from Mal Bien/Ramos’, but this one is right up there. Awesome tepeztate.
Review #104

Jonny

Jonny

724 reviews
Rated 4 out of 5 stars4 years ago

0319VFR. Aromas of pine, rosemary, green peppers, and freshly ground coffee. Very sweet and syrupy palate with almost no bite. This has notes of vanilla ice cream, jalapeno peppers, and street corn. This is not your “typical” Tepextate. It’s very sweet and quite viscous. Really nice.

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