Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
You can skip ahead, but you’ll miss a lot of great information along the way!
Shortcuts/Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
1:43 – Ramirez Nosing
2:10 – Lopez Nosing
3:07 – Ramirez Tasting
5:12 – Lopez Tasting
Mal Bien Félix Ramírez (46% ABV)
This espadín from Félix Ramírez comes from Yogana in the Ejutla district of Oaxaca, a zone known for its distinctive hybrid stills with a refrescadera (reflux chamber) that can bring spirits to proof in a single pass—one reason Ejutla mezcales often feel especially clean and focused. Expect roasted agave framed by mineral snap, faint corn and seed notes, and a gentle char that never turns ashy; the higher bottling strength carries the flavors with good lift. Fermentation is with ambient yeasts, and the roast is done in an earthen pit before milling and distillation - traditional methods that keep field character front-and-center. Typical U.S. retail runs about $35 to $50 depending on shop and batch size. If you like Espadín that drinks above its weight in clarity and structure, this one’s a ringer for both sipping and robust cocktails.
Mal Bien “Receta Original de Lucio Morales López” (45.5% ABV)
This is the Morales family’s classic white-tape Espadín from San Dionisio Ocotepec, bottled at 91 proof and made the old way: pit-roasted agave, tahona crush, open-air wood or pine vats, and double distillation in copper pot stills. The house profile leans savory-smoky with roasted meat and ground-corn tones balanced by ripe fruits and a little leather; the 45.5% ABV keeps it expressive enough for cocktails while remaining smooth for sipping. Typical U.S. retail is about $36–$40. Beyond this core Espadín, the Morales family also produces Zacate Limón (lemongrass) under Mal Bien - an original recipe from the late Don Lucio that adds freshly cut lemongrass during second distillation and a touch of maceration for citrus-herbal lift. Today the family tradition continues with Lucio’s son Oscar Morales and cousins overseeing production, preserving the town’s copper-pot style. If you want a benchmark Valles Centrales profile with just a bit more proof and presence, this bottle nails it!
As of September 2025, my current bottle count is over 3,400. I am a Certified Specialist of Spirits and have also been accredited by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). I've been actively collecting for 31 years and what started as a small basic home bar has transformed (with the help and understanding of my wonderful wife) into this collection and career. Speaking of my career, I’m super proud to announce that my “Saints Alley “Nobleman” Rye Whiskey was named “Best American Rye” at the 2024 World Whisky Awards (Batch 5 is out now at Total Wine & More)! But don’t forget that our other Bourbons have also won multiple big awards and are also on Total Wine shelves now! Our Flagship Port & Cognac received a Double Platinum at Fred Minnick's 2024 Ascot Awards, and "The Herald” - our Armagnac finished Bourbon - took Double Gold at the Whiskies of the World competition! Our $40 Ironroot "Sleight of Hand" (soon to be renamed "Assemblage") Rye Whiskey won Best in Class Double Gold and is in the Top 5 running for Worlds Best Rye at the San Francisco Spirits Awards! And stay tuned for my 10-Year-Old Saints Alley "Herald Cigar Blend" Bourbon coming fall of 2025! Given my decades of consumer/reviewer experience, you know I’m working hard to continue bringing you great whiskeys that I'm proud of as a collector, reviewer & blender! Thank you for watching & please remember to drink responsibly. Cheers!
You can skip ahead, but you’ll miss a lot of great information along the way!
Shortcuts/Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
1:43 – Ramirez Nosing
2:10 – Lopez Nosing
3:07 – Ramirez Tasting
5:12 – Lopez Tasting
Mal Bien Félix Ramírez (46% ABV)
This espadín from Félix Ramírez comes from Yogana in the Ejutla district of Oaxaca, a zone known for its distinctive hybrid stills with a refrescadera (reflux chamber) that can bring spirits to proof in a single pass—one reason Ejutla mezcales often feel especially clean and focused. Expect roasted agave framed by mineral snap, faint corn and seed notes, and a gentle char that never turns ashy; the higher bottling strength carries the flavors with good lift. Fermentation is with ambient yeasts, and the roast is done in an earthen pit before milling and distillation - traditional methods that keep field character front-and-center. Typical U.S. retail runs about $35 to $50 depending on shop and batch size. If you like Espadín that drinks above its weight in clarity and structure, this one’s a ringer for both sipping and robust cocktails.
Mal Bien “Receta Original de Lucio Morales López” (45.5% ABV)
This is the Morales family’s classic white-tape Espadín from San Dionisio Ocotepec, bottled at 91 proof and made the old way: pit-roasted agave, tahona crush, open-air wood or pine vats, and double distillation in copper pot stills. The house profile leans savory-smoky with roasted meat and ground-corn tones balanced by ripe fruits and a little leather; the 45.5% ABV keeps it expressive enough for cocktails while remaining smooth for sipping. Typical U.S. retail is about $36–$40. Beyond this core Espadín, the Morales family also produces Zacate Limón (lemongrass) under Mal Bien - an original recipe from the late Don Lucio that adds freshly cut lemongrass during second distillation and a touch of maceration for citrus-herbal lift. Today the family tradition continues with Lucio’s son Oscar Morales and cousins overseeing production, preserving the town’s copper-pot style. If you want a benchmark Valles Centrales profile with just a bit more proof and presence, this bottle nails it!
As of September 2025, my current bottle count is over 3,400. I am a Certified Specialist of Spirits and have also been accredited by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). I've been actively collecting for 31 years and what started as a small basic home bar has transformed (with the help and understanding of my wonderful wife) into this collection and career. Speaking of my career, I’m super proud to announce that my “Saints Alley “Nobleman” Rye Whiskey was named “Best American Rye” at the 2024 World Whisky Awards (Batch 5 is out now at Total Wine & More)! But don’t forget that our other Bourbons have also won multiple big awards and are also on Total Wine shelves now! Our Flagship Port & Cognac received a Double Platinum at Fred Minnick's 2024 Ascot Awards, and "The Herald” - our Armagnac finished Bourbon - took Double Gold at the Whiskies of the World competition! Our $40 Ironroot "Sleight of Hand" (soon to be renamed "Assemblage") Rye Whiskey won Best in Class Double Gold and is in the Top 5 running for Worlds Best Rye at the San Francisco Spirits Awards! And stay tuned for my 10-Year-Old Saints Alley "Herald Cigar Blend" Bourbon coming fall of 2025! Given my decades of consumer/reviewer experience, you know I’m working hard to continue bringing you great whiskeys that I'm proud of as a collector, reviewer & blender! Thank you for watching & please remember to drink responsibly. Cheers!
