Mal Bien Alto Mezcal

Don Isidro Rodriguez bucks the trend of super heavy, fermented, cheesy, lactic mezcals in favor of clean, crisp, mineral soothing distillates that are all around hitters. He is able to do this by adding liters of pulque (an alcoholic beverage native to the Michoacan using fermented sap from the magueys). This Alto, also known by its scientific name Inaequidens, is an agave species that takes 15 years to reach maturity. Don Isidro's take on this large varietal feels like someone took the colors blue and green and made a flavor profile using them. It's cooling menthol, eucalyptus, frozen strawberries, mint sprigs, quinine, and cucumber slices. Just a pleasant, soft-sipper of a mezcal that pushes past assertive and funky in favor of balance and nuance.