Mal Bien Espadín Refugio and Alejandro Calzada Papalote

Mal Bien is a collection of agave spirits from small producers throughout Mexico, curated by spirits nerds and agave lovers during their travels in search of the delicious, authentic, and interesting. 

Don Cuco, as he’s known to friends, was the president of a local association of mezcaleros and magueyeros (agave farmers) for many years, and has been a leading force behind popular agave and tree reforestation efforts that have helped make agave more plentiful today than in his youth.

Though he works almost exclusively with maguey papalote, Don Cuco’s bodega is home to a diverse collection joven, capón and glass-aged spirits, as well as a few special batches macerated with chumilin (Atizies taxcoensis), a local stink bug considered a seasonal delicacy.